Cliona Ward, an Irish woman who has legally lived in the U.S. for four decades, is being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials after her return from Ireland. Ward, 54, was detained on April 21 at San Francisco airport following a visit to her sick father in Ireland. She holds a green card but has a criminal record from 2007 and 2008 related to drug possession, which she believed had been expunged.
Ward’s case has drawn international attention as part of a broader crackdown on documented immigrants under the Trump administration. The Irish government has expressed concern, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin vowing to address the issue to ensure that those with legitimate status in the U.S. are not unjustly detained.
Originally from Dublin, Ward moved to the U.S. as a child, attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, and works for a non-profit. She has lived a law-abiding life for the past two decades, has been sober, and is a dedicated mother to a U.S. citizen son with chronic health issues.
Ward’s criminal record includes two felonies for drug possession and four misdemeanors. However, her family emphasizes that she has worked hard to rehabilitate herself and become a valued member of her community. Her sister, Orla Holladay, started a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for legal assistance, which has already surpassed $23,000.
Despite believing her criminal record had been expunged, Ward has been detained multiple times after traveling to Ireland. After being briefly held at Seattle airport in March, she was detained again at San Francisco airport in April, where she remains at an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington. Ward’s immigration hearing is scheduled for May 7.
This case highlights concerns over the treatment of legal immigrants under the current administration, including the use of old criminal records to revoke green cards and other legal statuses. Representative Jimmy Panetta, a Democrat from California, called the situation “unfathomable,” given Ward’s history of rehabilitation and contribution to society.
The ongoing crackdown on documented migrants has sparked outrage, especially after high-profile cases of other individuals detained under questionable circumstances.
