Summary

Welsh tourist Becky Burke was detained for 19 days in a US immigration facility and transported in chains like “Hannibal Lecter” after alleged visa violations.

Burke had been backpacking and staying with host families in exchange for help around the house, which authorities suspected breached her tourist visa conditions.

Deported on March 18, she described the ordeal as traumatizing. Her parents criticized the harsh treatment and are considering addressing the issue politically.

  • Yerbouti
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    23712 days ago

    Traveling to a fascist country might be challenging, I personnaly wouldn’t take the chance.

    • char_stats
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      5212 days ago

      Or, at least, only go with organized tours and a local guide. As long as you don’t steal any propaganda posters, you should survive.

      • @gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
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        3811 days ago

        Anyone willing to encourage tourism to America by being such a guide would probably take your money and then find a reason to get you arrested by ICE anyway. Not like you could take it up with a consumer protection agency now.

        • ddh
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          11 days ago

          This is the real way America will stop immigrants. By being completely awful.

  • @HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works
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    20211 days ago

    A US customs spokesman previously said they could not discuss specific cases but that travellers were treated with “integrity, respect and according to law”.

    Bullshit. Too many stories are coming out that prove that’s a lie.

    Fuck America and fuck Trump.

  • AugustWest
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    14311 days ago

    Another reminder: these, and all the detention facilities are privately owned and for profit. The motivation is to have a full house to maximize profits.

    • @CalipherJones@lemmy.world
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      4011 days ago

      Just more systems put in place to worship the American God: money.

      No crime is too great as long as the parasites at the top are taking more and more and more of our wealth and prosperity from us.

  • Obinice
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    10811 days ago

    They don’t want foreigners in that country any more, and are willing to treat them badly to get their message across.

    Don’t end up in one of their detainment concentration camps, you never know when you’ll be allowed to leave, the way they keep suddenly changing how they do things - for the worse - every few weeks, it could be never.

    Don’t go to that country. It’s too dangerous.

    • @Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works
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      2411 days ago

      Our government certainly doesn’t want foreigners here, but the people remain welcoming.

      I lived in San Diego, CA for the entirety of Trump’s first term. He kept making it sound like criminals were flooding in there, and harming us. The narrative was that we were victims, and he was some sort of hero.

      The reality was we love our Mexican neighbors… And we fucking hate that asshole for lying and demonizing our friends, colleagues, and family members.

      This all said, it is not safe here any longer for us in the long term, or foreigners in the short term. He has lost his damn mind, literally, and his followers are brainwashed. America is unsafe, and unstable.

      • Fluffy Kitty Cat
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        611 days ago

        We should demolish the iron curtain splitting the San Diego - Tijuana metro in half

      • @NotSteve_@lemmy.ca
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        11 days ago

        I don’t know if I trust the people either when Trump has a nearly 50% approval rating

          • @stringere@sh.itjust.works
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            110 days ago

            I’m lucky to work in an office that is a healthy mix of ethnicities so when I talk about politics there’s enough people to make the racist bootlicking types obey their primary motivator, fear, and keep quiet.

    • @Eril@feddit.org
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      1211 days ago

      Also they might just deport you to some concentration camp in El Salvador for having the wrong tattoo and who knows if you can get out of there ever again. I wouldn’t trust anyone saying “they would never do that to tourists” at this point.

      Well, you won’t see me entering the US anytime soon.

  • @M0oP0o@mander.xyz
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    10111 days ago

    Why are we not seeing more travel advisories? I know of a few but if this was any other nation you would have advisories from almost everyone by now.

    • @aphonefriend@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      3011 days ago

      So long as Magats remain in charge, traveling to the US is now like traveling to China. You’ll probably see some pretty cool things but also have an above 0% chance for a life traumatizing event.

    • 74 183.84
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      2611 days ago

      After reading some of these stories I would not visit the US right now. Id stay home and stay safe

    • @Akasazh@feddit.nl
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      211 days ago

      I do that with regimes. I started out with Turkey, added Hungary and Israel, Russia, Philippines Saudi Arabia and quatar

      Countries I’d visit are shrinking.

  • @peetabix@sh.itjust.works
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    7911 days ago

    Me (British) and my American gf are planning to visit her friends and family over the summer in Navada, Washington and New Mexico. Not so sure i want to go anymore.

    • @specterspectre@lemmy.world
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      3811 days ago

      Don’t. I used to hike around the southern states for fun. Currently residing in one. The border patrol goons are just headhunting to fill quotas now. Anybody is game. I myself am planning my move out of country right now. Even the magats are not safe and are willing to sacrifice themselves for their hateful ideals.

      • 0^2
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        2111 days ago

        And i would recommend anyone from the US, already traveling outside, and not 100% bleach white, to increase your vacation time for a few years and not come back if possible as you will probably be detained even with a legit passport and documentation. Maybe seek asylum.

        • Amon
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          1911 days ago

          not 100% bleach white

          More like any from:

          • Not 100% bleach white
          • Not 4 generations American
          • Not a MAGA
          • LGBTQ+
          • Related to any anti-MAGAs
          • Is pro-Palestinian or pro-Ukraine
          • Has any part of their identity that can be used as an excuse to deport

          Basically everyone other than Trump and the core MAGAs

      • @werefreeatlast@lemmy.world
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        811 days ago

        I’m brown in the US and I try not going anywhere. Every morning I have to drive by a school zone to get to the freeway and the police always parks right by the 20mph sign. If you don’t see the fucker there, he is somewhere already detaining someone.

        • @AoxoMoxoA@lemmy.world
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          411 days ago

          I’ve got a few friends that were adopted , one of Columbian decent the other Korean. I askd them how their feeling about all this if theyre worried. My Columbian buddy is a little concerned , wants tinted windows on his car etc., cant say i blame him.

          Back during fuckboys first term my Korean buddy got locked up for a few months (non violent crime). I went to pick him up , when I got to the jail they said he was being detained. I got in touch later that evening and he was released. They were about to send him to Washington D.C. to get sent back to south Korea because of some bull shit error on his adoption paperwork from the early 80’s. Luckily it all got straitened out but he was scared , he said they weren’t fucking around. He was terrified he was going to get sent back to a country he left at 3 years old with no chance to return over a clerical error.

          I could only imagine the wrong people (im not saying anyone deserves this level of harassment) are going to get hammered by all this hair trigger jackboot coward behavior.

          I hope you don’t get fucked with out there

    • @Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee
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      11 days ago

      Call ICE hotline, explain that her friends and family are all illegal aliens, then you can all meet at the ICE detention centre - no planning stress!

    • @BlackSheep@lemmy.ca
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      11 days ago

      Geezus. I’m right next door (Canadian), and I wouldn’t even consider going there. They’re going to start using ANY excuse to detain people. In December 2018, Canadian nationals Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig were taken into custody in China. It appeared that their detention on December 10 and subsequent indictment under the state secrets law were linked to the arrest of Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, in Canada on December 1. In English-language media, the pair are frequently and colloquially referred to as the Two Michaels. Wikipedia. EDIT: I spent 35 years crossing the border camping, shopping, and feeling like I was with trusted neighbours. Really sad…

      • @Owljfien@lemm.ee
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        411 days ago

        Wasn’t it found that those two actually were spies, and it wasn’t complete bs that China made that accusation?

    • @AizawaC47@lemm.ee
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      310 days ago

      Do not go to America! I wouldn’t take any chances. At this point we are a dictatorship country and you’ll be held in a prison if you can escape the corrupt pigs and ice.

  • @febra@lemmy.world
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    6711 days ago

    Such an inhumane country. Keeping people in shackles like cattle. Hell, not even cattle gets treated like that.

    • Atelopus-zeteki
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      1911 days ago

      Frankly, it’s an upper class/ lower class situation. Welsh people, historically just couldn’t afford vowels. ;-)

  • @robbinhood@lemmy.world
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    3911 days ago

    Can’t wait until the summer rolls around and the fascists start arresting kids for setting up lemonade stands and whatnot.

  • Fair Fairy
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    2811 days ago

    For some reason I’m confident this is not the first time this happened. But now it’s covered by European sources so news leak out to the public.

    • @Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee
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      1311 days ago

      It happened to a well known Canadian actress (she is well known for her role in the American pie films). She was detained for months over what would have been a tiny paperwork error just a few years ago. She said that the women she was imprisoned also had no criminal record but were treated like murderers.

    • @gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
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      2311 days ago

      They are absolutely desperate to fill their quotas, they’re selfish cowards who know how quickly their Dear Leader will throw them under the bus if they don’t

    • @ansiz@lemmy.world
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      7712 days ago

      This is a better article but basically she was ‘working’ in the US by exchanging help around the house for a place to stay. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80y3yx1jdyo

      Apparently the Canadians were concerned she’d work while in Canada? This kind of housework for accommodation is super common in the backpacking, hostel, hitchhiking kind of space. It’s ridiculous to treat tourists like this because of simply doing a little house work.

      Another example with hikers going along the AT or PCT will frequently do housework like activities to payback hostels or shuttle drivers.

      • @BossDj@lemm.ee
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        3512 days ago

        I guess the lesson learned is just always flat out say recreation. Not working at all. She was too honest

        • @NABDad@lemmy.world
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          1511 days ago

          Some people enjoy housework.

          Just explain that you indulge in some hobbies during your downtime while on vacation.

          I like to read when I get back to the hotel on vacation. Others might like to do some light carpentry or landscaping.

      • Optional
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        2311 days ago

        Oh sure, it’s all wink-wink-nod when it’s a white person, but soon enough you know who’ll be “backpacking” around? Brown people!. that’s right.

        I’m sorry to scare you so, but this is very important in today’s fascist putsching.

      • edric
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        1111 days ago

        Most countries are pretty strict with what you are and aren’t allowed to do while on a tourist visa. For example, tourists are generally not allowed to work or earn income while visiting, you need a work visa for that. Now I’m not 100% versed on how work is defined in this case, but they must have interpreted her chores-for-accommodation setup as work. Not excusing what they did to her, just providing context on the restrictions of tourist visas. I’m sure a lot of people have been doing this for a while, and the current immigration climate is likely why they’re just flagging it now.

          • edric
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            11 days ago

            Border agents usually ask where you will be staying for the duration of your trip. They can also ask how you will be supporting yourself. She likely answered honestly and said she will be doing chores for host families in exchange for accommodation, which they probably interpreted as her working. Normally, a typical tourist will have hotel/airbnb reservations and border agents can ask to see those as proof.

  • @Vile_port_aloo@lemmy.world
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    1511 days ago

    Omg I was actually worried for a second! She had to shuffle lol true this maybe embarrassing and the process dehumanising. People are dying under state powers.

    • @Trainguyrom@reddthat.com
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      1711 days ago

      These are the privileged individuals who get good media coverage (read: conventionally attractive young white women) and have wealth and/or connections. Everyone knows that if this is how they’re treating the most privileged of people, it’s going to be 100x worse for those who aren’t as privileged. Covering abuses in the news that are indefensible makes it much harder to ignore the less black and white abuses that are happening every day