The woman, identified only as Mariola, said she was on her way to work on Dec. 16 when federal immigration officers stopped her on a one-way street with no witnesses and took her into custody.
"They asked if I was the person they were looking for, took my documents, and told me they had information about me and had to take me to immigration detention," she recalled in an interview with Kanał Zero.
Authorities never gave her a clear reason for the arrest. Her attorney said Mariola had no prior legal issues and described the case as marked by procedural confusion and lack of communication from U.S. authorities — and silence from the Polish consulate.
In detention, Mariola shared a concrete cell with three South American women. She was given two options: deportation or a court hearing. She chose the latter, saying she was told she wouldn’t be allowed to return to Poland on her own if she accepted removal.
Her court date, initially set for May, was moved up to January. But a scheduled Jan. 8 hearing was canceled after ICE agents fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis the previous day. A new hearing was held Jan. 15.
Supporters submitted positive character references, and media and political figures were notified. The judge ultimately set bail at USD 2,000, allowing her release. “Maybe because I’m white and speak English and the judge liked me,” she told Kanał Zero when asked why the amount was relatively low.
Mariola suspects her arrest may be linked to her ex-husband’s death. “I was detained five days after he died. I suspect someone from his family tipped them off,” she said.
She is now applying for permanent residency under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which protects survivors of domestic abuse. Mariola said her late husband had repeatedly promised to help her get a green card but never did, adding: “He abused me, but I loved him and believed things would get better.”
Despite the ordeal, she has no plans to leave. “I love Minnesota,” she said.
(jh)
Source: Onet, Gazeta.pl, WP