Gossip Queen: Melbourne model faces grim Christmas far from home
Former Miss World Australia finalist and Melbourne model Adau Mornyang fears she may have to spend the Christmas holidays in immigration detention in the US.
Fiona Byrne
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Melbourne model Adau Mornyang is resigned to spending Christmas behind bars in the US.
The “devastated” former Miss World Australia finalist said she was still holding out hope that she would be released from immigration detention during the Christmas break.
Mornyang, speaking via a close friend, said on Saturday: “I can’t believe immigration can unjustly hold people for as long as they want. I’m hoping I won’t spend the Christmas holidays here.”
Her friend added that Mornyang was “devastated” by her detention, was in “low spirits” and was eager to be released as soon as possible.
Mornyang was arrested on September 17 by US immigration and customs enforcement officers on the grounds of being in the US illegally.
She was placed in an immigration detention facility, where she remains.
Her sister, Maria, who set up a GoFundMe page to assist Mornyang, posted online that the arrest was a “surprise ambush” and noted that Mornyang had a valid visa.
“Adau arrived the United States with a valid 01 visa that expires on December 26, 2021.
She’s not in the country illegally. Adau expected that she was going to be deported after her arrest on September 17, 2019 — that didn’t happen either.”
In July, Mornyang was sentenced in a Los Angeles court to 100 hours of community service and three years probation for slapping a flight attendant and going on a tirade during a flight. The judge noted during sentencing that Mornyang was deeply remorseful for her actions.
The 25-year-old has previously spoken of being a victim of sexual assault when aged 17.