Selective focus shot of barbed wire barrier with US – Mexico border fence in the background.
German tattoo artist’s US-Mexican border ordeal continues.
Credit: Shutterstock, Simone Hogan
A German tattoo artist’s sunshine-filled holiday in Mexico took a turn for the worse after she tried to enter the US through the San Diego border and ended up in immigration detention. Berlin-based artist Jessica Brösche embarked on a three-week American adventure, only to find herself trapped in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility for over a month, long past her intended flight home. What happened? Read on to find out.
Walking into trouble at the border
Brösche’s ordeal began on January 25, when she decided to cross from Tijuana into the US with her American friend, clothing designer Nikita Lofving. As they approached the San Ysidro port of entry, Brösche was detained by immigration authorities.
Despite expectations that she’d be swiftly returned home to Germany, Brösche has remained in ICE custody at the Otay Mesa Detention Facility in San Diego County ever since.
Why the tattoo artist was barred from entry
According to Lofving, Brösche went to LA to continue a years-long tattoo project – an ongoing exchange between two friends. In an interview ith CNN, Lofving described their agreement as a friendly barter, saying that: ‘Brösche was going to LA to work, but not for money.’
However, officials appear to have interpreted Brösche’s explanation as evidence she intended to work in the US, thus violating the conditions of her tourist entry. ICE has confirmed that Brösche is being held due to “the violation of the terms and conditions of her admission,” while Customs and Border Protection (CBP) noted foreign nationals denied admission must be turned over to ICE if they cannot immediately depart the country.
Solitary confinement, delays, and desperation
According to media coverage in the US, Brösche spent eight days in solitary confinement when she first entered US custody. She is reportedly desperate to get back to Germany.
Brösche’s friends and family had hoped for a March 11 homecoming, yet delays persist:
An unusual case
Legal experts in the US have called the extended detention ‘extremely concerning.’ Meanwhile, the German Consulate in Los Angeles confirmed it is ‘aware of the case and in close contact about it with the relevant US authorities as well as with family and close friends of the person concerned.’
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