Polish mother may face 24-hour deadline for release from ICE custody
Daughters prepare for a trip to Kentucky while the Department of Homeland Security decides whether to challenge a federal judge's bond order.
By Alina Campbell ·
Beata Siemionkowicz remains in federal custody in Kentucky as of Sunday night, waiting to see if the Department of Homeland Security will contest a new bond order. A federal immigration judge in Illinois ordered her release on Friday. DHS has 24 business hours to file a challenge. If the agency does not act by Monday, the judge’s ruling stands.
Siemionkowicz, a green card holder from Poland, has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement since August 2025. Agents removed her from the home of her eldest daughter, Claudia, in Des Plaines, Illinois. Claudia was at work 20 minutes away when masked officers detained her mother while she gardened in the backyard.
The agency seeks to deport Siemionkowicz based on two misdemeanor shoplifting convictions from 2005 and 2011. She also faces an accusation of using forged documents in Poland to secure U.S. immigration benefits. Hirsch Joshi, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, stated that the judge viewed the shoplifting charges as a byproduct of a domestic violence relationship. Gabi Siemionkowicz, who lives in Round Lake, said a background check in Poland found no evidence supporting the forgery claim.
For 15 months, the sisters maintained contact through two 15-minute video calls each week. Gabi dropped out of school and took a job to pay the mortgage on their shared home. She said she nearly faced eviction twice while managing the property alone. Claudia described the period as confusing for her mother, who believed she followed the legal process.
DHS issued a statement saying ICE complies with all lawful court orders. The department added that Siemionkowicz has made a mockery of the immigration system and will remain in custody pending removal. When pressed, DHS did not confirm whether it would appeal the bond decision. The bond order does not vacate the deportation ruling, but it would allow Siemionkowicz to fight the case from home.
Claudia and Gabi planned to leave late Sunday for Kentucky. They packed some of their mother’s favorite foods. Claudia said she will not believe the news until she sees her mother physically in front of her.
