North Texas woman recounts time in ICE custody after 140-day detention
For the first time since her release from immigration detention, an Arlington woman described the trauma of her 140-day confinement and the moment she reunited with her husband.
Ward Sakeik, 22, spoke Thursday at a press conference held in a familiar setting – a hotel ballroom in Irving where she once photographed wedding memories, now repurposed as the stage for her to share a deeply personal story of confinement and freedom.
"It was freedom," she says
"I never thought I'd be back in this hotel sharing something extremely personal," Sakeik said. "I was overfilled with joy, and a little shock. It was my first time seeing a tree in five months, so I was with like my potato sacks running to my husband. Yeah, it was amazing. It was freedom."
Sakeik was released Monday from the Prairieland Detention Center. She had been arrested in February while returning from a honeymoon trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands with her husband. Although the islands are a U.S. territory, she was flagged by Customs and Border Protection upon reentry.
Stateless and detained for months
Born in Saudi Arabia to Palestinian parents, Sakeik came to the United States at age 8. She is considered stateless, meaning she is not recognized as a citizen by any country.
"I have been transferred to three different facilities, and the conditions of these facilities are terrible—extremely unhygienic, dust everywhere," she said.
Legal team challenges ICE actions
Sakeik's attorneys said she had a pending green card application and had recently married a U.S. citizen. Despite this, Immigration and Customs Enforcement attempted to deport her twice — once in violation of a federal court order, according to her legal team.
"The people who are running the Department of Homeland Security have no idea what's in the Constitution," said attorney Eric Lee. "They are brazenly violating the law, and that should cause extreme concern to everyone paying attention to this case."
ICE cites visa overstay, final order
In a statement, an ICE spokesperson said: "The arrest of Ward Sakeik was not part of a targeted operation by ICE. She chose to fly over international waters and outside the U.S. customs zone and was then flagged by CBP trying to reenter the continental U.S. She overstayed her visa and has had a final order by an immigration judge for over a decade."
The statement added that following her marriage and legal filings, she was released from custody.
No country to return to
Sakeik's legal team confirmed she had an order of removal but said immigration authorities could not enforce it because she has no country to return to. There is no record of her or her family in Palestine, and Saudi Arabia does not offer her a path to citizenship.
Attorney Chris Godshall-Bennett said her marriage made her eligible to adjust her legal status.
"That allows you to change status, legalize your status, and remain in the United States," he said.
Focus now on helping others
Godshall-Bennett said it remains unclear what prompted her sudden release.
At the press conference, Sakeik showed artwork she created with other detainees and said she now plans to advocate for women still in ICE custody.
"Every single girl in there is important," she said. "They all deserve rights. They are all humans, and I will continue to fight for them."
