A New Zealand woman, Sarah Shaw, and her 6-year-old son have been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for over three weeks after a brief trip to Canada. Shaw, who has been living in Washington state for three years, didn’t realize her travel permit had expired, leading to her detention. Despite having valid immigration documents for her son, the pair were taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and transported to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas.
Shaw holds a “combo card,” a dual document serving as both a work permit and travel document. She had renewed her work permit but not the travel permit, assuming the renewal of one would cover the other. This oversight led to her detention when she tried to re-enter the US from Canada. Shaw’s lawyer described this as a “minor administrative paperwork error.
The South Texas Family Residential Center, where Shaw and her son are being held, has been described as cramped and isolating. Each room contains 5 to 6 bunk beds, and rooms are locked from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Shaw’s friend, Victoria Besancon, said they are among the few English speakers in the facility, and Shaw’s son has been struggling with the loss of his summer vacation. Shaw has used commissary funds to buy him ice cream and colored pencils to make him feel more at home.
Shaw’s detention highlights the complexities and challenges of US immigration policies. Her lawyer, Thorward, believes border officials had the discretion to grant Shaw humanitarian parole rather than detaining her. “It was not necessary, inappropriate, and inhumane,” Thorward said. Shaw is set to begin a master’s program in psychology at Northwest University and is worried about whether she will be released in time.
ICE maintains that detention centers are safe and follow strict health and safety standards. The agency includes a list of safety and health standards for family residential centers on its website. However, detainees and advocates have raised concerns about the conditions and psychological impact of detention on children.
The New Zealand foreign affairs ministry confirmed it is in contact with Shaw but declined to provide further details due to privacy concerns. CNN has reached out to ICE for comment on Shaw’s case. The Washington Federation of State Employees, which represents Shaw, has demanded her release, citing the trauma caused to her and her son.
