A former Penticton mother and her seven-year-old daughter have now been released from ICE detention in Texas, more than two weeks after they were detained.
On March 14, Tania Warner and her daughter Ayla were stopped at a Customs and Border Patrol checkpoint and taken to a processing facility for deportation.
They were both born in B.C. but have been living in Texas with Warner’s husband for the past five years.
In an update posted on X on Thursday, Amelia Boultbee, the Independent MLA who represents Penticton-Summerland, said that the mother and daughter were released at 1 p.m.
She said the duo’s bond hearing took place “significantly faster” as a result of the public pressure surrounding the case.
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“Thank you to everyone who spread awareness of this case, donated money, and sent your support and well wishes to the family,” Boultbee wrote.
“Your kindness and willingness to speak loudly against injustice and oppression made a difference.”
Warner described the conditions inside the ICE detention centre in Texas as being similar to “prison.”
Warner had applied for immigration four years ago, but was denied because her husband is a registered sex offender in the state of Texas due to an incident from when he was a teenager.
Warner said their lawyer found a way to self-sponsor and his name is not attached to any of his wife’s or stepdaughter’s documents.
Immigration lawyer and policy analyst Richard Kurland, who is based in Vancouver and not directly connected to the case, said that even if Canadians have their paperwork up to date, they are still in jeopardy in the U.S.
“For any reason, the American immigration system can question your documents,” he said.
“Until those questions are answered, you may find yourself in a detention centre.”
she married a sex offender?? what a dumb woman. even if it happened when he was a teen he probably took advantage of a young girl gross, she should have her child taken away
ICE is a criminal organization doing the dirty work of a N A Z I dictator and a con man
Not the norm. Maybe keep a COPY of your docs on your person if you are worried!
A, the orange monster’s actions speak for themselves.
Wilson, thank you for your comment. Many lib/ndp are so stuck on “orange man bad” they don’t see what’s right in front of their faces.
What click bait and feeding the sensationalism around ICE. The woman is married to a registered sex offender and was denied immigration status because of it. She tried to skirt the law and had it blow up in her face.
I have no sympathy for her.
They goose-stepped them to the airport
CPS needs to investigate this woman for exposing her developmentally disabled child to a registered offender.
Cruelty is the hallmark of ICE and BPS
illegal immigrant to US released by ICE. a criminal.
got it.