‘Just following orders’: woman says ICE detained her during green card interview despite no criminal record

Arrests at green card interviews in San Diego have drawn attention since late last year. Mila, a TikTok creator, has now shared her own account of one. She alleges Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or more commonly known as ICE, agents detained her moments after an officer approved her family petition. Mila says she arrived at the San Diego U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office at 8:00 a.m. alongside her U.S. citizen husband and their attorney, as reported by the Daily Dot,

Mila arrived in San Diego, and she claims she has lived in the United States since she was four years old and has been working to resolve her immigration status since she was a teenager. She claims the green card interview started with questions about the couple’s relationship and wedding. Near the end, Mila claimed the USCIS officer told them their evidence was strong and that she was approving their Form I-130 petition. 

Allegedly, the officer then apologized and said other individuals were waiting outside to speak with Mila. According to Mila, the situation shifted quickly once the agents entered the room. She claimed that one agent acknowledged she was not a criminal and said he was “just following orders.” She then claims the agents allowed her to hand her belongings to her husband and say goodbye, though she said she was then handcuffed and placed in ankle restraints.

It’s hard to tell when ICE can arrest someone

After this, Mila alleges she was taken to a federal building, where she claims she remained for about 24 hours. She further alleges that the arrest was planned because she saw a list of names on a bulletin board. She reports that she was eventually released, though she does not explain why she was arrested or released.

In her video, which carried the text “What happened when ICE arrested me at my green card interview,” Mila claims she had no criminal record, prior removal notices, or deportation proceedings. She claims that the warrant used against her was administrative, not judicial. However, the outlet could not independently verify her account.

USCIS guidance states that approval of an I-130, the petition citizens or permanent residents file for relatives, does not establish admissibility. It opens a path to permanent residence but guarantees neither a green card nor immunity from enforcement. ICE can detain applicants when it has probable cause to believe someone is deportable.