Mother of Kiwi detained by ICE says daughter ‘shackled for hours’ | Stuff.co.nz

The mother of Everlee Wihongi - the New Zealander stuck in an ICE detention centre for 32 days - has finally spoken to her daughter, after she was transferred without warning from a facility in California to another in Texas, then Arizona. For two days, her family had no idea where she was. Everlee - who has a green card - was stopped at the border over a minor historical cannabis conviction. Despite that she was shackled at the hands and feet during the move. Samantha Hayes spoke to her mother - Betty Wihongi - from her home in Wisconsin. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stuff NZ is New Zealand’s essential news source — bringing you live, lively and trustworthy journalism from every corner of Aotearoa. Stay informed with breaking news, in-depth stories, and the latest updates that matter to Kiwis. We upload daily, keeping you connected with the people, places and issues shaping New Zealand today. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Social media channels: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nzstuff Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nzstuff