HOUSTON, TX — The family of Curtis James Wright, a 39-year-old Canadian-born father and lawful U.S. permanent resident, is embroiled in a high-stakes legal battle following his detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Despite living in the United States since childhood and having his green card renewed twice, Wright has been held in a detention facility since November 2024, reportedly due to a misdemeanor charge from his teenage years.
Detained After a Business Trip
The ordeal began on Nov. 6 at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Wright, a father of three who entered the U.S. on a visa in 1998, was returning from a business trip to Mexico. During what his fiancée, Kayla Thomsen, expected to be a routine return, authorities pulled Wright aside for secondary screening.
“We were baffled. Like, this can’t happen,” Thomsen told local outlet KPRC. Within hours, the family learned Wright was being transported to an ICE detention center.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2):format(webp)/Curtis-Wright-02-022826-40994caab5a749bc8bcfe03593ba155b.jpg)
A Decades-Old Charge Resurfaces
According to Wright’s family and a GoFundMe campaign established to cover mounting legal costs, immigration officials cited a misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance charge as the catalyst for his detention.
The charge dates back 22 years to when Wright was 17. His father, Jim Wright, emphasized that the matter was fully adjudicated in the juvenile system over two decades ago.
“He’s a permanent resident of the U.S.,” Jim Wright stated. “They’ve renewed his green card twice… you also wonder why they’re challenging his immigration status now, when they didn’t challenge it at any time in the last 22 years.”
Key Facts of the Case:
- Current Status: Held at South Texas Detention Facility in Pearsall.
- Residency: Legal permanent resident since 2001.
- Family Impact: Father to two sons and an 18-month-old daughter.
- Legal Action: Attorneys have filed a writ of habeas corpus arguing a violation of constitutional due process.
The Legal and Human Toll
Wright’s legal team argues that his continued incarceration is unnecessary, asserting that he is not a flight risk and has not been granted proper due process. The writ of habeas corpus challenges the government’s right to detain a legal resident for a minor, decades-old offense that did not prevent previous green card renewals.
The emotional weight on the family is significant. Thomsen notes that their toddler daughter wakes up daily asking for her father, unaware of the legal complexities keeping him behind bars. If deported, the family faces potential relocation to Canada and a total disruption of their lives in Texas.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(521x914:523x916):format(webp)/Curtis-Wright-022826-02-c6dfd640a8b94d4692808cfd2f3f9786.jpg)
Life Inside the South Texas Detention Facility
Reports from inside the South Texas Detention Facility suggest Wright has taken on a leadership role among detainees. Dubbed “the professor,” he has reportedly been teaching English to other inmates and sharing resources provided by his family.
“He is surrounded by fathers, workers, and good men,” said Danelle Jensen, Thomsen’s mother. “People separated from their families and pressured toward self-deportation out of exhaustion and fear.”
What’s Next for the Wright Family?
As of late February 2026, ICE has not provided a formal public response regarding the specific triggers for Wright’s detention at this time. The family continues to await a court ruling on the habeas corpus petition, which could determine whether Wright is allowed to return to his family while his immigration status is litigated.
The case highlights ongoing tensions within the U.S. immigration system regarding the “mandatory detention” of legal residents for past criminal records, even those involving minor offenses from their youth.
