Belfast hairdresser married to US-born husband faces deportation after being detained by immigration officers: ‘He's got no rights whatsoever'
Edward Lee Stinton, known as Lee, was initially subjected to a traffic stop by police in Key West — part of the Florida Keys — while cycling on his way to work at a hair salon.
However, officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) soon detained him for not having his immigration documents at hand despite possessing the proper papers, according to his father.
Belfast-born Lee (46) was transported almost four hours to a Miami detention centre housing a host of other ICE detainees where he has been left in limbo awaiting the outcome of his residency.
The former British Hairdresser of The Year left his home for Florida over six years ago after marrying his US-born husband.
His father, Edward, told Good Morning Ulster that Lee was on a working visa at the time and was on track to receive a Green Card.
'Last Thursday, we heard something went wrong,' Edward explained. 'He was going to work as normal on Thursday on his e-bike and he went through or, didn't go through — we're not sure of that yet — a stop sign.
Edward continued by saying that Lee did not have his immigration papers on him and was subsequently transferred to Krome Detention Centre, where he has been held for almost a week.
'He's a vegan — he hasn't had food from last Thursday, he sleeps on a cold hard floor, no washing no change of clothes — his mum's out of her mind.
'They won't tell [his attorney] how long he'll be there. If they find they're going to deport him — it's a holding centre, not a processing centre — they will send him to Texas to process him and then deport him.
'The silliest part about it [according to] his solicitor is that he could be deported, sent back home to here, there's a certain form you can fill in from here and you can go straight back to the US straight away.'
The 46-year-old is a 'valued member' of the Key West community, according to a petition set up by locals to campaign for Lee's release.
The petition said he has been 'earning the trust and respect of colleagues, customers, and supervisors and has been a tax-paying member of the community since 2019'.
It adds that Lee's detention has 'caused significant hardship to his family, friends, and our community. As residents of Key West, we rely on each other for support, and the absence of Lee has left a noticeable gap in our daily lives. Lee poses no danger to our community and has no criminal history.'
Lee is one of tens of thousands detained by immigration authorities following Donald Trump's vow to deport millions of undocumented migrants from the US.
Around 51,000 migrants believed to be undocumented have been brought into ICE detention centres as of early June, with even some of the most high-profile US inhabitants being arrested.
Among those detained have been New York City's mayoral candidate Brad Lander and one of the world's biggest TikTok stars, Khaby Lame.
Elaine Stinton, Lee's mum, who 'can barely get through the day', voiced her concerns as she awaits a decision from US immigration officials.
She said: 'He's got no rights whatsoever. He has no food, he can't wash himself, he can't get changed. You wouldn't treat an animal like that.'
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