Cliff Notes – German citizens detained in US
- Germany is assessing whether recent detentions of its citizens in the US indicate a shift in American immigration policy or if they are isolated incidents.
- A German Green Card holder remains in detention after being arrested at Logan Airport, while two German tourists were returned home following their detention at the US-Mexico border.
- The situation reflects ongoing concerns surrounding strict immigration policies implemented during the Trump administration, which have affected tourists from other Western countries as well.
Germany monitoring US detentions of its citizens
Germany is “monitoring” how its citizens are being treated when travelling to the United States, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.
The decision comes after the recent detention of three Germans in separate incidents. Two have been deported, but one person is still being detained.
Foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said Germany is trying to assess “whether this represents a change in American immigration policy or whether these are isolated cases.”
“Once we have a clear picture, we will then, if necessary, adjust our travel and security advice,” he said.
Green Card holder held by ICE
Fabian Schmidt, the German still in detention, was arrested at Logan Airport in Boston last week after returning from Luxembourg.
He is being held at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Rhode Island.
Schmidt is an electrical engineer who has been living in the US since 2007.
It’s unclear why Schmidt, a US Green Card holder, was detained. A Green Card allows non-citizens to live and work permanently in the US, but it can be revoked.
The German Foreign Office told the German press agency, DPA, that the consulate general in Boston is handling the case and is in contact with Schmidt, his relatives, and local authorities.
German Tourists Returned from US Detention
Tourists from most European countries, including Germany, typically have visa-free access to the United States for up to 90 days. Two German tourists said they tried to enter the US legally but were detained and eventually sent back home.
Lucas Sielaff, a 25-year-old German, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on February 18 as he and his US fiancée were crossing the border from Mexico, according to Der Spiegel. He spent two weeks in detention after his entry permit was cancelled at the Mexican border.
Jessica Brösche, a 29-year-old tattoo artist from Berlin, was also taken into custody at the Mexican border as she tried to cross with a US friend in late January, the magazine said. Brösche originally planned to stay in LA until mid-February, according to her Instagram profile. She also returned to Germany last week.
Both were held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center, a prison in San Diego, California, before being sent back to Germany.
Trump’s crack down on immigration
Tourists from other Western countries have reportedly also been detained by US immigration authorities recently.
It appears to be a result of the strict immigration policies implemented by President Donald Trump.
During his campaign, Trump repeatedly suggested he would invoke extraordinary powers to address illegal immigration, further laying the groundwork with a series of executive orders on January 20.
Over the weekend he invoked the Alien Enemies Act for the first time since World War II, granting himself sweeping powers under a centuries-old law to deport people associated with a Venezuelan gang.
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