Lewelyn Dixon
Lewelyn Dixon, a longtime laboratory technician at the University of Washington, is now a free woman.
She had been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after returning from a trip to the Philippines, despite being a lawful permanent resident for nearly 50 years.
Dixon, 64, was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Feb. 28 at Sea-Tac Airport and later transferred to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma.
On Thursday, May 29, an immigration judge cancelled her deportation.
After the hearing, a person told the crowd of people gathered in the street, “Aunty Lynn is coming home.” The news drew cheers and applause. Some people beat on drums or waved flags.
Dixon told KING 5, “It was horrific; it was awful, it is crowded — super crowded.”