British Man Detained in ICE Custody Faces Deportation Risks
A British citizen who has resided in the United States since the age of nine is reportedly facing deportation after being held in ICE custody for over a month and a half.
Connor Reed, 29, was apprehended by ICE agents following his invitation to a green card interview in Tampa, Florida, on June 3. The unexpected detention separated him from his wife, Jaelynn, 25, and their twin sons, Ryder and Ozzie, aged three.
Originally from Chatham, Kent, Reed moved to the U.S. in 2007 with his mother and stepfather. He has lived in the U.S. for most of his life, returning to England only once since then.
In 2011, Reed faced a deportation order but was granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status at the age of 16. This program offers deportation protection and work permits to individuals who were brought to the United States as children.
However, while under DACA protection, Reed encountered legal difficulties, including minor offenses that classified him as a “criminal illegal alien” during the Trump administration. His convictions include possession of drug paraphernalia, alcohol offenses, and resisting arrest.
The Times reported that Reed was unable to renew his DACA status at age 22 due to his drug-related charges. He met Jaelynn through a dating app in 2020, when his immigration circumstances were uncertain. After their marriage, they began the process of applying for a green card.
On June 3, during his green card meeting at the Federal Immigration Services Building in Tampa, Reed was arrested by four ICE agents. Immigration officials informed Jaelynn that her husband would not be returning home.
Following his arrest, Reed spent eight days in Pinellas County Jail before being transferred to an ICE detention center in Louisiana. He is currently appealing a removal order but has been advised that the decision could take up to six months.
An ICE spokesperson commented on Reed’s situation, stating that he was arrested under the agency’s enforcement priorities. The spokesperson highlighted Reed’s criminal history, emphasizing that nearly 70 percent of ICE arrests involve individuals who have been charged or convicted of crimes in the United States. Reed entered the U.S. on an F-2 visa as a dependent of an F-1 student, and his visa violations led to his deportation proceedings.
