British Columbia Mother Speaks Out from Texas Immigration Detention Facility
A mother from British Columbia, Canada, is raising alarms about the dangers of navigating the U.S. immigration system after being detained with her seven-year-old daughter in Texas. Tania Warner, who resides in Penticton, British Columbia, was intercepted at a U.S. border crossing while returning to Kingsville, Texas, from a baby shower.
On March 14, Warner and her daughter, Ira Lucas, made a routine stop at a Border Patrol checkpoint in Sarita, located just south of their Texas home. They had previously crossed through such checkpoints without issue, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) maintains several domestic crossing points along major highways near the U.S.-Mexico border.
However, what started as a simple border stop quickly turned into a nightmare for Warner. Mother and daughter were arrested and held in the Central Processing Center—CBP’s largest detention facility known as “Ursula”—for five days before being transferred to the Dilley Immigration Detention Center in Dilley, Texas.
Warner described their time at the Ursula facility in McAllen as “absolutely terrifying,” emphasizing the harrowing conditions. “There is no place for children in any way,” she stated during a phone interview from Dilley. “McAllen is a sensory deprivation room with no windows or light, leaving you unaware of whether it’s day or night.”
Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have long criticized the conditions in U.S. detention centers. Warner reported that her daughter, who is on the autism spectrum, became increasingly distressed in that environment, even developing a rash attributed to exposure to cleaning products used in the facility. Despite seeking medical attention multiple times, Warner felt her concerns went unaddressed until her worries escalated.
Mother Claims Illegal Detention
Having lived in the United States for nearly five years, Warner initially moved to Texas on a visitor visa to be with her partner, Edward Warner. The couple married three years ago, after which she obtained a work visa. Warner claimed to have applied independently for a work permit and permanent residency, stating that her green card application had been approved, allowing her to remain in the U.S. while it processed.
“Never in a million years did I think I would be tied up and put in prison,” she lamented, asserting that her detention was unjust. “We have an official piece of paper authorizing us to be here… yet we have been illegally detained.”
Growing Concerns Back Home in Canada
The situation has drawn attention from Warner’s community, with Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee expressing deep concern over her detention. “It was big news here when she was taken into custody,” Boultbee remarked, highlighting Warner’s longstanding ties to the area. She promised that the community would welcome Tania and her family back “with open arms.”
Texas Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez has previously called for the immediate release of Warner and her daughter, asserting that she should not be detained given her valid work permit. Warner has a bond hearing scheduled and anticipates the amount could reach $10,000. Although one option available to her is voluntary departure, she feels uninformed about the process, which heightens her anxiety.
“Reopening any path will create a financial burden,” she stated, adding, “My life is here in Texas… This is the only home my daughter has ever known.” The ordeal has shifted her outlook on living in the U.S. and is prompting others to rethink their immigration plans. Warner warns, “If you have people immigrating, you might want to consider leaving.”
She emphasized that many detainees are not criminals but individuals navigating a complicated immigration system, highlighting the fear and uncertainty they all face. “I’m scared… for myself, my daughter, and everyone else,” she confessed. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have directed inquiries to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), yet CBC News has not yet received a response from either ICE or the Department of Homeland Security.
