THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS — For Owen, a 44-year-old Dutch national who had spent decades weaving his life into the fabric of American society, the concept of “home” was irrevocably tied to U.S. soil.

However, following a sudden arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and a harrowing multi-month stint in a detention center—which he and his family describe as a “horror cell”—Owen was forcibly removed from the United States. His story has sent ripples through the international community, highlighting the rigid and often unforgiving nature of modern immigration enforcement.

The tragedy of Owen’s deportation is not just the loss of his livelihood or his community, but a permanent emotional exile. In a heartbreaking interview, Owen’s family revealed that his status as a deportee comes with a lifetime ban on re-entering the United States.

This means Owen will never again be able to visit the grave of his daughter, who is buried in American soil. His case has become a focal point for human rights advocates who argue that current immigration policies fail to account for “extreme hardship” and the fundamental right to mourn. As Owen attempts to rebuild his life in the Netherlands, he remains a man divided, physically in Europe but spiritually tethered to a cemetery thousands of miles away.