I whakaputahia tēnei ātikara e RNZ
Labour’s immigration spokesperson says Foreign Minister Winston Peters is not doing enough to support New Zealander Everlee Wihongi, who is in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention.
Wihongi is a New Zealand citizen, but she has lived in the US for decades and holds a green card.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said she was detained for not declaring a historic cannabis possession conviction when re-entering the US last month.
But Labour’s Phil Twyford, who spoke to her mother, Betty Wihongi, on Thursday, said she had travelled in and out of the US several times before without issue.
“I thought it was poor form by Winston Peters to put the blame on Everlee as if she’d done something wrong.
“When green card holders re-enter the US, they’re not asked to fill out a form or declare historical convictions or anything else. They just enter the country.”
After being held at an ICE facility in California for three weeks, Everlee Wihongi’s family said she still had not been told by the courts what her charges were.
It would be another six-week wait before she faced a judge on 10 June.
“She’s [Betty Wihongi] understandably very frustrated. She told me she’s very angry about the situation,” Twyford said.
“It has been very distressing and upsetting for the family.”
He said the New Zealand government should be advocating for Everlee Wihongi’s release and for her to be told exactly what she was charged with.
“Mother Betty told me she’s had no indication MFAT [Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade] has provided any practical assistance at all. There have just been a few phone calls asking how she’s doing and how the family are.”
‘Doing what’s possible’
Peters referred to previous statements from MFAT when approached for comment.
A spokesperson for his office said Everlee Wihongi’s case was a “consular issue”.
“The appropriate people using established diplomatic channels are doing what is possible.”
Earlier this week, MFAT said in a statement to RNZ: “While the New Zealand government is unable to influence the immigration decisions of other governments, MFAT continues to provide consular assistance to the family of a New Zealander detained in Los Angeles.
“The type of support available in these situations includes ensuring that New Zealanders have access to legal representation, advising family, and engaging with detention facilities where that is needed. For further information on how consular cases are supported please visit Safe Travel: You have been arrested or jailed.
“For privacy reasons, we are unable to comment on the details of any individual case.”
Nā RNZ
