Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials allege a detained 19-year-old Ossining High School student was involved in gang activity.

Diego Puma is currently behind bars with his mother at the Orange County Corrections Facility.

Puma has maintained that he left Ecuador in 2014 to escape the gangs there, but ICE says he was actually an active participant in those gangs.

His legal counsel tells News 12 that he is even more likely to face deportation because of the accusations by ICE.

ICE officials say an immigration judge told Puma and his mother in November that they had to leave the U.S.

Some say the way ICE took him into custody last Thursday was unfair.

“There's a difference between a criminal and someone hardworking, and going to school, making the way from Ecuador to escape crime," says Justin Escobar, of Ossining.

Puma’s legal counsel say his deportation process could take weeks or months. He will remain detained in the meantime.