Lewelyn Dixon, a 64-year-old Filipino green-card holder, has been released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after three months. A judge determined she does not qualify for deportation, following her detention upon returning to the U.S. from the Philippines. Dixon, who has held legal permanent status for 50 years, was detained at Seattle-Tacoma Airport due to a decades-old embezzlement conviction. In 2000, she pleaded guilty to removing $6,460 from her job as a vault teller at Washington Mutual Bank without authorization. After serving her sentence and completing restitution by 2019, she was eligible for citizenship but chose to remain a Filipino national to retain property in her homeland.
Dixon described her time in detention as “horrific” and overcrowded, detailing her experience to supporters upon her release. Her niece, Lani Madriaga, reported that Dixon has been reuniting with family and adjusting after her distressing ordeal, which has inspired her to help others in similar situations while in custody.
The case has drawn attention amid intensified immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, with several green-card holders facing detention due to past nonviolent offenses. Dixon’s detention shocked her family, especially as she had kept her conviction concealed. They maintain that her past does not define her character, highlighting her commitment to community service in her role within healthcare. As she reintegrates into life outside detention, Dixon’s immediate goal is to pursue citizenship while remaining supportive of detainees she befriended during her time in ICE custody.
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