A Canadian woman and her young daughter are being held at a Texas immigration facility after being stopped at a US checkpoint. According to Newsweek, Tania Warner and her 7-year-old daughter Ayla were detained after the family was stopped by federal agents in Sarita, Texas, on March 14 while traveling with her husband, a US citizen.
Warner’s husband, Edward, told Canadian media that agents took his wife in for fingerprinting after they presented identification. Shortly after, his stepdaughter was also taken in, and neither returned. The two were later placed in custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
They were initially held at a Rio Grande facility before being transferred to the Dilley Detention Center, which has faced scrutiny in recent months over reported conditions.
Officials from the Department of Homeland Security said that individuals who overstay visas may be detained, adding that “work authorization does NOT give someone legal status,” according to the report.
Warner has said her daughter, who is on the autism spectrum, is struggling with the detention environment, citing stress and overstimulation. Edward Warner also described conditions as difficult, telling Global News that detainees were “sleeping on the floor… using [foil] blankets to keep warm,” and called the experience “very traumatic.”
{{/usCountry}}Warner has said her daughter, who is on the autism spectrum, is struggling with the detention environment, citing stress and overstimulation. Edward Warner also described conditions as difficult, telling Global News that detainees were “sleeping on the floor… using [foil] blankets to keep warm,” and called the experience “very traumatic.”
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: ICE agents deployed at airports amid TSA pay crisis: Which airports are affected?
Who is Tania Warner?
Tania Warner is a Canadian national from British Columbia who has lived in the US for about five years, according to Newsweek. She is married to Edward Warner, a US citizen, and the couple are based in Texas.
Her husband said Warner had obtained a work permit that identified her as a “legal alien,” though federal authorities have not confirmed the details of her legal standing.
Newsweek reported that she had previously applied for legal status but was denied, and later attempted to reapply through another route.
Also Read: Trump issues chilling warning to send ICE agents to airports: ‘GET READY’
The case has also drawn political attention. Texas Representative Vicente Gonzalez said his office is in contact with the family and is pressing for their “immediate release,” calling for Warner and her daughter to be reunited with their family.
Edward Warner is currently raising funds for legal representation as he continues efforts to secure their release.