Activist Alma Bowman Detained by ICE Amid Citizenship Dispute
Macon activist Alma Bowman, 58, is currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), raising concerns among supporters and attorneys who argue her detainment is unconstitutional. Bowman, who claims to be a U.S. citizen, was apprehended during a routine check-in at the Atlanta field office in March, marking her second detention by immigration authorities since 2020.
Born in the Philippines to a U.S. Navy father and a Filipina mother, Bowman was brought to the United States at age 10. Her lawyers maintain that under the laws at the time, she should be recognized as a U.S. citizen. However, the U.S. government contends otherwise due to a 1977 letter questioning her biological connection to her father. This practice has historically hindered citizenship recognition for children born abroad to U.S. service members.
Bowman’s latest detention has prompted her legal team to file a complaint against state and federal immigration officials, asserting that her detainment is a direct retaliation for her advocacy work, particularly her efforts to highlight the dire conditions in immigration detention centers.
Her lawyers allege that her citizenship claim complicates any potential deportation efforts, especially since Philippine authorities have recently stated that they cannot issue travel documents for Bowman under the laws at her birth.
Supporting Bowman’s cause, community members rallied outside the Atlanta ICE office during her check-in, demanding an end to mass deportations. Her past advocacy includes connecting fellow detainees with resources while facing her own health challenges, as she is reportedly being denied necessary medication for diabetic neuropathy.
As the case unfolds, advocates continue to call for Bowman’s immediate release and stronger protections for immigrant rights.
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