Russian asylum seeker detained eight months, denied medical care in Houston facility
Jun 29, 2025·Location: Houston, TX
Country of origin: Russia

Svetlana Romanova, a 59-year-old Russian who fled to protest the Ukraine war, has been detained for approximately eight months at CoreCivic Houston Processing Center. She reports inadequate medical care, significant weight loss, and suicidal ideation that was dismissed by staff. An immigration judge ruled against her asylum claim in April; she has appealed, citing risk to her life if returned to Russia.
Sources
- 'It's a prison:' Asylum seekers in Houston detention centers face longer stays
web2.w.houstonchronicle.com·Jun 29, 2025·archived copy
- “An impossibility”: Refugees in Texas challenge Trump’s new green card deadline
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- Immigration policies affecting Houstonians in 2024 and what’s to come
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- Refugees in Texas may face arrest under new mandates
- Asylum freeze puts 38,000 Houston cases in legal limbo
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