Four United States-born children have been released from U.S. immigration custody after being detained at Peace Arch Park, just south of White Rock, for more than two weeks.
Their mother remains at a detention facility in Tacoma, Wash., pending immigration charges.
According to the Oregon Public Broadcaster, Portland-based Kenia Jackeline Merlos, her nine-year-old triplets and seven-year-old son were detained on June 28. Merlos, her kids, and her mother had travelled to Peace Arch State Park when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents took them into custody.
Blaine, Wash., immigration lawyer Ken Saunders tells 1130 NewsRadio that he’s never seen a mother and children arrested for possible “alien smuggling” at the Park before.
“This administration, it’s almost like they’re on steroids here, going after every single person,” he said Tuesday.
“I’ve never seen a family, especially U.S.-citizen children, held in one of these local facilities. There are small jail cells which are not made for longer stays,” he explained.
Saunders says that as Merlos has a pending U.S. visa, it’s unclear whether she will be released from detention or deported.
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“Right now, under this new administration, most officers are concerned about doing that kind of ‘catch-and-release’ and potentially losing their job,” he said.
Saunders says Merlos’ story is not unique, adding he’s not surprised so few Canadians are travelling to the U.S.
“I’ve been practicing immigration law in Blaine for almost 25 years, and I’ve never seen a mom with her four kids get arrested for alien smuggling at the park. It just seems to be one story after another — you hear about Canadians being detained at the border, Jasmine Mooney on the southern border.”
The Oregon Public Broadcaster says that as of Friday, Merlos has not been charged with any crime.
According to records, she and her husband are being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Wash. Customs and Border Protection rules say detained people should only be in custody for 72 hours, but the agency has ignored its own guidelines multiple times.
