Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The family of a New Zealand woman and her 6-year-old son say they hope for their release by the end of the week after being arrested last month by the American immigration authorities for what his lawyer said he was an “administrative error”.
The woman, Sarah Shaw and her son Isaac were detained by immigration and the application of customs on July 24 after trying to return to the country of Canada. Shaw, a mother of three who lives in Everett, Washington, was coming back to drop her two older children at Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand while she and her youngest son were arrested on the border.
Shaw, who moved to the United States more than three years ago under sponsorship of her husband at the time, now requests a legal permanent residence independently under a provision for survivors of domestic violence. In the meantime, it has a temporary immigration document known as the “Combo card” which allows employment, as well as international trips.
His lawyer, Minda Thorward, told NBC News Affiliate King In Seattle, Shaw’s detention came from an “administrative error”. Although his work permit was recently renewed, the travel part of his “combo card” was still awaiting approval.
Although Shaw’s son has a valid travel document, he was also detained, and the two were sent to a Texas immigration detention center, one of the only two in the country who can accommodate families.
Thorward said that it was “unacceptable” to hold Shaw’s son and that the immigration authorities had the discretion to release her from the United States to the United States “with all that this administration has done, they chose cruelty intentionally-again and again,” she said.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United States Embassy in New Zealand and Ice did not immediately respond to requests by email of comments outside of office hours.
Shaw’s father Rod Price said RNZ New Zealand Broadcastor There was a “90%chance” that they were released by this evening, which in New Zealand would be tomorrow afternoon. Otherwise, Shaw should appear before a judge later this month.
Shaw works for young people from Washington in a rehabilitation for minors. Price said his two older children stayed with him in New Zealand until his release.
