The wait has been particularly long for the family. After more than three weeks of detention by the American immigration police, a Canadian and her seven-year-old daughter, who has autism, were released by ICE on Thursday night.
Their relatives had to pay a bond of $9,500, while the mother agreed to wear an electronic bracelet for the duration of the proceedings. “Very happy to have my family back home. What a day!” said husband Edward Warner to The Guardian.
A “terrifying” arrest
According to a local judge’s decision, Tania Warner and her daughter Ayla were not considered flight risks, allowing for their release. Their lawyer was able to demonstrate that their documents had been properly filled out to authorize an extended stay in the United States.
The mother will still have to appear with her daughter before several courts to determine if they can stay in the United States or if they will be deported. Her relatives have been maintaining since the beginning of the case that all their immigration documents are in order and that they have been arbitrarily detained.
Tania Warner and Alya were arrested on March 14 in Texas. When they arrived at a border patrol checkpoint, the mother and daughter were asked for their identity documents.
While the husband presented his American ID without any issues, Tania, who is Canadian, provided her Texas driver’s license, work visa, and official visa. “After that, they took her saying they needed to take her fingerprints to get more information, and she never came out,” recalls Edward Warner, describing the moment as “terrifying.”
