Washington state employee and 6-year-old son detained by ICE

[appleblossom 4,864]

It's a bad article, I read one yesterday that was much more comprehensive. She was on a visa I hadn't heard of before, I think it was from her employment in a youth detention centre, and applying for a GC via VAWA. Can't recall now but I'll see if I can find the article, it was probably the BBC as I tend not to read US new sources. 

[Crazy Cat 45,245]

I just saw this in a Newsweek article which makes more sense than some other articles I've read:

 

"According to the GoFundMe, Shaw had work authorization but not travel permissions just yet, as part of what is known as a "combo card", while her son did."

That sounds like an I-131 was not approved yet......?

Edited August 14 by Crazy Cat

[Boiler 47,885]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/14/father-of-new-zealand-woman-held-in-us-by-ice-along-with-six-year-old-son-voices-hope-for-release-ntwnfb

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/13/new-zealand-woman-six-year-old-son-ice-detention-us-ntwnfb

Guardian but little info

 

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/australasia/new-zealand-woman-detained-ice-immigration-b2806701.html

Independent equally vague

 

Quote

Shaw works for the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families and is a member of Local 341. She works at Echo Glen Children’s Center, a medium/maximum security juvenile rehabilitation facility in Snoqualmie.

Hard to believe she was sponsored for this job, so on whatever basis she came I think it is reasonable to assume when she got her EAD (VAWA?) she switched to the job which of course would mean abandoning her old status.

 

So lets say she did have a Visa related to her prior position, she was not seeking entry to do that job assuming the Visa was still valid.

 

I am intrigued now, nothing I could see on BBC.

 

Update did find one reference to VAWA but no clarification on how she entered. Lots of mention of Administrative Error but not what or by whom.

[JeanneAdil 7,234]

If the combo card was offically stopped in july ,  will it affect those who already applied for one prior to July or stopped all together for everyone?

just wondering how USCIS does changes and why the lawyer didn't know whether she consulted one before or after the incident.  Immigration lawyers should keep up with these changes

[Boiler 47,885]

She had EAD had not received AP and left without any way of reentering

 

Asked for Humanitarian Parole not sure on what basis.

[JD2 175]

15 hours ago, Boiler said:

My money is her coming as a visitor with presumably 3 children, marrying, maybe filing to adjust, divorcing and then VAWA. She has EAD but not AP.

Doesn't the article state all of this already?  "While her work authorization had been approved, her advance parole had not."  and "Shaw immigrated to the United States three and a half years ago under sponsorship from her then-husband. While divorce often jeopardizes a green card application, she qualified to reapply independently under provisions for survivors of domestic abuse."

[TBoneTX 47,903]

As ever, it's infuriatingly frustrating when reporters with next-to-zero (or zero) knowledge of immigration status and processes try to write articles, of course laden with emotion and implied or actual "Trump is evil" undertones.  I fault the reporters' editors for letting such slop hit print.

[JD2 175]

4 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

As ever, it's infuriatingly frustrating when reporters with next-to-zero (or zero) knowledge of immigration status and processes try to write articles, of course laden with emotion and implied or actual "Trump is evil" undertones.  I fault the reporters' editors for letting such slop hit print.

What exactly is the issue though?  The reporter could have been far more precise but we all get what is going on here (she came legally, divorced, is VAWA now, thought she had AP but only had EAD and traveled).  Under normal times, CBP would've paroled her in at a land border but Trump drastically curtailed that discretion leading to immense harm to her family.  Instead of empathizing with the horrific situation a paperwork issue has caused her family, we're nitpicking about the reporter saying "visa" instead of "advanced parole."  Really?  Or maybe I'm missing something here?

[TBoneTX 47,903]

1 minute ago, JD2 said:

we're nitpicking

Accuracy and precision are crucial to full understanding.  Had the article met these standards, no one here would be looking to fill or define the confusing holes in the story.

[SalishSea 18,522]

15 hours ago, Dashinka said:

What the heck does this mean?  So did she have AP, or a Combo?  I cannot get on social media right now, but when I can maybe there is more to the story than from K5's reporting here.

 

As an aside, this appears to be an issue with looking for a cheap flight as the only reason she went to Canada was to take her children to the airport.  Probably should have sent dad, live and learn.

 

“Sarah had been waiting on some travel documents to be approved. But once her visa and her children’s visas were cleared, she felt comfortable taking them to Canada. We assumed everything was fine.”

Not an issue of looking for cheap flights.  She lives north of Seattle.   Air New Zealand has daily direct 15 hour Dreamliner flights from Vancouver to Auckland.  Much faster than first flying to SF or LA.

[Dashinka 26,107]

9 hours ago, SalishSea said:

Not an issue of looking for cheap flights.  She lives north of Seattle.   Air New Zealand has daily direct 15 hour Dreamliner flights from Vancouver to Auckland.  Much faster than first flying to SF or LA.

Except when one leaves the US with a pending AOS and no approved AP.  Sounds like it may be very inconvenient for her now.

[Dashinka 26,107]

10 hours ago, JD2 said:

What exactly is the issue though?  The reporter could have been far more precise but we all get what is going on here (she came legally, divorced, is VAWA now, thought she had AP but only had EAD and traveled).  Under normal times, CBP would've paroled her in at a land border but Trump drastically curtailed that discretion leading to immense harm to her family.  Instead of empathizing with the horrific situation a paperwork issue has caused her family, we're nitpicking about the reporter saying "visa" instead of "advanced parole."  Really?  Or maybe I'm missing something here?

Even if CBP had paroled her in, she would have needed to re-start the AOS filing.  Isn't that what we always advise folks that are going through the AOS process in the US regardless of the basis for that AOS.  If one leaves the US with a pending AOS and no AP, the AOS package is null.

Edited August 15 by Dashinka

[Boiler 47,885]

There are acres of coverage, many Journalists have contributed but none of them seem to have been able to supply basic facts.

 

Humanitarian Parole is supposed to be temporary, not sure if it applies for someone with clear immigrant intent, VAWA of course can be applied for from say NZ.

 

She sent the 2 children home, allegedly for a holiday which implies they want to come back, how?

[Crazy Cat 45,245]

Bottom Line:  The woman should have joined Visa Journey before she crossed the border.....😄

[JD2 175]

38 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

Even if CBP had paroled her in, she would have needed to re-start the AOS filing.

So? Better than what she's experiencing now.