The Daily Star Ireland
Cliona Ward, a 54-year-old Irish national and long-term U.S. resident, is scheduled for release today from a U.S. immigration detention center, following a court decision that concluded her removal proceedings.
Ward, who has resided in Santa Cruz, California, for over three decades and holds a valid green card, was detained on April 21, 2025, at San Francisco International Airport upon returning from Ireland, where she had visited her ailing father. The detention was based on drug-related convictions from 2003 to 2008, which Ward believed had been expunged under California law. However, federal immigration authorities did not recognize the state-level expungements, leading to her detention and initiation of deportation proceedings.
Her attorney, Erin Hall, filed a motion in California to have the original convictions formally vacated in a manner acknowledged at the federal level. A state judge granted the motion, enabling Hall to subsequently request termination of the immigration case. A federal immigration judge in Tacoma, Washington, signed an order this morning ending the removal proceedings, effectively clearing the way for Ward’s release.
Community and Political Support
Ward’s case garnered significant attention and support from various quarters. Family members, friends, and community activists organized demonstrations advocating for her release. A GoFundMe campaign launched to assist with legal expenses surpassed its $40,000 goal, reflecting widespread backing. U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta also intervened, emphasizing Ward’s rehabilitation and contributions to her community, and advocating for her due process and release.
Ward’s detention highlights the complexities and potential consequences of discrepancies between state and federal recognition of expunged convictions, particularly concerning immigration law. Her case underscores the challenges faced by long-term residents with past convictions, even when those convictions have been addressed under state legal systems.
