Cliona Ward, an Irish woman who lives in California and has a valid green card, could be in ICE custody at a detention center in Tacoma, Washington for "months," her sister Orla Holladay says.
"Thank you all again for helping us to fight for Cliona's freedom," Orla said in an update on the GoFundMe page for her sister's legal expenses last night, Monday, April 28.
"Her lawyer met with her today and it was both a relief for Cliona to know that she has representation, but also very painful and scary when her lawyer told her she may be in there for months while we fight for her release.
"She said the water is undrinkable, the food is not fit to eat, and her biggest consolation today was that her lawyer was able to bring her a pen.
"I'm exhausted and sick and its hard to eat. Went back to my classroom today but its so hard to focus.
"WE fight again tomorrow for her freedom and bring awareness to all of the innocent detainees in these detention centers.
"In solidarity, Orla"
In a brief update on Tuesday, Orla wrote: "Before I try to go to sleep and prepare myself for work I want to remind all of you to hug your loved one, check in on a neighbor and be kind to yourselves right now."
54-year-old Cliona, whose green card is valid until 2033, was stopped by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on March 19.
She was returning to California from Ireland, where she had accompanied her step-mother to visit her father, who is at the end of his life.
Orla told NBC Bay Area that Cliona was detained at SFO because of her prior criminal record, which stretches from 2003 to 2008.
Orla separately told Newsweek that Cliona's prior criminal record includes six cases - two felonies for possession of drugs in December 2007 and January 2008, and four misdemeanors.
The convictions, however, had been expunged at the state level.
Orla told Newsweek that Cliona, who had struggled with addiction, has now been sober for more than 20 years.
After being held by customs for three days at SFO, Cliona was released so she could obtain documentation to prove her records had been expunged in California.
After getting the documentation, Cliona returned to SFO Customs for an 'administrative hearing' on April 21 - however, the Irish woman was again detained by customs and told she would have to argue her case in front of an immigration judge.
"I feel like I'm living in the Twilight Zone," Orla told NBC Bay Area. "She has a criminal past which she has atoned for."
A source close to the investigation told NBC Bay Area that Cliona is still under federal custody because her expungement happened at a state level, not federal.
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Last week, Orla launched the GoFundMe page for legal expenses. It has since met its goal of $30k, with a new target of $40k. As of Tuesday morning, more than $33k had been raised from more than 350 donations.
"She did everything she was supposed to do in order to make reparations for that criminal conviction," Orla wrote on the GoFundMe page, "and has been gainfully employed, paying taxes, and building a family in Santa Cruz."
Cliona also has a son, a US citizen, who is "chronically ill who depends on her for caregiving."
Orla wrote: "She followed all of the instructions given to her by CBP for this supposed administrative meeting [on April 21], which was, in reality, an effort to take her into custody.
"Cliona is a very private and gentle person who wants nothing more than to return to her quiet life."
In an update on the GoFundMe page on April 24, Orla wrote that Cliona had been sent to an ICE detention center in Washington with a court date set for May 7.
Online records show that Cliona is now in ICE custody at Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington.
The following day, Orla wrote that she was able to talk to her sister, who she said was "terrified" and "scared of getting lost in the system."
In an update on Saturday, Orla wrote that Cliona "shared that although she can't speak with the majority of the women in there because most don't speak English they have been giving each other support and there are lots of tears and hugs between the women."
Meanwhile, California Representative Jimmy Panetta told NBC Bay Area: "It’s unimaginable that a reportedly expunged, 20-year-old incident could be used as justification for deporting a legal permanent resident who is a productive member of our community."
Rep Panetta added: "I am continuing to press US Customs and Border Protection for the release of Ms. Ward and am working closely with her advocates to coordinate our efforts, ensure transparency, and uphold the law and due process that must be afforded to everyone in the United States."
In Ireland, Taoiseach Micheal Martin told The Journal on Monday: "We will be pursuing it on a practical basis to make sure that those who are legitimately entitled to be in US are free from any challenges or difficulties of this kind."
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