Summary

German tattoo artist Jessica Brösche, 26, is indefinitely detained by ICE after being denied entry at the San Diego border from Tijuana.

Despite possessing a valid German passport, visa waiver, and return ticket to Berlin, she underwent secondary inspection and spent days in detention, including eight in solitary confinement.

Accused of planning to violate the terms of the visa waiver by working in Los Angeles as a tattoo artist, her ordeal is described as "like a horror movie.”

Brösche‘s friend Amelia Lofving was finally able to track her down and visited after 25 days.

  • Jeena
    link
    fedilink
    English
    16713 days ago

    Hm, we were planning to go to LA this year, but with a German passport in light of this article, Uhm, I’m having second thoughts. I wasn’t that worried about problems when we went to China last year.

      • Pirky
        link
        fedilink
        English
        5913 days ago

        Agreed. 2/10, would not recommend to a friend

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              English
              412 days ago

              Sorry but that’s just kinda how the word America is used in English. It probably shouldn’t be, but it is.

              • @[email protected]
                link
                fedilink
                English
                111 days ago

                It happens. I think they were trying to point out you could go to Canada or Mexico in North America or a bunch of nice countries in South America. Personally if I had the time I’d like to see Columbia. I’ve heard great things about it

    • Bullshit
      link
      fedilink
      English
      5313 days ago

      People gotta stop acting as if things are business as usual

      • Ziggurat
        link
        fedilink
        612 days ago

        The 20 days detention for westerners aren’t usual (while they are for others) but being stopped at immigration because they think you may work is unfortunately standard. If your lucky, they’ll search your laptop as good old corporate espionage if you’re not, you’ll fly home with a denied stamp on your passport

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          511 days ago

          Flying home would have been d so much better than what they did. They held her for a fucking month! I hope there are lawsuits for back pay coming from this. It’s fucking nuts.

    • tiredofsametab
      link
      fedilink
      2513 days ago

      I’m from the US and still have family there. There’s zero chance I go unless someone is dying and, even then, I dare not bring my wife who speaks very little English. I’m glad we went before this shitstorm happened so she could at least meet my surviving grandparents once.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      2313 days ago

      Oh, I’m in LA and you should definitely come; just wait until after our civil war or coup or whatever it is that happens to get things to settle down. It’s a lovely city if you know where to go.

      Also if it’s any consolation, we’ve practically got ICE protests almost every day. People here are fucking livid over this shit, particularly the Latino parts of town. (Although in typical LA fashion, part of the protesting is because of a TikTok trend).