A British woman detained by American immigration authorities while holding her newborn baby has shared her distress over the recurring nightmares of her son being forcibly taken away from her.

Katie Paul, aged 34, traveled to the United States in 2024 to join her husband, Stephen, who hails from San Diego, California. The couple got married shortly after her arrival, and Katie had intended to return to the UK once her green card application was in process. However, due to the advice of a lawyer regarding her high-risk pregnancy, she decided to stay in the US.

In November 2025, during Katie’s green card interview at the San Diego US Citizenship and Immigration Services office, ICE agents unexpectedly apprehended her while she was holding her six-month-old son, Alan. Following her arrest, Katie spent five days at the Otay Mesa ICE Detention Center before her green card was approved, and she was finally released.

Recounting her ordeal, Katie, a stay-at-home mother from Beccles, Suffolk, expressed the ongoing trauma she experiences from the night when she was separated from her child by ICE agents, a memory that haunts her daily.

Katie had relocated to San Diego in September 2023 to be with her husband after a period of long-distance dating. They tied the knot the following month upon discovering they were expecting a child together. Initially planning to return to England, Katie’s pregnancy complications led her to stay in the US based on legal advice received.

Despite consulting multiple immigration attorneys who assured her of a smooth green card process, Katie found herself arrested by ICE agents during what she believed was a successful green card interview. She described the distressing moment when she was taken into custody with her infant son in her arms, despite being told she was eligible for a green card.

After enduring days of confinement at the detention center, Katie was informed of her green card approval. However, ICE agents transported her to the US-Mexico border and left her there, citing the inability to release detainees directly from the facility. Fortunately, Katie’s husband was nearby and could pick her up following this unexpected turn of events.