A British-born man who has spent most of his life in the United States was taken into custody by federal immigration agents and is now facing possible deportation, according to recent reports.
Connor Read, 29, was detained by Ice agents following a scheduled residency interview in Tampa, Florida, on 3 June. He was separated from his wife, Jaelin, 25, and their twin sons, Ryder and Ozzie, who are three years old.
Originally from Chatham in Kent, Read was brought to the US in 2007 as a child by his mother and stepfather. He attended American schools and only returned to the UK once.
According to The Times, he was subject to a removal order in 2011 but was granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) status at the age of 16. This policy offers deportation relief and work permits to people who were brought to the US as children.
However, while protected under Daca, Read reportedly committed minor offences that led the Trump administration to classify him as a “criminal illegal alien.” These included convictions for possession of narcotic equipment, possession of liquor, and resisting an officer.
The Times reports that because of the narcotics charge, Read was unable to renew his Daca status when he turned 22. He met Jaelin on a dating app in 2020, at a time when his immigration status was unresolved. After getting married, the couple attempted to apply for a green card.
On 3 June, Read was invited to attend a green card meeting at the federal immigration building in Tampa. During the interview, four Ice agents arrested him and removed him from the building. Officials informed Jaelin Read that her husband would not be returning home.
He was first taken to Pinellas County jail in Florida, where he spent eight days in a shared cell, and was later flown to an Ice detention centre in Louisiana. He is currently appealing against his final removal order but has been warned that a decision may not arrive for up to six months.
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An Ice spokesperson told The Times: “Connor Michael Read, a criminal illegal alien of the United Kingdom, was arrested on 3 June 2026 by the Ice law enforcement in Tampa, Florida.
“His criminal history includes convictions for possession of narcotic equipment, possession of liquor and resisting an officer. He was issued a final order of removal issued by an Orlando, Florida immigration judge from January 2011.
“Read entered the United States on 21 November 2007, through the Orlando international airport as a non-immigrant with an F-2 visa, as a dependent of an F-1 non-immigrant student. Read’s status was contingent upon his parent’s status as a student. After a violation of the terms of their visa, Read was placed into removal proceedings.
“Under President Trump and [homeland security] secretary Mullin, Ice is targeting the worst of the worst. Nearly 70% of Ice arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the US.”
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