Irish Woman Detained in US After Decades: Expunged Record, Immigration Law Clash
Cliona Ward, a 54-year-old Irish woman and legal US resident for over 30 years, was detained by ICE upon her return from visiting her ailing father in Ireland. Her detention stems from decades-old, expunged drug convictions that, while erased under state law, remain on her federal record. Currently held in a Tacoma, Washington ICE facility, Ward’s case has garnered attention from her family, who have launched a GoFundMe campaign, and her representative, US Representative Jimmy Panetta, who deemed her detention unacceptable. Ward awaits a court date on May 7th.
John Q. Hosedrinker