Argentine nanny arrested by ICE at Philadelphia airport en route to World Cup match
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- An Argentine woman living in Philadelphia was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at an airport while trying to travel to a World Cup match.
- The woman, Iliana Lick, had overstayed her visa but had a pending work visa application and had no prior offenses.
- Her arrest highlights an intensified campaign by ICE to detain migrants, with a significant increase in airport arrests in recent months.
Iliana Lick, a 30-year-old Argentine national residing in Philadelphia, faced a sudden turn of events when she was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 11. Lick was en route to Kansas City with friends to watch Argentina play Switzerland in the World Cup quarterfinals when she was apprehended at a security checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport.
Her boyfriend, Steven Melchiorre, recounted the distressing call he received from Lick shortly after her arrest. "Iliana was crying on the phone, saying, 'ICE arrested me, I'm at the Philadelphia detention center.' It was a huge blow, I was completely devastated," he told CBS News. Lick had entered the U.S. legally on a travel visa in March 2023 and was awaiting a work visa, with a pending application to remain in the country.
Iliana was crying on the phone, saying, ‘ICE arrested me, I’m at the Philadelphia detention center.’ It was a huge blow, I was completely devastated.
Melchiorre emphasized Lick's consistent compliance, stating, "She never missed a hearing, never committed any crime, and never failed to pay her taxes. It was surprising that she was arrested." Lick, who worked as a nanny for two families, is currently in detention at the Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico, awaiting the resolution of her immigration case, which could lead to deportation.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement confirmed that Lick remained in ICE custody pending the outcome of her immigration proceedings. The DHS also clarified that a work authorization or a pending application does not confer legal status in the United States. Lick's arrest occurs amid a heightened enforcement campaign by the Trump administration targeting undocumented migrants, a key focus of his 2024 presidential campaign. Reports indicate a notable rise in ICE arrests at U.S. airports in the past two months, with daily averages ranging from 20 to 40, a significant increase from fewer than 10 per day in May.
She never missed a hearing, never committed any crime, and never failed to pay her taxes. It was surprising that she was arrested.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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