Chicago, USA: When 62-year-old Donna Hughes Brown arrived in Chicago from Ireland on July 29, 2025, she expected a standard reentry procedure. As a US Green Card holder for more than three decades, Donna had spent her life in America raising four children, caring for five grandchildren, and actively participating in community service.

Minor Past Offense Triggers Detention

Her sense of security vanished at the O’Hare International Airport passport checkpoint. A misdemeanor from 2015, long since resolved, appeared in the system. Within minutes, federal authorities detained her, leaving her family in shock and disbelief.

Donna was kept in Chicago for five days before being moved to a detention center in Kentucky. Since her transfer, multiple bond hearings have been postponed or denied.

I’m Not Disposable, Donna Says

In a phone interview, a tearful Donna shared, “I never imagined that something from so many years ago could erase the life I’ve built here. Being treated as if I’m disposable after 30 years is devastating.”

Her husband, James Brown, a US Navy veteran and former Trump supporter, expressed regret over his vote. “He vowed to target criminals, but families like ours are being torn apart,” he said.

Longtime Residents Confront Strict Rules

Donna’s case highlights a broader pattern that intensified after 2015, when enforcement of “inadmissibility” regulations expanded. Critics claim that even minor offenses are increasingly being used to detain lawful long-term residents.

A Warning for Immigrant Families

For families like Donna’s, the warning is clear: decades of legal residency may not guarantee safety under current immigration policies. With stricter enforcement and administrative errors on the rise, even lawful immigrants face an unpredictable and uncertain future at US borders.