AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Venezuelan woman living in Austin seeking asylum has been released from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center after a federal judge ruled ICE violated her due process rights.Stephanie Kenny-Velasquez came to the United States from Venezuela in December 2021 seeking asylum, according to her husband, Christopher Busby, a U.S. citizen and U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot. Busby said she applied for asylum, had a court date set for 2027, and was attending yearly ICE check‑ins.Picture of Stephanie Velasquez (Courtesy Christopher Busby)Picture of Stephanie Velasquez & Christopher Busby (Courtesy Christopher Busby)Picture of Stephanie Velasquez (Courtesy Christopher Busby)Picture of Stephanie Velasquez & Christopher Busby (Courtesy Christopher Busby)Picture of Stephanie Velasquez (Courtesy Christopher Busby)Picture of Stephanie Velasquez (Courtesy Christopher Busby)On Dec. 5, 2025, Velasquez was detained by ICE during one of her appointments. When that happened, it left both Busby and Kenny-Velasquez in shock and lots of confusion. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Venezuelan woman seeking asylum detained by ICE “Here is home,” Busby told KXAN earlier this year. “She has a home here. I want her home with us.”In an order signed March 30, a federal judge ruled that ICE violated Kenny‑Velasquez’s due process rights by detaining her last year. The judge ordered her release within 48 hours and barred ICE from re‑detaining her unless the government can demonstrate she is a flight risk or a danger to the community.The order also restricts ICE from imposing additional conditions of release without a court hearing.Kenny‑Velasquez reunited with Busby following her release, and returned home to Austin over the weekend.“Life can change in one second,” Kenny‑Velasquez said. “I just want my normal life back. That’s it. Nothing special.”Busby described their reunion simply as “beautiful.”“It was amazing to finally see her and know that she was coming home,” Busby said.When Kenny‑Velasquez was first detained, KXAN reached out to the Department of Homeland Security. In a statement, the department said:On December 5, ICE arrested Stephanie Kenny Velasquez, an illegal alien from Venezuela. She illegally entered the U.S. in 2021 near Del Rio, Texas and was RELEASED into this country by the Biden administration. All of her claims will be heard before an immigration judge and will receive full due process. We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $1,000 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland SecurityKXAN has reached out to DHS again following her release and has not yet received a response.Adrian Resendez, an immigration attorney with Brough & Resendez PLLC who is not involved in the case, said he has seen a growing number of asylum seekers detained despite having no criminal history.“From my perspective, this was her best option to actually get out of detention,” Resendez said.He added that many asylum seekers now find themselves fighting their cases from inside detention facilities — rather than while living in their communities.“The Department of Homeland Security and ICE’s position changed under this administration,” Resendez said. “[They said] we can detain any of these people that are that have pending cases because we actually believe the law supports us and has this whole time it was just under our discretion.”Kenny‑Velasquez said she understands enforcing immigration laws against people who pose a danger, but believes many detainees are ordinary people, or are like her seeking asylum.“I agree that if you’re a criminal—[DHS] don’t want you in this country because you’re a criminal—that’s totally fine,” Kenny‑Velasquez said. “Not everybody deserve to be there.”Kenny‑Velasquez remains in immigration proceedings. Her asylum hearing is still scheduled for 2027.Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.