He was hauled into a Detention Facility!! He spent 16 days locked up at the Otay Mesa Detention facility south of San Diego before being allowed to fly home to Germany!
Some countries have updated their travel advice to the United States in the wake of a Crackdown on Immigration by the Trump Administration. Travelers have reported being detained at the US border even though they had valid travel Visas. Germany updated its travel Advisory for the US after a number of its citizens were detained at customs and was deported. Short vacation turned into a nightmare. Lucas Sielaff , German tourist was detained upon arrival in the US and hauled into a Detention Facility. They put chains around his stomach, on his hands and feet. Put him in a van and drove him to the Detention Center. This man was returning to the US from a vacation in Mexico. He said he had a valid US Tourist Visa but ended up spending 16 days in detention before being allowed to return to Germany. His arrest is part of an apparent trend involving temporary Visa holders and visitors being detained by US border officials on their way into the country.
Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney has a similar story. She was detained for 12 days over an incomplete Visa! There was no heads up next thing she'll know she was taken and for two weeks she haven't been told anything she will be moved in different cells! Sleeping on cement! Sleeping in different jail cells!
Another one is a French scientist was denied to enter into the US after his phone was searched by Customs. Officials at the airport found messages criticizing the Trump Administration's cuts to Science Programs. They said they did not violate US Immigration policies nor commit any crimes. The incidents follow heightened Immigration Enforcement under the Trump Administration. The White House says it's removing known immigrant criminals. The President is using every lever of his executive Authority and his constitutional Authority within the bounds of the Immigration laws of our country to ensure that our streets are safer for law-abiding American citizens.
The Crackdown also includes those who have outstate Visas or violated their terms. The German tourist who was detained upon arrival in the US and hauled into a Detention Facility said that his experience shows that any one could be targeted by US Customs officials and that nobody is safe there anymore.
Immigration attorneys have now begun advising people to ensure that social media profiles are free of criticism of the US Administration to increase their chances of entering the country.
David Bier, Director of Immigration studies at the Cato Institute in Washington, DC (who is an expert on Immigration border security and Interior Enforcement) said that people should be worried in general about traveling to the US under the current circumstances. As they have seen cases where people's phones have been searched and they've looked at people's social media posts and used that as a basis for denying them entry or arresting them or detaining them.
The real concern in the United States is about people who are traveling back and are trying to re-enter the United States as well as people who are trying to reunite with family members who are abroad. All of those people should be concerned and should take proactive effort to make sure that they are not the radar of this Administration.
What's happening in the United States Customs and Border Protection Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are under incredible pressure from the White House to increase detentions arrest and removals by any means necessary.
That means no one is off the table including people who are entering the country legally who have valid authorization to enter the United States. If there's any pretext for denying them entry and detaining, arresting and deporting them. This Administration will absolutely seize that opportunity.