A Canadian woman and her seven-year-old daughter, held for nearly three weeks in a US immigration detention centre, have been released after posting a $9,500 bond. Tania Warner and her daughter Ayla Luca, both Canadian citizens, were freed on Thursday evening and fitted with an ankle monitor after a judge ruled they were not a flight risk.
Warner moved to the US in 2021 after marrying Edward Warner, a US citizen. The family lives in Kingsville, Texas. The pair were stopped at an immigration checkpoint in Sarita on 14 March while driving home from a baby shower. They were taken by ICE agents for fingerprinting and never returned.
Initially held at the Rio Grande Valley central processing centre in McAllen, Texas, they were transferred to the Dilley immigration processing centre in south Texas on 20 March. Warner described conditions as 'horrific', with no beds and constant pressure to 'self-deport'. At Dilley, they had mattresses but no privacy.
Warner's husband provided a copy of an employment authorisation card valid until 2030, but ICE claimed she had overstayed her visa. The family maintains all paperwork is up-to-date and that the detention was arbitrary. They now face hearings to determine if they can remain in the US.
Global Affairs Canada said it was aware of multiple cases of Canadians in US immigration detention but could not provide further details due to privacy. ICE did not respond to requests for comment on the case.
