Latest news with #RodPrice
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Father of New Zealand woman held in US by Ice along with six-year-old son voices hope for release
The father of a New Zealand woman who has been held in a US immigration detention centre for three weeks with her six-year-old son is hopeful the pair will be released by the end of the week. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detained Sarah Shaw and her youngest son after they attempted to re-enter the US from Canada on 24 July. Shaw had just dropped her two eldest children at Vancouver airport, so they could take a direct flight back to New Zealand for a holiday with their grandparents, when her father, Rod Price, received a panicked phone call. 'She went to go back across into the US and then I got a frantic call to say that she's being detained and 'they're about to take my phone off me' and 'they're locking me up for the night',' Price told local broadcaster RNZ. On Thursday, her friend Victoria Besancon told the Guardian that Shaw had received documents indicating she would be released, but the immigration centre was yet to verify the details to Shaw's lawyer. Price was feeling confident and said there was a '90% chance' Shaw would be released on Friday afternoon, New Zealand time. Ice confiscated Shaw's phone and transported her and her son to a Dilley immigration processing centre in south Texas, many states away from her home in Washington state, Besancon said on Wednesday. The ordeal had been 'horrible', Besancon said. 'It really is kind of like being in jail ... it has been absolutely devastating and it's kind of barbaric.' Shaw has what is known as a 'combo card'– a temporary immigration document that includes employment authorisation, which she obtained through her employment at a maximum-security juvenile facility, and an I-360 approval, which can grant immigration status to domestic violence survivors. Shaw, who has lived in Washington for more than three years, had recently received a letter confirming her 'combo card' renewal, not realising that the I-360 element of her visa was still pending approval. Shaw's lawyer, Minda Thorward, told local media in Seattle that it was a simple administrative error and border patrol had the discretion to parole her into the US. Her children, meanwhile, had the correct travel documents to enter the US. 'There was absolutely no reason for [her son] to be detained. It's unconscionable,' Thorward said. New Zealand's foreign affairs ministry said it was in contact with Shaw but could not comment further on the case due to privacy issues. The Guardian has contacted Ice and the US embassy in New Zealand for comment. Shaw's case is the latest in a growing list of foreigners facing interrogation, detainment and deportations at the US border, including a British tourist, three Germans Lucas Sielaff, Fabian Schmidt and Jessica Brösche, and a Canadian and an Australian who were each held and then deported, despite having valid work visas.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Father of New Zealand woman held in US by Ice along with six-year-old son voices hope for release
The father of a New Zealand woman who has been held in a US immigration detention centre for three weeks with her six-year-old son is hopeful the pair will be released by the end of the week. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detained Sarah Shaw and her youngest son after they attempted to re-enter the US from Canada on 24 July. Shaw had just dropped her two eldest children at Vancouver airport, so they could take a direct flight back to New Zealand for a holiday with their grandparents, when her father, Rod Price, received a panicked phone call. 'She went to go back across into the US and then I got a frantic call to say that she's being detained and 'they're about to take my phone off me' and 'they're locking me up for the night',' Price told local broadcaster RNZ. On Thursday, her friend Victoria Besancon told the Guardian that Shaw had received documents indicating she would be released, but the immigration centre was yet to verify the details to Shaw's lawyer. Price was feeling confident and said there was a '90% chance' Shaw would be released on Friday afternoon, New Zealand time. Ice confiscated Shaw's phone and transported her and her son to a Dilley immigration processing centre in south Texas, many states away from her home in Washington state, Besancon said on Wednesday. The ordeal had been 'horrible', Besancon said. 'It really is kind of like being in jail ... it has been absolutely devastating and it's kind of barbaric.' Shaw has what is known as a 'combo card'– a temporary immigration document that includes employment authorisation, which she obtained through her employment at a maximum-security juvenile facility, and an I-360 approval, which can grant immigration status to domestic violence survivors. Shaw, who has lived in Washington for more than three years, had recently received a letter confirming her 'combo card' renewal, not realising that the I-360 element of her visa was still pending approval. Shaw's lawyer, Minda Thorward, told local media in Seattle that it was a simple administrative error and border patrol had the discretion to parole her into the US. Her children, meanwhile, had the correct travel documents to enter the US. 'There was absolutely no reason for [her son] to be detained. It's unconscionable,' Thorward said. New Zealand's foreign affairs ministry said it was in contact with Shaw but could not comment further on the case due to privacy issues. The Guardian has contacted Ice and the US embassy in New Zealand for comment. Shaw's case is the latest in a growing list of foreigners facing interrogation, detainment and deportations at the US border, including a British tourist, three Germans Lucas Sielaff, Fabian Schmidt and Jessica Brösche, and a Canadian and an Australian who were each held and then deported, despite having valid work visas.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Father of NZ woman detained by US immigration believes she'll be released this week
A GoFundMe has been set up for New Zealand woman Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old son Isaac. Photo: GoFundMe The father of a New Zealander detained in the United States believes there is a 90 percent chance she will be released before the end of the week. Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old son were detained by US immigration at the Canadian border three weeks ago, after she tried to leave and re-enter the US without both parts of her visa approved. On 24 July, Shaw drove across the border from her home in Washington state to Vancouver, to see two of her three children onto a direct flight to New Zealand to visit their grandparents. Waiting at the other end was her dad Rod Price, who told RNZ a frantic phone call was the first indication anything was amiss. "We got messages all the way through - yes, they're at the airport, they're on the plane, they're taking off - and then she went to go back across into the US, and then I got a frantic call to say that she's being detained and they're about to take my phone off me and they're locking me up for the night." He started to get properly concerned when he heard they had flown Shaw and Isaac to Texas, to the nearest detainment centre which accommodates families. The conditions had been difficult for them both. Her friend Victoria Besancon previously told RNZ the detention facility was "very similar to a prison" . "She is in a locked room with five bunk beds, she is allowed to walk around the facility from 8am to 8pm, but outside of that she is locked in a cell with other families." But Price said among the detainees, they were the lucky ones. His daughter spoke English as a first language and had access to good lawyers - even if the logistics involved in contacting them were a little complicated. Her lawyer Minda Thorward told RNZ: "I cannot call her, she can only call me, and then I have to be available to recieve the call and press one to allow the call to come through. So communication is a little bit of an issue." Besancon has been appointed power of attorney, making logistics a little easier. The past week had brought a big increase in media coverage and pressure from Washington state officials, and staff from the New Zealand embassy had made contact with Shaw, after learning of her case from reports in the media. Besancon said it was making a difference. "They started really changing the way they've been speaking with her legal representation." And Price said they were feeling optimistic. "There's a 90 percent chance that she's going to be out Thursday, which is our Friday, 3pm. She's so confident that she's already booked a flight back to Seattle." If that did not go to plan, a court date was locked in for 29 August, in which Shaw would have the opportunity to fight for her release in front of a judge. Meanwhile, her other two children, aged 8 and 10, were enjoying sunny Whangaparāoa, although they were anxious for their mum, Price said. "Ah, the young fella, it's just water off a duck's back, but my granddaughter is - she won't outright say it - but you know, you can tell by their actions and their concern and questions." He said the children would be staying with him until there was someone to meet them at the other end. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Father of New Zealander detained by ICE believes she'll be released this week
A GoFundMe has been set up for New Zealand woman Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old son Isaac. Photo: GoFundMe The father of a New Zealander detained in the United States believes there is a 90 percent chance she will be released before the end of the week. Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old son were detained at the Canadian border three weeks ago, after she tried to leave and re-enter the US without both parts of her visa approved. On 24 July, Shaw drove across the border from her home in Washington state to Vancouver, to see two of her three children onto a direct flight to New Zealand to visit their grandparents. Waiting at the other end was her dad Rod Price, who told RNZ a frantic phone call was the first indication anything was amiss. "We got messages all the way through - yes, they're at the airport, they're on the plane, they're taking off - and then she went to go back across into the US, and then I got a frantic call to say that she's being detained and they're about to take my phone off me and they're locking me up for the night." He started to get properly concerned when he heard they had flown Shaw and Isaac to Texas, to the nearest detainment centre which accommodates families. The conditions had been difficult for them both. Her friend Victoria Besancon previously told RNZ the detention facility was "very similar to a prison" . "She is in a locked room with five bunk beds, she is allowed to walk around the facility from 8am to 8pm, but outside of that she is locked in a cell with other families." But Price said among the detainees, they were the lucky ones. His daughter spoke English as a first language and had access to good lawyers - even if the logistics involved in contacting them were a little complicated. Her lawyer Minda Thorward told RNZ: "I cannot call her, she can only call me, and then I have to be available to recieve the call and press one to allow the call to come through. So communication is a little bit of an issue." Besancon has been appointed power of attorney, making logistics a little easier. The past week had brought a big increase in media coverage and pressure from Washington state officials, and staff from the New Zealand embassy had made contact with Shaw, after learning of her case from reports in the media. Besancon said it was making a difference. "They started really changing the way they've been speaking with her legal representation." And Price said they were feeling optimistic. "There's a 90 percent change that she's going to be out Thursday, which is our Friday, 3pm. She's so confident that she's already booked a flight back to Seattle." If that did not go to plan, a court date was locked in for 29 August, in which Shaw would have the opportunity to fight for her release in front of a judge. Meanwhile, her other two children, aged 8 and 10, were enjoying sunny Whangaparāoa, although they were anxious for their mum, Price said. "Ah, the young fella, it's just water off a duck's back, but my granddaughter is - she won't outright say it - but you know, you can tell by their actions and their concern and questions." He said the children would be staying with him until there was someone to meet them at the other end. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
