A British mother was taken into custody during her Green Card interview in the United States while holding her infant son, with her American husband witnessing the distressing event. The husband, Stephen Paul, expressed shock as his wife, Katie, was detained by US immigration authorities at the San Diego office of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Despite having no criminal record and being in the final stages of obtaining permanent residency, Katie was apprehended by ICE agents, even though the couple had been informed that overstaying her visa during the Green Card process was typically not problematic.

A Green Card, also referred to as a Permanent Resident Card, permits non-citizens to reside and work in the US permanently. Stephen revealed that Katie had initially planned to return to the UK while awaiting entry clearance but decided to apply for the Green Card in the US due to the high-risk nature of her pregnancy. Their immigration attorney had advised them that applying for the Green Card in the US as a married couple was permissible.

Stephen recounted the moment when ICE agents detained Katie at the immigration center, leaving her bewildered and questioning their actions despite believing they had followed all procedures correctly. He expressed the heart-wrenching experience of having to console their crying infant after his wife’s separation, emphasizing the challenges of obtaining information about Katie’s whereabouts.

Following the ordeal, Stephen described contacting Katie, who conveyed feelings of fear, anxiety, and longing to be reunited with her child and family. He shared the emotional strain of caring for their baby without his mother, expressing concerns about his ability to work amid the distress. NBC News verified Katie’s presence in detainee locator records, confirming her detention status.