A 22-year-old Palestinian woman from Texas, who recently got married to a US citizen, has spoken out about her harrowing experience in immigration detention. Ward Sakeik, born in Saudi Arabia but without citizenship in any country, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Miami International Airport in February after returning from her honeymoon. She spent 140 days in custody, where she claims she was treated poorly, likening her experience to being treated like "cattle."
Ms Sakeik was released from immigration detention on Thursday, July 3, after more than four months in confinement. Before her arrest, she had been complying with ICE requirements, regularly checking in as mandated.
After her release, Ms Sakeik expressed her mixed emotions, saying she felt joyful and shocked, notably mentioning it was her first time seeing a tree in five months.
"I lost five months of my life because I was criminalised for being stateless, something that I have no control over. I didn't choose to be stateless. I didn't do a crime that made me stateless. I had no choice. I was just stateless," Ms Sakeik said during a press conference, as reported by ABC News.
"I have been a law-abiding resident of the United States since I was 8 years old. I went to college. I run a successful wedding photographer business here in DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth), and I recently married Taahir," Ms Sakeik added.
She also stated that the US government had attempted to deport her to a part of the world where she did not know her destination or situation. "I was handcuffed for 16 hours without any water or food on the bus. I have moved around like cattle. And, the US government attempted to dump me in a part of the world where I don't know where I'm going and what I'm doing or anything," she said.
Notably, the 22-year-old was born in Saudi Arabia but is stateless. She moved to the US at age 8 and had been living there for most of her life.
What happened at the detention centre?
During the press conference, she recounted her experience, describing how she was immediately put in a grey tracksuit and shackles after her arrest. Ms Sakeik alleged she was transferred between three detention centres, facing harsh conditions at each. During her first transfer, she spent 16 hours on a bus without eating, as she was fasting for Ramadan, the Guardian reported.
"We were not given any water or food, and we could smell the driver eating Chick-fil-A. We would ask for water, bang on the door for food, and he would just turn up the radio and act like he wasn't listening to us," she said.
She eventually broke her fast in the intake room, near a toilet, due to the dire circumstances. At the Prairieland detention centre, she reported that the dusty environment was causing widespread illness among the women detainees.
"The restrooms are also very, very, very unhygienic. The beds have rust everywhere. They're not properly maintained. And cockroaches, grasshoppers, spiders, you name it, are all over the facility. Girls would get bit," she added.
Why was she arrested?
Ward Sakeik and her husband, US citizen Taahir Shaikh, had chosen the US Virgin Islands for their honeymoon to avoid international travel complications while her green card application was pending. However, upon their return, immigration authorities detained her.
The Department of Homeland Security later stated that she had flown over international waters and was flagged by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) while trying to re-enter the continental US. However, the US Virgin Islands are a US territory that doesn't require a passport for travel. US officials also said she overstayed her visa and had a removal order for years.
Why is she stateless?
Ward Sakeik, born in Saudi Arabia to a family from Gaza, is stateless due to Saudi Arabia's policy of not granting citizenship to children of foreigners. At age 8, her family arrived in the US on a tourist visa and later applied for asylum, which was denied.
Although she received a deportation order over a decade ago, Ms Sakeik was allowed to remain in the US under an "order of supervision." This arrangement required her to regularly check in with federal immigration authorities and granted her work authorisation, according to her lawyer and husband. Ms Sakeik went on to graduate from high school and the University of Texas, Arlington, started a wedding photography business, and married Taahir Shaikh. She had also begun the process of obtaining a green card.
Ms said she now plans to continue to advocate on behalf of those who remain in ICE detention.
"I also want the world to know that the women who do come here come here for a better life, but they're criminalised for that. They are dehumanised, and they're stripped away from their rights. We have been treated as a 'less-than' just simply for wanting a better life," she said.
