A Marine Corps veteran says his wife was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during what was supposed to be a routine immigration interview in Las Vegas this week, raising questions about immigration enforcement in Southern Nevada.
Patrick Baja said his wife, Diana Butnarchuk, was taken into ICE custody Wednesday morning during an interview at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The couple had expected the meeting to be the next step toward U.S. citizenship.
WATCH| Abel Garcia talks to Patrick Baja, who says his wife was detained by ICE during an immigration interview
"We went in at 8:20, spoke to the officer for about five minutes, and that's when ICE entered the office," Baja said.
Baja said his wife came to the U.S. legally from Moldova with political asylum and has worked at the Wynn for 11 years. He said ICE agents acted on a federal removal order that the family thought had been put on hold.
"She came in legally to the United States with political asylum, and she's been working since the beginning — everything has been to a T, legal," Baja said.
"They didn't explain the process at all. They just took her and said, 'We'll get to the bottom of this,' and that's really it. It was just very mind-blowing," he said.
Immigration attorney Jocelyn Cortez said the case demonstrates how marriage to a U.S. citizen or military veteran doesn't automatically erase a prior deportation order.
"This is a great example of how complicated immigration cases are… simply marrying a U.S. citizen is not necessarily a magic wand. If we have complicating factors in our history, things like this can happen," Cortez said.
Cortez said Butnarchuk's situation likely involves a long-standing order of removal and multiple government agencies intersecting.
"She went to an interview at USCIS… but she had been in court, which was under the Department of Justice. Now she's in ICE custody, which is also under Homeland Security. They're all separate, but they all come together," Cortez said.
"Because ICE is in such a heightened enforcement action, they are taking every opportunity to show up," she said.
For Baja, the detention is deeply personal.
"I'm a Marine Corps veteran… She's my everything, my rock, and you'd think they would help us out a little in that situation," he said.
Cortez advised anyone with a visa, DACA, or asylum status not to navigate the immigration process alone.
"We can no longer do DIY cases… you absolutely need a capable and experienced attorney to help you evaluate what steps to take before you take them," she said.
Baja said his wife's case needs compassion and a chance to finish the process they started.
"Everything we did was legal… She was here legally, never had a criminal record, worked for years. That's the misconception.. people think she must have done something wrong," he said.
As Butnarchuk remains at Henderson Detention Center, Baja said he hopes the court will allow her case to be reopened, giving her another chance to prove she belongs in the U.S.
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