(Note from Erin: This is happening incredibly close to where my editor lives and is affecting some of her friends who dearly love this doctor and his family.)
Kalamazoo, Michigan doctor Lukasz Niec, who works at Bronson Healthcare and has been living in the country for more than 40 years (he has a green card and permanent legal resident status) was recently arrested and is currently being detained by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Doctor Niec came to the U.S. in 1979 as a small child, with his parents. His sister Ivona, a lawyer, says that in the documents I.C.E. delivered, her brother has “two misdemeanors, one for destruction of property, the other for receiving stolen property,” 1 from when he was a teenager. And according to his relatives, one of those charges was later expunged. However, it makes no sense that he would be detained for these charges now, after all these years. In fact, he’s not even had so much as a parking ticket since.
His sister told Fox 17,
“When I walked into that jail cell and I had to look at him through the glass and talk with him on the phone with him and I just both broke down into tears. He’s scared and he’s humbled at how everyone has rallied behind him. And the first thing he said to me was I’m sorry I’m putting you through this. And I said you don’t have to be sorry you did nothing wrong.”1
Doctor Niec is currently being held at the Calhoun County Jail in Battle Creek, MI. His sister is recommending that anyone with permanent legal resident status not wait around but get citizenship as soon as possible.
At this point, it is unknown when or if the doctor will be released until his hearing. If not, he could remain in jail for a couple of weeks or even months. We will update you as more information comes to light.
