Cliona Ward, a longtime Santa Cruz resident, was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials on April 21, 2025, after returning from Ireland where she was visiting her sick father.
Lookout Santa Cruz:
Longtime Santa Cruz resident’s immigration detention sparks protests ahead of court hearing in Washington state
Community members gathered at the Santa Cruz County courthouse, 701 Ocean St., at 8 a.m., to demand the release of detained Santa Cruz resident Cliona Ward. The rally organized by the SEIU — of which Ward, a caregiver, is a member — will also take place the same day as Ward’s first immigration court hearing since she was moved to a detention facility in Tacoma, Washington, around April 24. Organizers are planning a similar rally in Tacoma. Read the full article online at Lookout Santa Cruz here.
La Opinión:
SEIU celebra que ICE liberó a Cliona Ward, tras un arresto que causó protestas nacionales
El Sindicato Internacional de Empleados de Servicios (SEIU) celebró el miércoles la liberación de Cliona Ward tras su arresto y detención por parte de ICE en Tacoma, Washington. Cliona es miembro de SEIU Local 2015 desde hace mucho tiempo, es una cuidadora, madre y líder comunitaria. Lee el articulo entero aquí.
Santa Cruz Sentinel:
Santa Cruz County resident and green card holder Cliona Ward released from ICE custody
Cliona Ward, a green card holder and Santa Cruz County resident that has been held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more than two weeks, was granted release by a federal judge Wednesday, according to Rep. Jimmy Panetta. Read the full article online.
Lookout Santa Cruz:
Santa Cruz resident set to be released from Washington detention center this afternoon
Cheers and tears were on display Wednesday morning as community members got the news that Cliona Ward, a longtime Santa Cruz resident and union member detained last month by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, would be released later in the day from a detention center in Washington state. Read the full article online.
Irish Examiner:
Irish woman Cliona Ward to be freed after charges dropped by US immigration
Irish woman Cliona Ward has had the charges against her dropped by the US immigration service and will be released this afternoon. Appearing before a judge this morning in Tacoma, Washington, Dublin-born Ms Ward was informed that all charges had been dropped against her and she is to be released imminently. Read the full article online.
The Irish Times:
Cliona Ward, Irish woman held in US detention centre after family visit, released
Cliona Ward, the US green card holder and Irish citizen who had been arrested and imprisoned in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centre, was released after her preliminary hearing took place in Tacoma, near Seattle, on Wednesday morning. Ms Ward (54) was transferred to the private detention facility after returning to San Francisco following a visit to see her gravely ill father in Co Cork in April. Read the full article online.
RTE Irish News:
Irish woman detained by US immigration to be released
Irish woman Cliona Ward, who has been detained in a US immigration facility, is to be released later today, her family has confirmed. Ms Ward’s sister told RTÉ’s Prime Time that they have been advised the 54-year-old will be released in the coming hours. Ms Ward is a green card holder and a long-time resident of California. She was detained on 21 April after travelling to Ireland to see her father last month. Her sister Tracey Ward said news of her release was a “huge, huge relief”. Read the full article online.
The Seattle Times:
Irish green card holder released from ICE custody in Tacoma
Cliona Ward, a green card holder and Santa Cruz County, Calif., resident who has been held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in its Tacoma facility for almost two weeks, was granted release by a federal judge Wednesday.
“It has just been an absolutely surreal moment,” Ward’s sister, Orla Holladay, told the Santa Cruz Sentinel hours after the release. “She’s in shock. We got her some food; she was starving.” Read the full article online.