Family of New Zealand Woman Detained in the US Appeals for Government Intervention
Family of New Zealand woman detained by ICE pleads for government help to secure her release
The Guardian
Image: The Guardian
The family of Everlee Wihongi, a 37-year-old New Zealand woman detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is urging the New Zealand government to assist in her release. Wihongi, who holds a green card, was detained upon returning to Los Angeles from New Zealand due to a historic conviction for marijuana possession.
- 01Everlee Wihongi has been detained by ICE since April 10, 2023.
- 02Her family claims she is confined with 46 others for 22 hours a day.
- 03Wihongi's detention stems from a past marijuana possession conviction.
- 04New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Ministry is providing assistance but cannot influence US immigration decisions.
- 05The case highlights increasing detentions and deportations of foreigners at the US border.
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Everlee Wihongi, a 37-year-old New Zealand woman, has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since her return to Los Angeles from New Zealand on April 10, 2023. Her family claims she is held in a room with 46 other detainees for 22 hours a day. Wihongi, who holds a green card, was detained due to a historic conviction for possession of marijuana dating back over a decade, despite having traveled in and out of the US multiple times without issue. Her family is appealing to the New Zealand government for assistance, urging Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters to intervene. Peters stated that Wihongi had not declared her prior conviction on immigration paperwork and emphasized that the process must be followed. The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs is providing support but cannot influence US immigration decisions. Wihongi faces an additional six weeks in detention, with a recall date set for June 10. This case is part of a broader trend of increasing detentions and deportations at the US border.
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Wihongi's detention raises concerns about the treatment of foreigners in the US immigration system, affecting perceptions of safety and home for New Zealand citizens.
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