6 ms·

After several tourists were detained for weeks in terrible conditions, it’s little wonder why

mjaniczek 2y ago
I'm an EU citizen who's on the organizer team of Elm Camp 2025, and I'm really on the fence whether to even risk the flight to US and attending, hearing these stories :(
- akie 2y ago
  Don't go. Easy. You'll be at the mercy of individual ICE agents. Read this if you're wondering if it's the right decision, because this could be you: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/canadian-detained-us-immigration-jasmine-mooney https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/canadian-det...
- ta1243 2y ago
  What visa do you hold? I wouldn't be confident that organising a conference would fall under ESTA or B1, speaking at one should be, but ultimately it's upto the goon looking at your application at the desk. In any case ensure you immigrate as early in the day as possible to maximise the chance of a quick deportation if you are rejected.
- jillyboel 2y ago
  [flagged]
  - drstewart 2y ago
    [flagged]
- frob 2y ago
  Do not come here. First, do it for your own safety. A wrong form or the wrong answer to a verbal question after 18 hours of travel could land you in weeks of brutal detention. Second, do it to help the cause. We here in America need to suffer the consequences of our actions. We need to see conferences canceled. We need to see imports stopped. We need to see people refusing to bring their knowledge and expertise here. It is going to be a long, dark four years for the globe. It's going to take all of us working from within and without to have any hope of dismantling this evil empire.
  - DeathArrow 2y ago
    [flagged]
goda90 2y ago
ICE statements about detention say it's supposed to be non-punitive, but clearly it's punishing for the detained. Lots of people get detained for what are actually civil violations or even just suspicion of civil violations, not crimes. We really need a new system. People shouldn't be locked up for more than 24 hours until they've seen a judge, and I imagine in many cases, lockup could be avoided entirely with a court summons (which if violated would justify arrest).
- potato3732842 2y ago
  >I imagine in many cases, lockup could be avoided entirely with a court summons (which if violated would justify arrest). This goes for most arrests, probably damn near all of them when it comes to nonviolent crimes.
- praptak 2y ago
  Non-punitive my ass. The German tourist was put for eight days in solitary confinement: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/ice-german-tourist-detained-immigration https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/ice-german-t...
  - mcflubbins 2y ago
    This is nuts. > Brösche had her German passport, confirmation of her visa waiver to enter the country, and a copy of her return ticket back to Berlin Sounds like all her paper work was good to go... > she was still pulled aside for a secondary inspection by a US Customs and Border Protection agent. Ok, that sucks but not too crazy... > Brösche said she then spent days detained in a cell at the San Diego border before being taken into custody by Ice. The agency brought her to the Otay Mesa detention center, where she’s now been for more than a month. What? > US Customs and Border Protection accused Brösche of planning to violate the terms of the visa waiver program by intending to work as a tattoo artist during her time in Los Angeles. Ok, let's say that's actually the truth. Let's say she told them "yeah I'm gonna work here". Ok, she's in the wrong, worst case but being detained for A MONTH?! > According to ABC’s 10News, she was forced to spend eight days in solitary confinement in the facility. ?! > Lofving also said she tried to get help from the German consulate in Los Angeles. I wish they would have reached out to the Consulate to see if they'd supply any information about what's going on here. Maybe its policy for the consulate to not have any comment about cases though... not sure.
Squeeeez 2y ago
Detention is already bad enough, but then reading something like this: https://bleedingcool.com/comics/british-comic-creator-r-e-burke-banned-from-visiting-usa-for-10-years/ https://bleedingcool.com/comics/british-comic-creator-r-e-bu... "While every item in her bag was swabbed and dismantled, she was subjected to a full body search. "I was in this very loud, weird, industrial space with pipes and conveyor belts and lights and sirens, being told to open my legs. I was silently crying, watching all my stuff being torn apart as someone else was searching every crevice of me." I can't understand how this is allowed to happen.
- brookst 2y ago
  It makes sense if you view it as an intentional effort to demonize the US. Terrorizing visiting tourists is a great way to get the “we are crazy, your best never come here” message out. The simplest explanation is that this administration wants the US to be hated and sees atrocities as an important tool in that effort.
  - mikedelfino 2y ago
    > The simplest explanation is that this administration wants the US to be hated Why would they want that?
    - nmeofthestate 2y ago
      Off the top of my head, playing Devil's advocate it could be to encourage illegal immigrants to self-deport. The jailing of Germans with green cards for a fortnight is an unintended side-effect of cranking up the overall hostility level.
    - skc 2y ago
      Perhaps because they know it wouldn't matter. It's not like there is a ready drop in replacement for things people desire from the US.
      - mikedelfino 2y ago

I'm an EU citizen who's on the organizer team of Elm Camp 2025, and I'm really on the fence whether to even risk the flight to US and attending, hearing these stories :(

akie 2y ago
Don't go. Easy. You'll be at the mercy of individual ICE agents. Read this if you're wondering if it's the right decision, because this could be you: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/canadian-detained-us-immigration-jasmine-mooney https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/canadian-det...
ta1243 2y ago
What visa do you hold? I wouldn't be confident that organising a conference would fall under ESTA or B1, speaking at one should be, but ultimately it's upto the goon looking at your application at the desk. In any case ensure you immigrate as early in the day as possible to maximise the chance of a quick deportation if you are rejected.
jillyboel 2y ago
[flagged]
- drstewart 2y ago
  [flagged]
frob 2y ago
Do not come here. First, do it for your own safety. A wrong form or the wrong answer to a verbal question after 18 hours of travel could land you in weeks of brutal detention. Second, do it to help the cause. We here in America need to suffer the consequences of our actions. We need to see conferences canceled. We need to see imports stopped. We need to see people refusing to bring their knowledge and expertise here. It is going to be a long, dark four years for the globe. It's going to take all of us working from within and without to have any hope of dismantling this evil empire.
- DeathArrow 2y ago
  [flagged]

goda90 2y ago

ICE statements about detention say it's supposed to be non-punitive, but clearly it's punishing for the detained. Lots of people get detained for what are actually civil violations or even just suspicion of civil violations, not crimes. We really need a new system. People shouldn't be locked up for more than 24 hours until they've seen a judge, and I imagine in many cases, lockup could be avoided entirely with a court summons (which if violated would justify arrest).

potato3732842 2y ago
>I imagine in many cases, lockup could be avoided entirely with a court summons (which if violated would justify arrest). This goes for most arrests, probably damn near all of them when it comes to nonviolent crimes.
praptak 2y ago
Non-punitive my ass. The German tourist was put for eight days in solitary confinement: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/ice-german-tourist-detained-immigration https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/ice-german-t...
- mcflubbins 2y ago
  This is nuts. > Brösche had her German passport, confirmation of her visa waiver to enter the country, and a copy of her return ticket back to Berlin Sounds like all her paper work was good to go... > she was still pulled aside for a secondary inspection by a US Customs and Border Protection agent. Ok, that sucks but not too crazy... > Brösche said she then spent days detained in a cell at the San Diego border before being taken into custody by Ice. The agency brought her to the Otay Mesa detention center, where she’s now been for more than a month. What? > US Customs and Border Protection accused Brösche of planning to violate the terms of the visa waiver program by intending to work as a tattoo artist during her time in Los Angeles. Ok, let's say that's actually the truth. Let's say she told them "yeah I'm gonna work here". Ok, she's in the wrong, worst case but being detained for A MONTH?! > According to ABC’s 10News, she was forced to spend eight days in solitary confinement in the facility. ?! > Lofving also said she tried to get help from the German consulate in Los Angeles. I wish they would have reached out to the Consulate to see if they'd supply any information about what's going on here. Maybe its policy for the consulate to not have any comment about cases though... not sure.

Squeeeez 2y ago

Detention is already bad enough, but then reading something like this: https://bleedingcool.com/comics/british-comic-creator-r-e-burke-banned-from-visiting-usa-for-10-years/ https://bleedingcool.com/comics/british-comic-creator-r-e-bu... "While every item in her bag was swabbed and dismantled, she was subjected to a full body search. "I was in this very loud, weird, industrial space with pipes and conveyor belts and lights and sirens, being told to open my legs. I was silently crying, watching all my stuff being torn apart as someone else was searching every crevice of me." I can't understand how this is allowed to happen.

brookst 2y ago
It makes sense if you view it as an intentional effort to demonize the US. Terrorizing visiting tourists is a great way to get the “we are crazy, your best never come here” message out. The simplest explanation is that this administration wants the US to be hated and sees atrocities as an important tool in that effort.
- mikedelfino 2y ago
  > The simplest explanation is that this administration wants the US to be hated Why would they want that?
  - nmeofthestate 2y ago
    Off the top of my head, playing Devil's advocate it could be to encourage illegal immigrants to self-deport. The jailing of Germans with green cards for a fortnight is an unintended side-effect of cranking up the overall hostility level.
  - skc 2y ago
    Perhaps because they know it wouldn't matter. It's not like there is a ready drop in replacement for things people desire from the US.
    - mikedelfino 2y ago