Elderly Woman with Half a Century in the U.S. Detained by ICE After Vacation

Lewelyn Dixon, a 64-year-old legal permanent resident who has called the United States home for fifty years, found herself unexpectedly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Seattle airport. This incident occurred after she returned from a February vacation to her native Philippines.

The arrest, which left her family and community in shock, is reportedly linked to an old embezzlement conviction from 2000, according to her attorney, Benjamin Osorio, as reported by NBC News. Dixon is currently held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, with a court hearing scheduled for July.

The Hidden Past of an Exemplary Life

Working as a lab technician at the University of Washington (UW Medicine) since 2015, Dixon was detained after Customs and Border Protection flagged a non-violent embezzlement conviction from two decades ago. The case involved $6,460, dating back to her tenure as a supervisor at Washington Mutual Bank. She had served 30 days in a halfway house and paid restitution, completing her obligations in 2019. Her family, who was unaware of this past, described it as her "darkest secret," according to her niece, Lani Madriaga.

"Had she not traveled, this wouldn't have been triggered," Osorio noted. Madriaga revealed that Dixon was eligible for U.S. citizenship for years but chose to retain her Filipino nationality due to familial commitments and property ownership in the Philippines. "She likely didn't understand the risk, otherwise she might have naturalized before traveling," Madriaga explained.

Impact on Family and Career

Since arriving in the U.S. at 14, Dixon has been a cornerstone for her family and is highly regarded in her workplace. On the day of her arrest, she was scheduled for a shift at the hospital. Her family is now anxious about the potential loss of her job and pension, particularly as she approaches her 10-year mark at the institution, a milestone necessary for securing her benefits.

Susan Gregg, a spokesperson for UW Medicine, did not comment on Dixon's employment status but stated, "UW Medicine is committed to the well-being of all its employees and hopes Lewelyn receives timely due process."

Advocacy and Warnings

While in detention, Dixon has been assisting other detainees by acting as a translator and facilitating communication with their attorneys. Her family has launched a campaign advocating for her release and is warning other immigrants of the risks tied to not completing the naturalization process.

"For those who haven't pursued citizenship, thinking they were protected like my aunt: you are not. Secure your citizenship," they advised.

The situation of Lewelyn Dixon underscores how an old conviction can have unforeseen repercussions many years later, especially amidst an increasingly stringent immigration environment.