Cliona Ward, a 54-year-old Irish-born woman and longtime U.S. resident, has been released from immigration detention in the U.S. after being held for 17 days due to decades-old convictions that had been expunged at the state level but not federally recognized.
Her release followed a decision from a California judge to formally vacate those convictions at a level that federal authorities would accept, clearing the way for her to return home.
