Maryia Vviadzenskaya, 28, was detained at San Juan airport on April 16, 2025, while returning to Hawaii from Puerto Rico. Federal officers arrested her for an expired visa despite her pending green card application through her U.S. citizen husband. She remains in Florida detention four months later.
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Why Was Maryia Vviadzenskaya Detained at Puerto Rico Airport?
TSA officers flagged Maryia “Masha” Vviadzenskaya during routine screening at Luis Muñoz MarÃn International Airport. The Belarusian national showed her U.S. driver’s license. CBP agents discovered an expired F-1 student visa stamp in her passport.
Officers informed Spencer Ricciardello, her American husband, that she would be detained. “Their protocols have gotten stricter recently,” the agents explained. The couple had spent several days celebrating Masha’s 28th birthday in Puerto Rico with friends.
Detention sequence on April 16:
- TSA checkpoint flagged documentation issue
- CBP conducted secondary inspection
- Officers found expired student visa from 2022
- Masha taken into ICE custody
- Transfer to mainland detention initiated
Ricciardello described the moment to Newsweek: “It was emotional for both of us because we didn’t know when we were going to see each other again and I knew it was going to be a while and a process to get her out.”
Expired Visa Triggers Arrest Despite Legal Immigration Process
CBP defended the detention with this statement to Newsweek: “This individual was detained after attempting to board a flight with an expired visa—plain and simple. She had no lawful immigration status at the time of travel, having overstayed her visa by eight months.”
The agency added: “Bottom line: once your visa expires, you are unlawfully present in the U.S. There is a proper legal process for maintaining immigration status—and there are consequences when it’s ignored.”
Immigration attorneys dispute this interpretation. A visa serves as an entry document. Status determines legal presence. Filing Form I-485 creates what USCIS calls a “period of authorized stay.”
This protection continues during green card processing. The expired visa stamp becomes irrelevant once adjustment of status begins. Thousands of immigrants wait years for decisions while maintaining this authorized presence.
Puerto Rico Flights Face Immigration Enforcement Unlike Domestic Travel
Airports in U.S. territories operate differently than mainland airports. CBP treats departures from San Juan, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands as functional border crossings.
Officers inspect every passenger boarding flights to Hawaii, California, Florida, or any mainland destination. Citizens pass through with ID verification. Non-citizens face full immigration checks.
According to CBP: “When departing from a U.S. territory like Puerto Rico to the mainland, CBP officers have specific authority to inspect immigration status and take appropriate enforcement action.”
Advance parole documents aren’t required for Puerto Rico travel since it’s technically domestic. But this technicality offers zero protection from CBP enforcement at departure gates.
Teacher Without Criminal Record Held at Private Florida Facility
ICE moved Vviadzenskaya to Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, Florida. The GEO Group, a private prison corporation, operates this 700-bed detention center under federal contract.
The Belarusian national has no criminal record, according to her husband. She previously worked as an ESL and elementary school teacher in California.
Conditions at BTC deteriorated significantly in 2025. Reports from July documented:
- Emergency 911 calls doubling from previous year
- Detainees experiencing seizures and fainting
- One doctor serving hundreds of detained immigrants
- 80 percent of detainees having no criminal record
Spencer Ricciardello immediately flew to Florida. He stays with family while visiting his wife weekly at the facility.
“They said they could put her in handcuffs when they detained her but didn’t want to do that in front of everyone and make it a big scene,” Ricciardello told Newsweek. “They mentioned that their protocols have gotten stricter recently, but never said anything inappropriate or acted aggressively towards us and let us have time to go say goodbye.”
Parents’ Deaths Compound Detention Trauma
Masha’s father died in Belarus two years ago. Her mother passed away just two months before the Puerto Rico trip.
“Her family is very worried and concerned because she has had a very tough year, she lost her mother two months ago and her father a couple years ago that are also from Belarus,” Ricciardello explained to Newsweek. “But I’m staying in contact with the rest of her family and keeping them updated with everything.”
She grieves these losses from inside detention, separated from her husband’s support. No visits from extended family. No access to proper grief counseling. Just weekly visits through detention center glass.
Government Error Extends Detention by Weeks
Immigration court scheduled Vviadzenskaya’s bond hearing for May 6, 2025. The hearing couldn’t proceed. Her passport remained in Puerto Rico.
ICE failed to transfer this essential document with her to Florida. Without it, the immigration judge couldn’t verify her identity or review her case. The passport finally arrived May 19—thirteen days late.
“[I’m feeling] very stressed and worried and hoping for a positive result because it has been taking longer than expected,” Ricciardello said.
Two additional weeks of unnecessary detention. Two weeks of taxpayer money spent on incarceration. Two weeks of family separation caused by administrative incompetence.
Legal Fees Force Family to Seek Public Support
The couple hired “reputable attorneys” to fight the detention and pursue Masha’s green card. Immigration lawyers charge premium rates for detention cases requiring immediate action.
Spencer launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking $15,000. The page explains their situation:
“Raising funds on behalf of Masha the love of my life, who was recently detained by ICE. This was completely unexpected and has turned her life—and the lives of me and her loved ones—upside down. We made a bad decision to go to Puerto Rico during these times.”
He describes his wife: “Masha is a very kind, hardworking person who wants to live the American dream and has been through a lot lately with losing both of her parents.”
The campaign raised $9,179 from 147 donors by late April. Each contribution helps pay for:
- Attorney retainer fees
- Bond hearing representation
- Court documentation filing
- Ongoing legal advocacy
Masha’s Path From Student to Detainee
2022: Entered United States legally on F-1 student visa
Post-graduation: Obtained Optional Practical Training work authorization
Teaching career: Worked as ESL and elementary school teacher in California
Marriage: Wed Spencer Ricciardello, U.S. citizen
Relocation: Moved to Hawaii with husband
Green card filing: Submitted Form I-485 adjustment of status application
Current status: Unemployed, awaiting work authorization renewal
“Luckily, she was sent to Florida where I could go visit her once a week and be there for her until we figure this out,” Ricciardello said.
Immigration Arrests Spike for Those Following Legal Process
Maryia Vviadzenskaya joins increasing numbers detained while pursuing legal immigration paths:
Maria Bonilla’s case in Atlanta shows similar patterns. The mother lived in the U.S. for 25 years before ICE detained her at immigration court.
A Venezuelan man in Miami was arrested despite his pending marriage-based green card. A construction worker and father was detained during his adjustment process, leaving his family without income.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association called these enforcement actions “inhumane and unlawful.” The organization documented systematic detention of immigrants with pending applications, U.S. citizen family members, and no criminal histories.
President Trump’s administration promised to remove millions of immigrants. The White House stated anyone living in the country illegally is a “criminal.”
Critical Unknown: When Did She File Her Green Card Application?
The most important fact remains hidden from public view. When did Vviadzenskaya submit her Form I-485?
If filed before her work permit expired: She maintained continuous legal status. CBP’s detention lacks legal justification. Her attorneys could argue unlawful arrest.
If filed after expiration: She accrued unlawful presence before applying. This complicates her case, though immediate relatives of citizens usually receive forgiveness for such gaps.
CBP claims she “overstayed her visa by eight months.” This suggests the government believes she filed after her status lapsed. Without access to her USCIS file, this crucial timeline stays unconfirmed.
Practical Warnings for Green Card Applicants
Essential documents for any travel:
- Form I-485 receipt notice (I-797C)
- Employment authorization card if valid
- Marriage certificate and spouse’s ID
- Phone number for immigration attorney
Avoid these situations:
- Flights from Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands to mainland
- Travel near Mexican or Canadian borders
- Visits to immigration court or federal buildings
- Any encounter with federal law enforcement
Emergency preparedness:
- Designate power of attorney before travel
- Keep document copies in multiple locations
- Ensure family can access legal defense funds
- Create childcare contingency plans
What Happens Next for Maryia Vviadzenskaya?
Immigration court proceedings often extend months or years from detention. Spencer continues weekly visits to Broward Transitional Center while attorneys pursue both her release and green card approval.
Her attorneys work toward securing:
- Release on bond while case continues
- Approval of her pending Form I-485 application
Four Months Later: No Resolution for Masha Vviadzenskaya Immigration Case
August 11, 2025. Maryia Vviadzenskaya remains detained at Broward Transitional Center. Public records show no bond decision. No release date. No deportation order. Just continued incarceration.
Spencer visits every week. Attorneys file motions. The green card application sits in USCIS processing queues. Private prison company GEO Group collects government payments for each day she remains locked up—what advocacy groups call a “windfall of revenue” from expanded detention policies.
“Masha really appreciates it,” Spencer wrote to donors supporting their legal fight. Each donation represents someone who believes she deserves freedom while her case proceeds.
The woman who taught English to immigrant children now sits in immigration detention. She entered legally. Graduated from American university. Married an American. Filed proper paperwork. Paid government fees.
A birthday trip to Puerto Rico changed everything. Not because Maryia Vviadzenskaya broke immigration law, but because she encountered federal officers at a departure gate checkpoint, implementing enforcement protocols that treat pending applications as irrelevant when an old visa stamp has expired.
