Beata Siemionkowicz, a Polish citizen who has held a green card in the United States for over 20 years, has been detained in a Kentucky jail for nearly a year. She was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on August 2, 2025, while gardening at her daughter's home.
ICE agents apprehended Siemionkowicz based on a criminal record that includes misdemeanor retail theft charges from 2005 and 2011. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also alleges she forged documents to obtain immigration benefits in 2001, prior to securing her green card status in 2003. Court records indicate these past charges were resolved through fines and probation.
Her daughters, Gabi, 21, and Claudia, 25, have stated that Siemionkowicz committed the thefts when they were children, after her divorce, to provide for them. They have documented her legal entry into the U.S. from Poland in 1995 and her continuous status as a lawful permanent resident since 2003.
According to a former cellmate, Siemionkowicz's initial days in the Campbell County Detention Center were spent in a crowded pod with poor conditions. Her family has been advocating for her release, with support from an Irish citizen, Donna Hughes-Brown, who was previously detained with Siemionkowicz and has since been released and found to be non-deportable.
An immigration judge ordered Siemionkowicz's deportation on December 9, 2025. Her family has filed an appeal and is working with the office of Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin to contest the order and secure her release. A spokesperson for Senator Durbin's office confirmed they are in contact with the family and providing assistance.
A DHS spokesperson told the Chicago Tribune that Siemionkowicz has "made a mockery of our immigration system and our laws," emphasizing that a green card is a privilege, not a right, and can be revoked for violations.
Siemionkowicz remains in ICE custody pending her removal proceedings. Her daughters are currently covering her mortgage, utilities, and legal fees, with Gabi having temporarily paused her nursing school studies to manage these responsibilities. They are also working with the same legal counsel involved in Hughes-Brown's case.