Canadian-Born Father Detained by ICE for Four Months Over Teenage Misdemeanor
A 39-year-old Canadian-born father of three has spent nearly four months in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody after being detained at a Houston airport over a misdemeanor charge from when he was a teenager. This move has left his family "baffled" and devastated, as they struggle to understand why his status as a legal permanent resident is now being challenged.
Detention at Houston Airport
Curtis James Wright, a legal US permanent resident who has lived in the United States since childhood, was taken into custody on November 6 at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. He was returning from a business trip to Mexico when authorities pulled him aside for secondary screening. According to local reports and a family fundraiser, his fiancée was informed that he would be transferred to an ICE detention facility.
Wright is currently being held at the South Texas ICE Processing Center, located about an hour southwest of San Antonio. His family has expressed shock and confusion over the detention, given his long-standing residency in the US.
Decades-Old Charge Resurfaces
Family members reveal that immigration officials cited a misdemeanor drug possession charge dating back 22 years to when Wright was 17 years old. His father, Jim Wright, told local media that the case was adjudicated at the time and that Curtis has since renewed his green card twice without any issues.
"They’ve renewed his permanent residency multiple times over the last two decades," Jim stated to CTV News, questioning why authorities are now challenging his son's status. The family originally entered the US on visas in 1998 and became lawful permanent residents in 2001. Since then, Curtis has built a life in Texas, earning a business degree and working in the oil and gas sector.
Jim also acknowledged his son's past legal troubles, which included:
- The teenage drug possession case involving a Xanax tablet.
- A misdemeanor firearms-related charge after a handgun registered to his wife was found in a vehicle he was driving.
- An impaired driving arrest eight years ago.
According to his family, Wright has since given up alcohol and focused on his career and children, striving to move past these incidents.
Family Separation and Emotional Toll
Speaking from detention, Wright described the profound emotional impact of prolonged separation from his family. As reported by CTV News, he said, "None of it has been enjoyable. The separation from my family has been miserable."
His fiancée, Kayla Thomsen, shared that their 18-month-old daughter asks for her father daily. "She wakes up every morning saying 'da-da,' because it would be him going to get her," she told local media. "We’re all devastated."
Wright is also the father to two young sons from a previous marriage. His family fears that deportation to Canada could jeopardize custody arrangements and force a costly relocation, adding to their distress.
Legal Battle and Community Support
Last month, Wright's attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus challenging his continued detention. They argue that it violates his constitutional rights and that he is not a flight risk. To cover mounting legal expenses, the family has launched a GoFundMe campaign.
In the fundraiser, relatives describe him as a devoted father who, even while in detention, has tried to help fellow detainees by sharing supplies and teaching English—earning him the nickname "professor." The fundraiser states, "Curtis tells us he is surrounded by fathers and workers, not 'the worst of the worst.'"
An ICE spokesperson did not immediately respond to media requests for comment on the case. For now, Wright remains behind bars, awaiting his immigration hearing, as his family continues to fight for what they call his safe return home.
This situation highlights the complexities and emotional hardships faced by families in the US immigration system, particularly when old charges resurface unexpectedly. The case underscores the ongoing debates over immigration enforcement and the treatment of long-term residents with minor past offenses.
