'A huge, huge relief' - Irish woman detained by US immigration to be released
An Irish woman detained by border agents after returning to the US despite living there for decades is set to be released later today, her sister has confirmed. Cliona Ward was initially stopped in Seattle in March after attempting to return to the US following a trip to Ireland with her stepmother so they could be with her father, who is currently battling dementia. Living in Santa Cruz in California for 30 years, the 54-year old Irish woman is a permanent legal resident in the US, with a valid green card, and had reportedly emigrated to the States when she was just 12 years old. Cliona was kept at the airport for a number of days owing to an allegedly expunged criminal conviction from two decades ago. She was then released so that she could bring officials the necessary documents, to prove that her records had been expunged, at San Francisco International Airport. But after showing up to the airport on Monday, April 21, she was detained by agents and was held at the Tacoma Northwest Detention Centre in Washington, with fears she could be held as a prisoner for a number of months. Now Cliona's sister Tracey Ward thanked the world for an "outpouring of love" after her sibling's detention, as she announced the news that she is set to be released later today. She told RTÉ's Prime Time the news of her sister's release came as a "huge, huge relief" "I was trying to maintain hope today but I know how the system works over there so I was very fearful for her. I'm just completely relieved," her sister shared. "The outpouring of love worldwide that we've received has been absolutely unbelievable." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Comments (0)