SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A Chinese woman who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Diego during a routine check-in in August has been released and is back at work, though uncertainty remains about her future status.
Yn Sun, who goes by Sunny, was released from the Otay Mesa Detention Center last week after spending three and a half months in custody. She had another check-in with ICE on Tuesday.
"It was really terrible over there, and it's a nightmare to me," Sunny said.
Sunny has lived in the United States for 17 years and has worked as a server at the Westgate Hotel in downtown San Diego for 11 years. She has a work permit and holds a type of immigration protection called Withholding of Removal, which prevents the U.S. from deporting people back to their home country due to fear of persecution.
Despite her protected status, Sunny was detained during her annual ICE check-in in August. After months in detention, her attorney, Jacob Sapochnick, challenged the detention in court with a habeas corpus petition and won.
"She's back to the order of supervision that she had before, as if she was never detained. She's kind of back into those same conditions," Sapochnick said.
Under her current status, Sunny does not have to wear an ankle monitor and must still check in with ICE annually. Her protected status remains in place for now, meaning she can continue working and staying in the country until her case is resolved.
"I was so worried about today, just what if it happened again," Sunny said before her Tuesday check-in.
Sunny returned to work at the Westgate hotel last Saturday and is optimistic bout her future.
"I do hope my life will be getting better," she said.
Sunny said ICE told her to check in again in March. For now, she plans to focus on her work at the hotel and hopes the March check-in goes smoothly.
As of Tuesday afternoon, ICE had not responded to a request for comment on Sunny's case.
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