A Canadian mom and her young daughter, who is on the autism spectrum, have been held by ICE agents for close to a week.
Her husband says they’ve since been taken to a well-known detention center and told they can “self-deport.”
Tania Warner and her seven-year-old daughter, Ayla Luca, are originally from British Columbia, Canada. They relocated to the U.S. about five years ago after Warner married her husband, Edward Warner, who is an American citizen.
The family lives in Kingsville, Texas. They were on their way back from a baby shower when officers stopped them at a border checkpoint on March 14.
Since then, Edward says he’s only been able to catch quick calls with his wife, with each one only lasting a few minutes.
He added that she’s deeply shaken by what’s happening, and during those calls, she has had to speak quietly so officers wouldn’t overhear.
Warner also said their daughter Ayla ended up getting a rash while being held.
He was told Tania could be let go if she agreed to “self-deport” back to Canada. However, he said that’s not something they’re willing to do.
Tania’s cousin, Amber Sinclair, said she has a social security card and a valid visa, so they’re not sure why she was stopped and detained.
Right now, the family is trying to gather enough money to hire a lawyer.
Texas Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, who represents the 34th district, said his office is helping push for their release.
He also pointed out that Tania has a valid work permit. He added that neither she nor her daughter, who has autism, should be in detention.
Warner and Ayla were first taken to the Rio Grande Valley Central Processing Center in McAllen, Texas; they were later transferred to the Dilley immigration processing center on Friday.
The Dilley facility first opened during Barack Obama’s presidency, then shut down when Joe Biden took office.
The center has faced a lot of criticism from human rights groups, lawyers, and former detainees over its conditions; concerns have included limited access to clean drinking water, illness outbreaks, and inadequate medical care.
When asked about the reason for their detention, an ICE spokesperson said they needed more details to “accurately locate them.”
But even after that information was shared, ICE did not follow up.
