New Zealand Woman, Son Detained Three Weeks by ICE at US-Canada Border

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealander living in Washington state, and her six-year-old son Isaac were detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after attempting to re-enter the US from Canada, where Shaw had dropped off her other children for a flight to New Zealand. Shaw was unaware that part of her 'combo card' visa, which includes an I-360 visa for domestic violence survivors and an employment visa, had not been renewed due to lengthy processing times, leading to their detention and transfer to a distant immigration center in Texas. The conditions of detention have been described by Shaw's advocate as prison-like, with confinement to locked rooms and limited freedom, and Shaw and her son being among the few English speakers in the facility. ICE could have potentially allowed Shaw to return through humanitarian parole, but increased detainment quotas and the current political climate have led to the detention of individuals who might otherwise have been released. While Shaw remains detained, her son Isaac reportedly holds valid paperwork to re-enter the US and his release is under consideration. Advocates condemn the treatment of Shaw and her son as unjust and emphasize the emotional and legal distress caused by their prolonged detention.