A Missouri family's strained fight with border protection ended Thursday with a heartfelt reunion.
Two Chinese grandparents joined their American family members in Seattle after being federal detainees on Monday at a Jacksonville cruise port.
Huan Wang and Yuanjun Cui's arrest sparked questions nationally about why they were removed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection despite having valid travel visas.
Within 96 hours, Cui and Wang were taken from the cruise port, denied contact with their family, handcuffed, and forced onto a flight to China, family said.
The couple entered the U.S. in December to visit their daughter and son-in law Zhengjia and Joseph McDevitt in Missouri.
Joseph, an Army National Guard service member, said the cruise was supposed to be a dream trip for his dying father-in-law battling stage four cancer.
"I think our whole family is just extremely grateful, I know we couldn't have done this on our own," Joseph told KING5 at the Seattle airport. "The whole world basically came together."
Timeline of Travel for grandparents' fight with border protection
Immigration attorney for the McDevitts, Susan Pai, called officers' actions in this case an 'overreach' and 'rogue.'
"I have no idea why they were targeted since they've been visiting their daughter in the U.S. [off and on] since 2009 without any problems," Pai said. "[Cui] wasn't seeking medical care in the United States, there's nothing else anybody can do for him, he's coming here to spend his last few days with his grandchildren."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and said Wednesday no further details would be provided beyond Monday's statement.
In a recorded call provided to First Coast News, a CBP agent told Joseph on Wednesday the detainees were 'inadmissible' at the cruise port, but could return to the U.S. from China if a flight ticket was purchased.
"Technically according to the letter of the law, they were inadmissible. But we do have discretion. We can make exceptions [based on] your status as a U.S. citizen, your wife's status as a U.S citizen, their age and health conditions," the agent said on the call to Joseph. "We can't undo what's been done but we can try to..."
The McDevitts will bring Cui and Wang back to their home in Lake Ozark, Missouri for the remainder of the couple's stay in the U.S.