MILWAUKEE — An immigration attorney says his client was unexpectedly taken into custody during what he expected to be a routine supervision check-in at the ICE field office in downtown Milwaukee Tuesday morning.
Marc Christopher said he accompanied his client, Elvira Benitez Suarez, 50, of Sheboygan Falls to the check-in expecting only basic questions.
"We thought it was going to be as simple as where do you live, confirmation of where you live, what is your telephone number and then get another date to check back in to see the status of the appeal," Christopher said.
Suarez has lived in Sheboygan Falls for years and has been in the process of obtaining a green card.
"She was doing everything that we as a society and government have asked of her," Christopher said.
Watch: Milwaukee immigration attorney says client detained at routine ICE check-in
Christopher said the two were about to leave the ICE field office when Suarez was taken into custody.
"We've been told they're going after criminals, people who are repeat violators. This woman is anything but a criminal," Christopher said.
According to Christopher, Suarez fled Mexico at age 15 after suffering sexual assault and has spent decades in the country working and raising her children.
Christopher said he does not know where Suarez is being held and has been unable to reach her.
"Almost certainly she's going to be transported hundreds if not thousands of miles outside Wisconsin," Christopher said.
"You hear this talk about due process and people given access to an attorney. Well I'm her attorney but I don't know how to communicate with her," Christopher said.
This is not the first time Suarez has been in ICE custody. She was taken into custody last July and held at a facility in Ohio for months after being in the country illegally.
"When they're in these detention facilities, they're not simply with other immigration detainees, they're mixed up in the population with the criminal detainees as well," Christopher said.
When I asked Christopher whether he hoped his client would not face another lengthy detention, he said he was praying that would not be the case.
"I pray that it's not another six months, I really do. I don't know how she and the family will be able to survive that long of a time again," Christopher said.
TMJ4 reached out to ICE to ask why Suarez was taken into custody and has not yet heard back.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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