Longtime Texas resident deported by ICE now living in Edmonton

Overview

Curtis Wright, a longtime Texas resident who was deported by ICE, describes restarting his life in Edmonton after what he calls a surreal and horrifying arrest and detention.

Arrest and Detention

Wright says that after traveling from Mexico back to Texas on November 6, he was restrained with full-body chains and held in harsh conditions, including:

• A filthy facility environment
• Reports of unsafe or abusive treatment
• Nine months of detention under “horrendous” circumstances
• Mold and unsanitary living areas
• Delayed medical care
• Disruptions to his medication, despite having ulcerative colitis

He also claims that other detainees faced similar hardships.

Deportation and Legal Process

Wright explains that he fought his deportation because he wanted to remain close to his two young sons, but describes the process as lengthy and emotionally difficult—especially due to agonizing video-chat access.

After losing his legal fight, he faces a 5-to-10 year ban from returning to the United States.

Life After Deportation

Wright is now back in Canada, living with his brother while seeking rental housing. He describes rebuilding his life with his American fiancée and daughter, even though Canada is a place he left at age two.

Reporting Focus

The reporting, by Bianca Millions of Global News, emphasizes Wright’s message that detainees and deportees are not “bad people” or merely “numbers,” but human beings shaped by complex immigration and enforcement processes.

Presenters / Contributors

• Bianca Millions (Global News)
• Curtis Wright (subject of the report)