Illinois Woman Detained by ICE for Nearly a Year, Family Advocates for Release

Beata Siemionkowicz, a green card holder from Poland, has been in ICE custody for nearly one year after her arrest on August 2, 2025, in Des Plaines, Illinois. Siemionkowicz, who has been a permanent resident since 2003, was detained while gardening in her daughter's backyard. She is currently held at the Campbell County Detention Center in Kentucky, where conditions have been reported as poor. Siemionkowicz's family is advocating for her release, citing her legal status and past efforts to apply for naturalization. Her daughters, Claudia and Gabi, were informed of her arrest by their stepfather, who described the incident as traumatic. Siemionkowicz's arrest was linked to a criminal record of misdemeanor retail theft from over a decade ago. Despite her legal status, an immigration judge ordered her deportation in December 2025, prompting her family to file an appeal. A former cellmate, Donna Hughes-Brown, who was released after her own case gained attention, is now advocating for Siemionkowicz, suggesting that her case may provide a legal precedent for her release.