Irish Woman Detained by ICE After Returning to US

Cliona Ward, a 54-year-old Irish woman and longtime Santa Cruz resident with a valid green card, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after returning from Ireland, where she visited her ailing father. Ward, who has lived in the US for decades and is the sole caregiver for her chronically ill US-citizen son, was questioned at San Francisco airport about drug possession convictions from over a decade ago, which had been expunged under state law but not federal law. She was initially released to collect documentation but was later detained and transferred to an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington, pending a court hearing. Ward's family and Irish officials, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, have expressed concern and are providing consular support. Community members have launched a fundraising campaign for her legal costs, emphasizing her rehabilitation, societal contributions, and the emotional toll on her family. The case highlights the ongoing risks for legal immigrants with historic convictions amid evolving US immigration enforcement policies.