European tourists' detentions at US borders raise concerns
7 Min Read
A growing number of foreign travelers, including tourists from Germany, Canada, and the UK, have faced detentions at US border crossings, raising concerns about an increasingly harsh immigration environment.
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Drivers wait in line to enter to U.S, in Mexicali, Mexico, on Saturday, February 1, 2025. (AP)
Since US President Donald Trump took office, there have been several high-profile cases where foreign visitors have been detained at US border crossings. Many have been held in detention facilities for extended periods before being allowed to leave at their own expense.
One such case involved Lennon Tyler and her German fiancé, Lucas Sielaff, who frequently took road trips to Mexico whenever he visited the United States. Living in Las Vegas, Tyler saw the proximity to Mexico as an advantage in their long-distance relationship.
However, their most recent trip took a distressing turn when they returned from Tijuana last month.
According to the couple, US border agents detained Tyler, a US citizen, and placed her in handcuffs, chaining her to a bench. Meanwhile, they accused Sielaff of violating the terms of his 90-day tourist permit. Authorities later transferred him to an immigration detention center, where he remained for 16 days before being allowed to fly back to Germany.
Another case involved German tourist, Jessica Brosche, who was detained at the Tijuana border on January 25 and endured more than six weeks in custody, including a period of solitary confinement, according to a friend.
On the US-Canada border, a Welsh backpacker was detained for nearly three weeks before being permitted to return home. Similarly, a Canadian woman with a valid work visa was held at the Tijuana crossing for 12 days before her release.
Despite offering to leave voluntarily, Sielaff and the other detained travelers were never given a clear explanation for their arrest.
Rising anti-immigrant sentiment likely behind detentions
Pedro Rios, director of the American Friends Service Committee, an organization assisting migrants, said such cases are rare. “In my 22 years working on the border, I have never seen travelers from Western Europe and Canada, longstanding US allies, detained like this,” he noted.
He added, “It’s definitely unusual to see these cases happening so close together, and the rationale for detaining these individuals doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t justify the abhorrent treatment and conditions they endured.”
“The only reason I see is there is a much more fervent anti-immigrant atmosphere," Rios said.
When asked for data on tourist detentions, US authorities declined to provide AP with figures or comment on why travelers weren’t simply denied entry instead of being taken into custody.
The incidents have raised alarm as the Trump administration moves forward with stricter travel restrictions. The University of California, Los Angeles, issued a travel advisory to foreign-born students and staff, warning them to reconsider non-essential travel. The university noted that “re-entry requirements may change while you are away, impacting your return.”
In an email to the Associated Press, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stated that Sielaff and Brösche were deemed “inadmissible” by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). While CBP declined to discuss specifics, the agency stated that travelers violating visa conditions “may be subject to detention and removal.”
Both German tourists had traveled under the US Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens from select countries in Europe and Asia to visit the US for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa in advance. Despite receiving travel authorization through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), entry into the US is never guaranteed.
Sielaff arrived in the US on January 27. A few weeks later, he and Tyler drove to Tijuana for four days to arrange surgery for her dog, as veterinary care was more affordable there. “Mexico is a wonderful and beautiful country that Lucas and I love to visit,” Tyler said.
When they returned to the US on February 18—just 22 days into Sielaff’s authorized 90-day stay—their troubles began.
At the border, an agent questioned Sielaff aggressively. “Where are you going? Where do you live?” Tyler recalled.
Since English is not Sielaff’s first language, he responded, “We’re going to Las Vegas,” to which the agent replied, “Oh, we caught you. You live in Las Vegas. You can’t do that,” according to Tyler.
Sielaff was taken aside for additional questioning. Tyler said she requested to accompany him or have a translator provided but was told to remain silent. She was then removed from her vehicle, handcuffed, and chained to a bench. Her dog, still recovering from surgery, was left in the car.
After four hours, Tyler was released but was given no information about her fiancé’s whereabouts.
Meanwhile, Sielaff said he repeatedly explained to authorities that he did not live in the US and had no criminal history. Nevertheless, he was subjected to a full-body search and ordered to surrender his cell phone and personal belongings. Held in a cell for two days, he slept on a bench before being transferred to the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, where he shared a crowded cell with eight others.
“You are angry, you are sad, you don’t know when you can get out,” Sielaff said. “You just don’t get any answers from anybody.”
Eventually, he was instructed to book a direct flight back to Germany and submit the confirmation number. In a desperate call, he informed Tyler, who purchased the ticket for $2,744. Sielaff flew home on March 5.
“What happened at the border was just blatant abuse of the Border Patrol’s power,” Tyler said.
Others share her sentiment.
America no longer feels safe for tourists
Ashley Paschen, who learned about Brosche’s case from a viral TikTok video, visited her several times in detention. “She’s happy to be home,” Paschen said. “She seems very relieved, but she’s not coming back here anytime soon.”
In another case, Becky Burke, a backpacker from Wales, was detained at the US-Canada border on February 26 and held for nearly three weeks in Washington state before returning home on March 19, her father posted on Facebook.
Similarly, Canadian actress and entrepreneur Jasmine Mooney, who held a valid work visa, was detained at the Tijuana border on March 3 and released 12 days later, according to her friend Brittany Kors.
Her case drew concern from British Columbia Premier David Eby, who warned that such incidents are fueling uncertainty among Canadian travelers. “It certainly reinforces anxiety that many British Columbians have, and many Canadians have, about our relationship with the U.S. right now, and the unpredictability of this administration and its actions,” he said.
These detentions come amid ongoing legal battles over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, which has included the arrests and deportations of visa holders and green card holders. A recent case involved a Palestinian activist who was removed despite helping organize campus protests against the Israeli war on Gaza.
Frustrated by the ordeal, Tyler now plans to sue the US government.
Sielaff, still coping with the trauma, said he and Tyler are reconsidering their plans to hold their wedding in Las Vegas. He has been experiencing nightmares and is considering therapy to deal with the psychological impact.
“Nobody is safe there anymore to come to America as a tourist,” he said.
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