by Troy, Missouri – An Irish citizen and longtime U.S. green card holder will spend Thanksgiving in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), months after being detained over minor offenses dating back more than a decade.
Donna Hughes-Brown, who has held her green card for 37 years, was arrested by federal agents at O’Hare International Airport on July 29 while returning from a vacation in Ireland. Despite living legally in the United States since the age of 11, she remains in ICE custody in Kentucky.
Her husband, James Brown, expressed outrage over the detention. “Please show me in the Bible where this is what you are supposed to do. It’s wrong. Period,” he told First Alert 4 News. “She’s 100 percent innocent, including being legal in this country.”
Legal Basis for ICE Detention
A senior official from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Newsweek that green cards are a privilege, not a right. The official explained that legal immigrants with certain criminal convictions can be deemed inadmissible and placed in removal proceedings, which may include mandatory detention.
Past Convictions Trigger Current Detention
Hughes-Brown’s detention stems from 2015 bad check charges, which were legally resolved at the time. Nevertheless, under federal policy during the Trump administration, prior convictions—even minor ones—can justify ICE detentions, especially for entry into the U.S.
Brown told Newsweek that he had supported President Donald Trump in the past but now regrets his vote after witnessing the consequences of ICE’s stricter immigration enforcement. Trump’s administration promised mass deportations targeting criminal immigrants, but legal residents with prior offenses have also faced detention.
Life in Missouri and Family Impact
Hughes-Brown resides in Troy, Missouri, with her husband. She is a mother of four children and grandmother to five grandchildren. Her family says she has been a law-abiding resident who has contributed to her community for decades.
Her detention has been emotionally taxing. After five days in a Chicago facility, she was transferred to Kentucky, where she remains incarcerated. Under current ICE policies, over 66,000 people are held in detention centers nationwide, including legal residents with minor past offenses.
Upcoming Hearing
Hughes-Brown is scheduled for her next hearing on December 18, as her family continues to fight for her release.
What do you think about ICE detaining long-term green card holders over past misdemeanors? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
