A New Zealand woman and her six-year-old son have been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) for nearly three weeks after attempting to re-enter the United States from Canada, in what a friend has described as a 'terrifying' ordeal.
Sarah Shaw, 33, who holds a US visa and lives in Washington state, was taken into custody on 24 July after dropping her two older children at Vancouver airport for a flight to New Zealand. She and her youngest son were transported to the Dilley immigration processing centre in south Texas, far from her home and support network.
Friend and advocate Victoria Besancon said Shaw initially thought she was being kidnapped when officials placed her in an unmarked van without explanation. Besancon, a retired US Navy officer, said the pair are locked in their shared room from 8pm to 8am, are not allowed to wear their own clothes, and are the only English speakers among detainees.
Shaw holds a 'combo card' visa, comprising an employment visa and an I-360 visa for survivors of domestic violence. She recently received a renewal letter but was unaware that the I-360 portion was still pending approval. Besancon said border officials could have opted for humanitarian parole instead of detention, and noted that Shaw’s son's I-360 has been approved, making his detention potentially unlawful.
Shaw’s union, the Washington Federation of State Employees, has called for her release, condemning Ice practices as contrary to American values and human rights. The New Zealand foreign affairs ministry confirmed it is in contact with Shaw but declined to comment further.
