Kenyan Immigrant Detained After Green Card Interview in San Francisco
A Bay Area family experienced sudden separation when Peter, a Kenyan immigrant married to a U.S. citizen and father of a baby boy, was detained during his Green Card interview in San Francisco in November 2025. Despite being approved for…
San Francisco Oakland San Jose, CA, August 21, 2026 —
A Kenyan immigrant in the Bay Area was detained following his Green Card interview in San Francisco in November 2025, leading to a five-month separation from his family. Peter, who is married to a U.S. citizen and is the father of a young son, had his Green Card application approved during the interview.
Despite the approval, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Peter on a warrant related to overstaying his visa. He was subsequently transferred to a detention center located in the Mojave Desert.
The separation significantly impacted his family, causing emotional and developmental challenges for his child. Peter remained in detention for five months.
In April 2026, a judge ruled Peter’s arrest to be unlawful, resulting in his release. He later received his conditional Green Card.
Story summarized from the original created by Barbaraleonard on ww2.kqed.org, see more information here.
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