Curtis Wright, a 39-year-old Edmonton-born permanent resident who has lived in the United States for nearly 30 years, was detained by ICE on November 6, 2025, after returning from a business trip to Mexico through Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport. Wright works in the oil and gas sector and lives with his fiancée Kayla Thomsen, their 18-month-old daughter, and his two young sons from a previous marriage. ICE cited a drug possession conviction from when Wright was 17 years old—Xanax tablets were found in a car he was in; he had completed community service for that sentence. Wright's green card has been renewed multiple times since becoming a permanent resident in 2001, and his fiancée argues that federal law shields him from removal because more than 22 years have passed since his offense. While detained at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Wright endured harsh conditions including cold temperatures, no blankets or jackets, contaminated water that made him severely ill, poor food, and was denied his colitis medication for 41 days. His court hearings were repeatedly delayed, with his name missing from the docket on at least two occasions and a judge failing to appear for a scheduled virtual court date. On March 13, 2026, Judge Jennifer L. Mazza ordered his deportation. Wright's legal team, including attorney Matt Mendez, filed evidence supporting his case and is pursuing a habeas corpus request and plans to appeal the deportation order. During detention, Wright has been moved to seven different facilities and has helped 13 other detainees with legal and communication support. His daughter has learned to walk while he has been detained, and his fiancée described it as heartbreaking to see their daughter try to reach him through glass during visits. Wright could self-deport to Canada but fears losing custody of his two sons.