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British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

theguardian.com

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Re: British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

#131

Post by nosianu »

refurb wrote: post #125
n1b0m wrote: post #78

A similar story about Ice detaining a German tourist in California indefinitely. Jessica Brösche has spent more than a month in detention center after being denied entry at San Diego from Mexico. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/ice-german-t...

That tourist couldn’t be admitted to the IS, nor returned to Mexico as they didn’t have permission. So they had to wait for deportation?

She had an airline ticket. She missed that flight now.

> Brösche had her German passport, confirmation of her visa waiver to enter the country, and a copy of her return ticket back to Berlin

Re: British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

#132

Post by newyankee »

sergers wrote: post #42

i was following this on another site before it showed up here: 1)UK citizens dont need a visa perse coming into canada as a tourist 1b) electronic travel authorization form is not required for UK citizens coming to canada over land border. 2)she was staying at Workaway, which depending on how you interpret/misinterpret is "working" (which it possibly is, a little shady on what they are.) so canada may have thought sh…

Citizens from developed countries think that the immigration rules applied to folks from developing and poorer countries may not be seriously interpreted for them. This is just a good example where crackdown has occurred according to the letter of the law.

Re: British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

#133

Post by newyankee »

cco wrote: post #83
sergers wrote: post #42

i was following this on another site before it showed up here: 1)UK citizens dont need a visa perse coming into canada as a tourist 1b) electronic travel authorization form is not required for UK citizens coming to canada over land border. 2)she was staying at Workaway, which depending on how you interpret/misinterpret is "working" (which it possibly is, a little shady on what they are.) so canada may have thought sh…

> very first thing i think of when viewing their site is this is some lodging for volunteer/unpaid labour. https://www.workaway.info/ I'm certainly not an immigration lawyer but my understanding is that _no_ work, none, even in exchange for room and board, is allowed on a tourist visa in the US. Workaway looks like it isn't compatible with a tourist visa in the US and their website doesn't really call that out. Seems…

The hint is in the name itself.

Re: British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

#134

Post by cavisne »

jmyeet wrote: post #77

Here's an example of how broken the discourse is over immigration and how the media has grossly failed with their responsibility in reporting something remotely factual. The majority of undocumented migrants aren't border crosses. They're visa overstayers [1]. And of course the "migrant crime" hysteria is completely made up. Despite there being at least 10 million undocumented migrants, the number of murders commited…

[2] Is an incorrect interpretation. There is no nationwide data on murders by illegal immigrants, only some states like Texas collect this. CPB does not deport many murderers because they are serving prison sentences in the US. In 2022 there were 67 Texas murders by illegal immigrants, more than the supposed CPB FY22 number just in one state.

https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2024-06/Policy-Ana...

The per capita trend is still directionally the same as your claim in Texas.

The problem with illegal immigrant murders is there is a legal and proportional way to prevent all of them - don't let them in the first place. This isn't so easy for other murderers.

Re: British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

#135

Post by newyankee »

yibg wrote: post #130
sergers wrote: post #42

i was following this on another site before it showed up here: 1)UK citizens dont need a visa perse coming into canada as a tourist 1b) electronic travel authorization form is not required for UK citizens coming to canada over land border. 2)she was staying at Workaway, which depending on how you interpret/misinterpret is "working" (which it possibly is, a little shady on what they are.) so canada may have thought sh…

Based just on the details in the report, it seems refusing entry is justified. Or at least not very strange. What I don't understand is, why not just send her back home vs detaining her? Maybe someone that's more knowledgeable here can chime in. Is it standard practice to detain someone, especially for an extended period, vs just putting them on the first plane back home?

The idea might be to create a clear example that becomes popular and known so that others who might attempt the same will be dissuaded

Re: British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

#136

Post by londons_explore »

yibg wrote: post #130
sergers wrote: post #42

i was following this on another site before it showed up here: 1)UK citizens dont need a visa perse coming into canada as a tourist 1b) electronic travel authorization form is not required for UK citizens coming to canada over land border. 2)she was staying at Workaway, which depending on how you interpret/misinterpret is "working" (which it possibly is, a little shady on what they are.) so canada may have thought sh…

Based just on the details in the report, it seems refusing entry is justified. Or at least not very strange. What I don't understand is, why not just send her back home vs detaining her? Maybe someone that's more knowledgeable here can chime in. Is it standard practice to detain someone, especially for an extended period, vs just putting them on the first plane back home?

When you are at a land border, but neither country on either side of the border will grant you entry, there is no easy 'way out'.

She could not fly to the UK directly from that border location.

When arrested, she has to go through the proper deportation process - and that might well be very expensive, and she might not have the money to pay. Deportations can easily cost 10x a regular flight cost due to the extra security needed.

Re: British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

#137

Post by mingus88 »

wat10000 wrote: post #74
averageRoyalty wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not convinced it's the Americans responsibility to get her back to a suitable international airport as quickly as possible and put her in the next flight out. 10 days does seem excessive, but I don't see why she should be a priority either. I would imagine up to 5 working days fits within the realm of 'reasonable'.

A full work week in jail for something that isn’t even a crime is ridiculous.

If she was staying in Portland with a family doing chores (aka work) in exchange for housing (aka compensation) then I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.

Add to this the 4mo trip on a 90 day tourist visa and I would expect nothing less than detention since they can’t exactly turn her around since CA already turned her away

Re: British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

#138

Post by nosianu »

cco wrote: post #83
sergers wrote: post #42

i was following this on another site before it showed up here: 1)UK citizens dont need a visa perse coming into canada as a tourist 1b) electronic travel authorization form is not required for UK citizens coming to canada over land border. 2)she was staying at Workaway, which depending on how you interpret/misinterpret is "working" (which it possibly is, a little shady on what they are.) so canada may have thought sh…

> very first thing i think of when viewing their site is this is some lodging for volunteer/unpaid labour. https://www.workaway.info/ I'm certainly not an immigration lawyer but my understanding is that _no_ work, none, even in exchange for room and board, is allowed on a tourist visa in the US. Workaway looks like it isn't compatible with a tourist visa in the US and their website doesn't really call that out. Seems…

I wonder how Camp America is doing it these days.

https://www.campamerica.co.uk/the-experience/camp-jobs/campo...

Back in 1997 I participated. I had to get a J-1 visa, worked in a summer camp for about two months and got $400 pocket money. I entered the country using the program description, no deception.

Later I actually worked in the US - on a simple business trip visa - B1. For 12 months, interrupted by trips back home. Legally! Reentry got harder and harder with each return trip, and in the end I was taken to the back. But after explaining everything I git the stamp, no problem.

The secret: A big German company wanted to make the software of a big Silicon Valley company work on their platform. The obstacle: That company would not let their source code leave their premises. So this German job normally done in Germany had to be done on premise at the SV company. I still was a full German employee, only a temporary change of office because of that policy. It was acceptable for immigration. I don't think I would try that kind of thing again these days though.

Re: British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

#139

Post by toast0 »

codedokode wrote: post #124
actionfromafar wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Musk is lucky enforcement wasn't as strict back then.

Cannot citizenship be revoked for past violations?

There are acceptable grounds for revocation of naturalization [1], but I'm not sure that having previously violated visa terms necessarily qualifies. The question becomes was he lawfully admitted to permanent residency, and was there a concealment of material facts or willful misrepresentation involved in the process. We would need to really see his immigration file and have knowledge of the dates he was in the US, and when he performed work.

[1] https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-l-chapter...

Re: British tourist detained by US authorities for 10 days over visa issue

#140

Post by newyankee »

hdjjhhvvhga wrote: post #47
quackscience wrote: post #8

Probably shouldn't tell border patrol you're doing unpaid labor in a country you're visiting. When speaking to authorities it's best to say the absolute minimum required for the encounter.

Statements like these make me happy I live in Europe.

Europe treats tourists from developing countries way worse than US does when you apply even for short term tours with all details. US looks at bigger picture, history if any, financial conditions but Europe literally wants you to have planned down everything to the most relevant detail and will then issue a visa 1 or 2 days longer than the itinerary and ask you to piss off
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