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ICE holds California nursing professor Dr. Ann Lawani as judge blocks her removal

4h

Summary

  • Dr. Ann Lawani, a 39-year-old California nurse and University of San Francisco nursing professor, has been held in ICE custody for nearly two months.
  • Federal agents arrested her in Lodi, California, on September 16 and moved her through Stockton and El Paso to a Louisiana detention center.
  • A federal judge on September 29 rejected moving her habeas case, barred her removal, and ordered DHS to justify her detention.
  • DHS says she received due process under a 2013 final removal order; her attorney says an immigration judge granted her withholding of removal.
  • Rep. Josh Harder and National Nurses United have called for her release and pressed the Department of Homeland Security for answers.

Reactions

  • A DHS spokesperson said Lawani received due process, was issued a final removal order in 2013, and will remain in ICE custody pending removal.
  • Attorney Natalia Vieira Santanna said an immigration judge granted Lawani withholding of removal and her work authorization runs through April 2029.
  • Rep. Josh Harder called for Lawani's release, wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and asked DHS to release her under supervision.
  • National Nurses United accused DHS of deliberately concealing Lawani's whereabouts, called for her immediate release, and warned she was at risk of deportation to a third country.
  • University of San Francisco nursing dean Eileen K. Fry-Bowers said the detention was harming students, faculty, accreditation work, and safety-net partnerships.
  • Lawani's brother, Samuel Lawani, said his family wants her returned home safely and as soon as possible.

Timeline newest first

  1. Rep. Josh Harder's office said on November 10 that he asked DHS to release Lawani under an order of supervision and disclose any proposed country of removal.
  2. On October 20, Rep. Josh Harder wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin about Lawani's transfer to Louisiana and her disappearance from ICE's detainee locator.
  3. On September 29, a federal judge rejected moving Lawani's habeas case to Louisiana, barred her removal, and ordered DHS to explain why she should not be released.
  4. Lawani's attorney filed a federal habeas corpus petition on September 18 challenging her detention.
  5. Federal agents arrested Lawani at her Lodi, California, home on September 16 and transferred her through Stockton and El Paso to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center.
  6. Lawani's family could not locate her through ICE's online detainee locator during the transfers and learned she was in Louisiana after she called her brother three days later.

Sources newest first

  • Dr. Ann Lawani controversy explained as anger grows over ICE arrestnewsweek.com· 4h

    A Newsweek article explains the controversy around Dr. Ann Lawani, a 39-year-old California nurse and University of San Francisco nursing professor held in ICE custody for nearly two months after her September 16 arrest in Lodi, California, and transfer to Louisiana. A federal judge on September 29 rejected moving her habeas case, barred her removal, and ordered the Department of Homeland Security to justify her detention, while Rep. Josh Harder and National Nurses United have called for her release. A DHS spokesperson said she received due process under a 2013 final removal order; her attorney says an immigration judge granted her withholding of removal and her work authorization runs through April 2029.