Father describes 'awful fortnight' as Keith Byrne temporarily released from US prison

The father of a Cork man who is facing deportation says his detention by US officials and the uncertainty around his son’s future is taking its toll.

Keith Byrne travelled to the US in 2007 on a visa-waiver programme but overstayed his visa, and he subsequently set up his own business in Philadelphia, married an American woman and started a family.

However, the 37-year-old’s attempts to obtain a Green Card have been unsuccessful due to his conviction for marijuana possession in Ireland prior to his move to the US.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Mr Byrne earlier this month but released him from custody on yesterday evening.

However, while Mr Byrne has been temporarily released for 30 days to allow him to seek a judicial review of the decision to deny him legal status in the States, ICE can redetain him or resume proceedings against him.

Keith’s father Jim Byrne said his son’s “mind was blown” by his release, but that it has been an “awful fortnight” for his family.

I wasn't long out of hospital when it happened, so it took a bit of a toll. But I was up on the moon yesterday when I heard that he'd been released.

"To see his name come up on the phone when he called was fantastic as well,” Jim Byrne told Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1.

Mr Byrne said he believes his son will stay in the US.

“A lot of the people that I've been reading about that have been deported, there was 45 last year, it seems that if you're in the States illegally, the one thing you cannot do is come in contact with the law.

“Now, Keith's been there 12 years and he never had any brush with the law. But a lot of the people I've been reading who've been following Keith's case and been saying that they were deported for this that and the other, they all came in contact with the law before ICE. And that seems to be a major issue there. If you come in contact with the law, you're in big trouble,” he said.

Keith’s sister Melinda Byrne told the same programme that his family are ecstatic he has been released from detention.

“What will happen now, I presume, is he will seek an extension to the period of the 30 days and prepare the case, to go in front of a federal judge, and we just have to wait and see how long that will take,” she said.

“It's just day by day. The most important thing is to seek the extension. I suppose it's great that it has been announced that he can make the application in the local district of Philadelphia, as opposed to traveling around the country in order to attend court appearances so that relieves the pressure for them,” she said.