Sarah Shaw, a 33-year-old New Zealander, has been freed from US detention. She and her then 6-year-old son were detained for over three weeks at an immigration jail. On July 24, the two of them tried to re-enter the United States after taking Shaw’s two oldest children to the Vancouver airport. As a result, they were forced to spend a day in detention at the US-Canada border during this attempt.
Shaw has only spent a little more than three years making Washington state his home. As of now, he has a “combo card” visa that combines both an employment visa and an I-360 visa into one. She also was able to get her employment visa by working at a max-security juvenile hall, which all needed to be documented. The I-360 visa provides immigration status for domestic violence survivors. Shaw certainly fits into this category. Just last week, she got word that her visa renewal was official after many months of waiting. Yet for the I-360 component, approval is still pending.
When they tried to come back into the United States, Shaw and her 11-year-old son were snatched up by customs agents. A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stated that individuals with expired parole who leave the country and try to return will be stopped in compliance with immigration laws. “If they are accompanied by a minor, CBP will follow all protocols to keep families together or arrange care with a legal guardian,” the spokesperson added.
Shaw’s father, Rod Price, recalled when he received that desperate phone call from his daughter that night.
“She went to go back across into the US and then I got a frantic call to say that she’s being detained and ‘they’re about to take my phone off me’ and ‘they’re locking me up for the night’.” – Rod Price
While detained, conditions Shaw and her son endured were, according to friends and family, horrific. Victoria Besancon, one of Shaw’s closest friends, emphasized that she and Shaw probably did not receive any explanation from authorities before being taken into custody.
“They didn’t really explain anything to her at first, they just kind of quietly took her and her son and immediately put them in like an unmarked white van.” – Victoria Besancon
Shaw and her son were confined to a bedroom with three other adults every night from 8PM to 8AM. Their uniforms were provided by the facility, and replaced any personal clothing. The prescribed conditions have created permanent trauma for them both. Mike Yestramski, president of the Washington Federation of State Employees, worried about the psychological toll of their experience.
The union that represents Shaw had lobbied for her release during the detention. Their organized, persistent actions—the week-long jailhouse strike—combined with support from family and friends is what got them released in the end. According to an ICE spokesperson, the Dilley detention center is purpose-built to hold families. It guarantees them access to basic safety, security and medical provision.
The union representing Shaw had advocated for her release throughout the detention period. Their efforts, coupled with support from family and friends, ultimately led to their release. An ICE spokesperson mentioned that the Dilley detention center is designed for families and provides necessary safety, security, and medical needs.