Overview
- An ICE agent in plain clothes stopped Galina Bobreneva after a flight to Burbank, handcuffed her and put her into an unmarked vehicle, according to the couple.
- Authorities held her first in Los Angeles and then for about 16 days at a Mojave Desert detention center before she was freed on a $35,000 bond and fitted with an electronic ankle monitor.
- The Department of Homeland Security says she overstayed her admission, while her lawyer says a pending green-card application meant she remained in lawful status, setting up a factual fight in immigration court.
- Bobreneva and witnesses described harsh conditions in custody, including cold holding rooms, limited showers and alleged medical neglect for detainees with diabetes.
- The case has left her U.S.-based husband fearful and has drawn attention to a recent increase in airport enforcement, with possible wider effects on how courts and agencies handle travelers with pending immigration claims.