Fri Jul 18 15:50:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:
**Vermont Green Card Holder Detained by ICE, Family Fears the Unknown**
**SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) -** A Congolese woman with a valid green card has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after attempting to re-enter the United States from Canada, leaving her family in distress and her lawyer questioning the legality of the detention.
Esther Ngoy Tekele, who has lived and worked in Vermont since 2021 and is the primary caretaker for her ailing mother and two-year-old child, was stopped at the Highgate Springs border crossing over a week ago. According to her brother, Coco Ngoy, the family had been attending a wedding in Canada, a trip they’ve made many times before. While the rest of the family was allowed to proceed, Tekele was told she could not leave.
“Going through a situation like this is really a nightmare,” Coco Ngoy told WCAX. He expressed deep concern for his sister’s well-being and the impact on their family, especially their mother and Tekele’s young child.
Tekele’s lawyer, Jared Carter, says his client remains in custody at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility without a clear explanation. While the initial reason given was a question about the validity of her green card, Carter disputes this and raises serious concerns about the constitutionality of her detention. “We dispute that that gives them the right to detain somebody, especially detain somebody and not put them into any kind of proceeding for more than a week,” Carter stated.
Carter emphasized that Tekele’s role as the primary caregiver for her mother highlights the “inhumane” nature of her detention.
Tekele is scheduled for a virtual bond hearing before a federal judge on Thursday morning. A show-cause hearing, where the government will be required to present evidence justifying her detention, is scheduled for next week. The family is hoping for a swift resolution and Tekele’s immediate release.
First Piper 