KEY POINTS:
Fugitive Nai Yin Xue may not be back in New Zealand for more than a week and when he does return he will be flanked by several US immigration officers, handcuffed, and flying economy class.
Pat Reilly, spokeswoman for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said yesterday that Xue was being held custody in a detention facility in the state of Georgia.
Xue, 53, is wanted in New Zealand over the death of his wife An An Liu and the abandonment of his daughter. He was captured by members of the public in the US last Friday.
Ms Reilly said it was not known when Xue would be deported.
"It could be this week and it could be delayed a week or so because there's a lot of wheels in motion here internationally - two countries, several ministries and agencies, law enforcement. It's a lot of people."
Ms Reilly said it had not been determined yesterday how many ICE officers would accompany Xue on his return to New Zealand, "but it will be several, I would say".
Asked whether Xue would be handcuffed during the flight, she said: "Usually they're handcuffed.
"If they have committed a crime, generally they are handcuffed."
Xue's flights would be funded by ICE, which deported many accused murderers to their home countries every year, she said.
Two Auckland police officers are in the US gathering evidence and conducting inquiries in relation to Xue's movements there, but New Zealand police do not take responsibility for Xue until he is back in this country.
Police expect to lay charges when Xue is in custody in Auckland.
