Canadian Man Returns Home After Nine Months in ICE Detention, Describes Harsh Conditions

A Canadian man who spent nine months in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention has returned to Canada and spoken publicly about his experience behind bars.

Curtis Wright, 40, an Edmonton-born Canadian who had lived most of his life in the United States, was detained in November after returning to Texas from a business trip to Mexico.

According to Wright, his detention was linked to a misdemeanor drug-possession charge dating back to when he was 17 years old.

Wright said he had travelled in and out of the United States more than 100 times before his detention and never expected to face such a situation.

He said immigration officials stopped him for secondary screening when he arrived in Texas and questioned him about the old conviction. He was subsequently informed that he would be detained while his case was investigated.

Wright said he was shackled and taken to an ICE detention facility, where he remained for nine months as he fought to stay in the U.S.

His main reason for challenging his deportation was his two sons, aged eight and 11, who live in Texas. Wright said he shared custody of the children and wanted to remain involved in their lives.

He said several politicians, including Republican and Democratic senators and Texas state representatives, contacted authorities on his behalf and urged officials to consider releasing him.

However, Wright said his immigration hearings were repeatedly postponed. He claimed his first court hearing was delayed four times, eventually taking place in January instead of the originally scheduled December date.

After several months, he said he lost his case and was issued a removal order. He later appealed the decision and pursued other legal options in an effort to secure his release.

Wright also described what he said were difficult conditions inside the detention facilities.

He alleged that the facilities were poorly maintained, with dirt, mould and grime, while large numbers of detainees shared bathrooms and sleeping areas.

He also complained about the food and said officers frequently shouted at, cursed and threatened detainees with measures such as solitary confinement.

According to Wright, lights were kept on around the clock and detainees were required to be counted several times a day.

He said the experience was emotionally difficult and made him feel as though he was being treated as less than human.

After about eight months in detention, Wright eventually decided to accept deportation to Canada after determining that continuing the legal battle could take much longer.

He was returned to Canada in August and is currently staying with his parents in Kelowna, British Columbia, alongside his fiancée, Kayla Thomsen, and their two-year-old daughter.

Despite being separated from his two sons in Texas, Wright said returning to Canada was ultimately the best decision for his family.

Wright, who has worked in the oil and gas industry, said he plans to rebuild his career in Canada. His former employer in Houston is reportedly planning to establish a Canadian division for him to manage.

He said most of his extended family lives in Edmonton and that he is grateful for the support he received during his nine-month ordeal.