Irish woman faces deportation from America
By Daniel O’Neill
An Irish woman with family based in Cork is at risk of being sent back to Ireland after moving abroad at 12 years old.
Irish-born Cliona Ward who has lived in Santa Cruz, California for 30 years was recently detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after arriving in San Francisco International Airport. She was returning from a trip home to see her dying father in Youghal when she was taken into custody.
She originally believed she was attending a meeting to present documentation on a 20 year old, non-violent criminal conviction, but instead was handcuffed and detained by ICE. Despite having a green card and being legally resident in the US, complying with the law, maintaining a clean record ever since, working full time, paying taxes and having a family, she is now at risk of being deported back to Ireland.
Cliona’s sister Tracy Ward expressed her concern for her sister on RTÉ’s ‘Prime Time’ this week: “The harsh reality is that Cliona could be held prisoner for months while we plea for her release. She is depressed and scared and we can't even speak with her properly.
“Every time we talk the connection is so bad that we can barely hear each other. We eventually give up, ending the call, defeated and frustrated and sad.”
She also mentioned how Cliona is the primary caregiver for her young son and what this means for other women like her saying: “My sister has an adult son that she's separated from who she's his care caregiver. But imagining these other women who have small children that are being held in detention centres on the other side of the country is breaking her heart.”
Cliona is currently being held at the Northwest Detention Centre in Tacoma in Washington. It is one of the largest detention centres in the U.S with a capacity of over 1,500.
It could be as late as August before Cliona gets to stand before a judge, and until then she will be held indefinitely. A GoFundMe has been set up in hope of Cliona being able to pay for legal costs and a lawyer to help free her which has raised over $37,000 so far.
Ms Ward said the water at the prison is undrinkable and the food is not fit to eat.