Canadian man in ICE custody says he thought agents focused on 'criminals and murderers'

Curtis Wright, a 39-year-old U.S. permanent resident born in Canada, has been held at the South Texas ICE Processing Center for nearly four months after being flagged at a Houston airport; his family says the detention stems from an old misdemeanor. The family has filed a federal habeas corpus challenge alleging unlawful detention and has raised public concerns about his prolonged separation from loved ones.

Curtis Wright, 39, a Canadian-born U.S. permanent resident, has been held at the South Texas ICE Processing Center for nearly four months after being flagged at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston in early November. His family says the detention traces back to a misdemeanor from when he was 17 and other past minor charges. Relatives and Curtis describe prolonged separation from his partner and children and say he has reported poor conditions inside custody. The family has filed a federal habeas corpus challenge arguing his detention is unlawful. Key details: - Curtis Wright has been detained at the South Texas ICE Processing Center for nearly four months. - He was taken into custody after being flagged at the Houston airport; family members say an old misdemeanor from his youth was a factor. - His fiancé, young daughter and parents report significant emotional and practical impacts from the separation, and Curtis has described meeting detainees he says are not the "worst of the worst." - The family filed a U.S. federal habeas corpus petition alleging unlawful detention, and CTV News reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for comment. Summary: The habeas filing seeks Curtis Wright's release so he can contest his immigration status from home, and the case has drawn attention to the effects of prolonged detention on his partner, children and parents. Undetermined at this time.