September 1, 2026 | Muhammad Aman Ullah
An Edmonton-born Canadian man has returned to Canada after spending nine months in US immigration detention, describing the legal difficulties and conditions he experienced after being detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Curtis Wright, 40, was born in Edmonton but spent most of his life in the United States and considered Texas his home. He was detained by US immigration authorities last November after returning to Texas from Mexico following a business trip.
Detained Over a Case From When He Was 17
According to Wright, his detention was linked to a minor drug possession case from 2004, when he was just 17 years old.
Wright said he had travelled outside the United States and returned more than 100 times since the incident without experiencing similar problems. He said he did not expect to be detained by ICE because he believed immigration authorities were primarily focused on people involved in more serious crimes.
Stopped at a Texas Airport
Wright said he was initially separated from other passengers during a routine immigration inspection after arriving from Mexico.
An immigration officer questioned him about the 2004 drug possession case and asked whether he had been involved in a minor criminal matter at the time.
After Wright confirmed the case, he said the officer told him to contact a family member and explain that his return would be delayed because authorities needed to conduct further checks.
He was then taken to another room, where he said he was questioned extensively about the old case.
Transported in Chains
Wright said that after the questioning, officials informed him that he was being detained and would be transferred to a federal detention facility.
He said his hands and waist were restrained with chains and that his ankles were also shackled before he was placed in a cell.
Wright described the experience as being treated like someone who had committed a serious crime.
No Opportunity for Bail
According to Wright, officials told him that because he was being detained at the federal level, he could not obtain bail.
He said immigration authorities classified him as a “visiting alien” attempting to re-enter the United States, which prevented him from securing release while fighting his case.
Wright argued that if ICE had arrested him while he was already inside the United States, he might have had an opportunity to seek bail and defend his case outside detention.
Court Proceedings Were Repeatedly Delayed
Wright said his legal proceedings were repeatedly postponed.
He said his first hearing was scheduled for December 3 but was delayed several times before eventually taking place on January 16.
According to Wright, repeated delays and difficult conditions inside detention facilities can make it harder for detainees to continue fighting their immigration cases.
He said he was repeatedly told that his next hearing would take place in another two or three weeks, causing his detention to continue for months.
Lost His Immigration Case After Months in Detention
Wright said that after approximately five months, his legal proceedings were completed, but he lost his case.
He claimed that under the normal immigration court process, he should have received multiple opportunities to present his case and that a full trial should have taken place at a later stage.
However, Wright said he was issued an order of removal during the proceedings.
He appealed the decision and also filed a habeas corpus petition in federal court seeking release from detention, but he was ultimately unable to remain in the United States while continuing his legal battle.
Concern Over Being Separated From His Children
Wright said his two sons were the main reason he continued fighting to remain in the United States.
His sons, aged 8 and 11, live with his former wife in Texas. Wright said he shared custody of the children and normally spent approximately half of the year with them.
He said being sent back to Canada would have made it extremely difficult for his children to maintain the same relationship with him, which motivated him to continue challenging his immigration case.
Returned to Canada in August
Wright was eventually returned to Canada in mid-August.
He is now temporarily living in Kelowna, British Columbia, with his fiancée Kayla Thompson, their two-year-old daughter and his parents.
After spending nine months in US ICE detention facilities, Wright has spoken publicly about the difficulties he experienced during the detention and immigration proceedings.
His case comes amid continuing debate over immigration detention in the United States, including the treatment of people with older criminal records, access to bail and the length of time individuals can remain in immigration custody.
Wright’s experience also highlights the potential consequences that an old criminal case can have on a person’s immigration status years or even decades later, particularly for people who have established their lives and families in the United States.
