<\/p>\n
\nThe ministry says it will not provide any further information on the case for privacy reasons.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Rebekah Parsons-King\n<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it is helping a New Zealander in detention in the US, but says they are not being held at an immigration facility.<\/p>\n
Media reporting had linked the consular assistance to a social media post saying a man had been awaiting sentencing in an American prison since August.<\/p>\n
The poster had claimed the man was accused of hitting a police officer but a judge overturned it, then US Immigration and Customs Enforcement got involved.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the ministry provided a statement.<\/p>\n
“Consular officials are providing assistance to a New Zealander in detention in the United States. Note, this is not an immigration facility, as has been incorrectly reported.<\/p>\n
“For privacy reasons no further information will be provided.”<\/p>\n
It’s the second case of a New Zealander being detained after Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old were stopped on re-entry from Canada<\/a>, after dropping her other children off for a flight in Vancouver.<\/p>\n Shaw and her son returned to their home in Washington “in good spirits” three weeks later<\/a>.<\/p>\n