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Sheboygan Falls mother released from ICE custody
Elvira Benitez-Suarez, a Sheboygan Falls mother of four, was released from ICE custody on bond after a March detention, while her immigration case remains under appeal.
SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis. - An undocumented Sheboygan Falls woman who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a routine check-in earlier this year has been released from custody.
What we know:
Elvira Benitez-Suarez celebrated her release Monday, June 1, outside the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building in Milwaukee.
Benitez-Suarez, a mother of four from Sheboygan Falls, was detained in March during a routine check-in with immigration officials and held at an ICE facility in Kentucky. She was released last Tuesday on a $1,500 bond.
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Immigration attorney with Christopher & De León Law Office, Marc Christopher, said the latest detention took a significant toll on her.
What they're saying:
"This last stay has taken a very big toll on her physically," Christopher said.
Christopher said an immigration judge previously granted Benitez-Suarez permanent resident status, but that decision was appealed by the federal government.
"An immigration judge granted, through a legal process, her to have a permanent resident status," Christopher said. "However, that grant by the judge was appealed by the U.S. government. So right now the case is before the body known as immigration appeals."
On Monday, Benitez-Suarez attended another routine ICE check-in while surrounded by supporters.
Christopher said she has been pursuing a green card, a process he said can take years and cost thousands of dollars.
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"While she is going through this process, is it right to detain her? Someone who has been here for 35 years, no criminal record, works in the community, has four children and a husband – do we want to detain someone in a far off facility in Kentucky while they are going through that lengthy process? I don’t think it’s right," Christopher said.
Dig deeper:
Supporters of immigration law enforcement argue ICE is responsible for managing national borders and enforcing federal immigration laws regardless of whether someone has a criminal record.
In March, ICE said in a statement that Benitez-Suarez is an "illegal alien" who would remain in custody pending further immigration proceedings and would receive full due process.
When asked whether Benitez-Suarez could be detained again, Christopher said that is unlikely as long as she complies with the conditions of her bond.
ICE detains Sheboygan Falls mother during routine March check-in
FOX6 News is hearing from the family of an undocumented Sheboygan Falls mother, Elvira Benitez-Suarez. ICE detained her nearly two weeks ago, despite a federal judge first ordering her release.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.