Wisconsin-based welder Everlee Wihongi has lived legally in the United States for more than 25 years.
But after a brief three-week trip to New Zealand to celebrate her uncle’s 80th birthday, her return to the U.S. turned into a nightmare.
Upon landing at Los Angeles International Airport, Wihongi was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and has been held for over a week without a clear explanation.
“We don’t know why she’s being held,” says Harlee Morgan, an aunt to Wihongi.
“To find out, we need to get a form that ICE won’t give us. We have to file a Freedom of Information Act request just to know what she’s in for.”
Wihongi’s family says that when she arrived at LAX, ICE officers told her they needed to carry out “a few checks.”
Family members waiting at the airport were told she would join them shortly, but that never happened.
Instead, she was taken into custody and transferred to an ICE processing centre in Adelanto, California.
The conditions at the facility are reportedly dire. Family members describe crowded sleeping quarters and a system where basic hygiene items must be purchased. While they can now speak with Wihongi daily, the calls are expensive and strictly timed.
More than a week later, whānau none the wiser
The lack of transparency has stalled legal efforts.
A court date scheduled for April 28 was abruptly cancelled; the family was told the judge was no longer on the case, leaving Wihongi in legal limbo. Her lawyer has reportedly been instructed to go through the court system simply to request basic information about her detention.
“She had a court date for the 28th of April, but the judge was fired, so we don’t really have a date now,” Morgan says.
“The next thing is to try and get an immigration bond so Everlee can get out.”
Despite the ordeal, Wihongi, who balances her welding career with work as a professional make-up artist, is trying to remain resilient. Her family describes her as outgoing and hardworking, though they admit she was initially terrified by the sudden detention.
The family is currently working with legal counsel to secure an immigration bond, a process made significantly more difficult by the fact that authorities have not yet released the documents explaining her arrest.
“She calls home, and we try not to dwell on it because it is what it is,” says Morgan.
“We are just trying to keep her spirits up.”
The suddenness of the event has left the family reeling.
“It’s quite lonely being in this,” Morgan says.
“Even with a big family, it’s unexpected and uneasy. It’s a sign of where the world is right now, but it is so uplifting to feel the community around us.”
