A British mother was dramatically arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while holding her baby son during what was supposed to be the final step in her US Green Card application.
A Routine Interview Turns Into a Nightmare
The shocking incident unfolded at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in San Diego. Katie, the British national, was attending the interview with her American husband, Stephen Paul, who watched in horror as events spiralled out of control.
Stephen explained that his wife had overstayed her original visa, but the couple had been advised by their immigration attorney that this was typically not an issue for couples who were married and actively pursuing a Green Card application from within the United States.
The couple had initially planned for Katie to return to the UK last autumn to await her entry clearance. However, those plans changed when she discovered she was pregnant. Fearing it was a high-risk pregnancy, they decided it was safer to remain together in the US and adjust her status domestically, a course of action they believed was legally sound.
The Arrest and Its Aftermath
Despite following this legal advice, their hopes were shattered when ICE agents approached them at the immigration office. "We see the ICE agents come around, and they say that they're arresting Katie," Stephen recounted. "She was just stunned. She kept asking what was wrong, what did we do? We'd done everything right."
In a deeply distressing scene, Stephen was forced to take his baby from his crying mother's arms as she was taken into custody. He described the frantic search for information that followed, stating he struggled to find out where his wife had been taken.
He was eventually able to speak with Katie on the phone. Stephen said his wife was "scared" and "anxious," desperately missing their baby and saying she "just wants to come home."
A Family Left in Turmoil
The arrest has thrown the family's life into chaos. Stephen is now solely responsible for their infant son and is unable to work. "My baby doesn't have his mom to hold him. I can't work right now because I need to take care of him," he said, revealing the immense emotional toll. "I can't ask family to take care of him because I'm afraid if I don't have him to take care of, I'm going to just fall apart worrying about Katie."
NBC News has since confirmed that Katie appears in the official ICE detainee locator system, verifying her detention. The case highlights the precarious situation many families face within the US immigration system, even when they believe they are following the correct procedures.
