A New Zealand woman and her six-year-old son have finally been released after a terrifying ordeal in US detention. Sarah Shaw, 33, was held for over three weeks after immigration officials stopped her while re-entering the country from Canada.
“She thought she was being kidnapped,” her friend Victoria Besancon said. “They took her and her son in an unmarked van.” Sarah’s father recalled her frantic phone call: “They’re locking me up for the night.”
Shaw had lived in Washington state for three years on a “combo card” visa. She believed her paperwork was valid but later discovered only part of her visa had been renewed. That mistake led to her detention and separation from her support network.
Union officials and friends campaigned for her release, raising funds and speaking out about her case. “The trauma this has caused may never be healed,” said union leader Mike Yestramski.
This case has raised difficult questions—should families face such treatment over visa confusion, or should compassion come first?
