What was supposed to be a simple border crossing turned into a nightmare for a New Zealand mother and her young son.
Sarah Shaw, who has been living legally in Washington state for more than three years, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when she returned from a brief trip to Canada.
Instead of heading home, she and her six-year-old son Isaac found themselves locked inside a detention center in Texas.
Dropping Kids at the Airport
Sarah had driven her three children from Washington to Vancouver Airport in Canada so her two older kids, Grace (11) and Seth (9), could fly to New Zealand to visit their grandparents.
Vancouver was the closest airport with a direct flight, so it was the most practical choice.
After waving them off, she turned around with Isaac and headed back to the US—completely unaware that her life was about to change dramatically.
From Border Check to Detention
Crossing back into the US on July 24 should have been routine.
Instead, ICE officers intercepted Sarah and Isaac, put them into an unmarked van, and took them more than 35 hours away to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas.
Her phone was confiscated, and communication with the outside world was limited.
To make matters worse, Sarah says no one clearly explained why she was being detained, leaving her terrified and convinced she was being kidnapped.
Living Conditions Inside the Facility
The detention center, described by advocates as the largest of its kind in the US, has been compared to a prison.
According to her friend and navy veteran, Victoria Besancon, Sarah has been forced to live under harsh conditions.
She can’t wear her own clothes, shares a room with multiple families in cramped quarters, and is locked in overnight from 8pm to 8am.
Language barriers have made the ordeal even harder, as most of the detainees speak little or no English.
Legal Status and Visa Complications
Sarah isn’t an undocumented immigrant.
She has a valid work visa through her employer and has been working as a youth counselor in Washington state.
She also applied for an I-360 visa, a special provision for survivors of domestic violence by US citizens.
While her children’s I-360 visas have already been approved, hers is still pending.
Without it, her legal status has come under scrutiny, and ICE has used that gap to justify her detention—even though her work visa remains active.
Struggles for Humanitarian Relief
Hoping to return to her home and job, Sarah requested humanitarian parole, which allows urgent reentry into the US.
But her request was denied.
To make matters worse, ICE officers allegedly misled her by saying the request had already been filed and rejected, when in reality, it was never submitted on her behalf.
Advocates fear that her detention could jeopardize the approval of her pending I-360 application.
Emotional Toll on the Family
Back in New Zealand, Sarah’s father Rod Price has been caring for Grace and Seth.
While the children are enjoying time with their grandparents, the uncertainty is weighing on them—especially Grace, who has been quietly worried about her mother’s situation.
Meanwhile, Isaac has been staying with his mother in detention, experiencing the frightening ordeal firsthand.
Political Climate and Immigration Crackdowns
Supporters say Sarah’s case reflects the increasingly aggressive stance US authorities have taken on immigration in recent years.
Travel to the US has already seen a decline, with statistics showing a 3.1 percent drop in July alone.
Critics argue that families like Sarah’s are getting caught up in the heightened enforcement climate.
Hopes for Release
Despite the hardship, there may be light at the end of the tunnel.
Sarah’s family believes she has a strong chance of being released soon.
Her father shared that she is so confident about her release that she has already booked a flight back to Seattle.
If she isn’t freed on Thursday, however, her case will be heard in court later this month.
Community Support
Sarah’s friend Victoria has been doing everything possible to raise awareness and funds.
She set up a GoFundMe campaign to cover legal and travel expenses, which has already gathered more than $53,000 in just a week.
The support shows how strongly people are rallying behind Sarah as she fights to be reunited with her children and return to her home in Washington.
