Story perspectives

Grandmother's Ordeal Sparks ICE Concerns Ahead of World Cup

2/23/2026

Center

Grandmother Warns Travelers

Karen Newton, a British grandmother, warns travelers to avoid the U.S. for the FIFA World Cup due to possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions after a six-week ordeal.
Her experience raises concerns about ICE practices as millions of fans visit the United States.
In Social Circle, Georgia, plans for a large ICE detention center raise infrastructure concerns.
The center would hold up to 10,000 detainees, construction begins soon.

Left

Activists Demand Abolition

Protests erupted near the Dilley immigration processing center in Texas, where hundreds of children are detained, as activists including Rev. Erin Walter demand an end to family detention amid inhumane conditions.
Representative Joaquin Castro highlighted detainee mistreatment.
CoreCivic, the facility's operator, denied inadequate care.
The detention of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos spurred momentum and underscored policy impact.
Activists call for abolition of family detention and warn of long-term trauma.

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Grandmother Warns Travelers

Karen Newton, a British grandmother, warns travelers to avoid the U.S. for the FIFA World Cup due to possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions after a six-week ordeal.
Her experience raises concerns about ICE practices as millions of fans visit the United States.
In Social Circle, Georgia, plans for a large ICE detention center raise infrastructure concerns.
The center would hold up to 10,000 detainees, construction begins soon.

1 / 2