British Grandmother's ICE Ordeal Sparks Travel Warning for US Under Trump
A grandmother from Hertfordshire has issued a stark warning to fellow Britons, advising against travel to the United States while Donald Trump remains in office. This caution follows her own harrowing experience of being shackled and incarcerated for six weeks by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, despite holding a valid visa.
Detained Despite Proper Documentation
Karen Newton, 65, was on what she described as the holiday of a lifetime with her husband Bill, 66, when she was detained while attempting to leave the country. The couple had embarked on a two-month road trip across Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, and California in July last year, seeking guaranteed sunshine. Their plans took a drastic turn when they tried to cross into Canada for the remainder of their vacation.
Canadian officials turned them back, citing incorrect paperwork for their vehicle. Upon returning to Montana, Ms. Newton's husband's visa had expired, though hers remained valid. They immediately offered to pay for flights home, but officials dismissed their plea. Forced to wait in an office from 10:30 AM until nightfall, Ms. Newton recounted the fear of uncertainty. "It was scary. You have no way of knowing what's going to happen," she told The Guardian.
Shackled and Incarcerated
The situation escalated when agents arrived with chains and handcuffs. The couple were shackled at the waist and ankles and transferred to a patrol station in Montana, where they slept in a cold cell without beds. Ms. Newton, who holds a British passport and has no criminal record, was told she was "guilty by association" for helping her husband pack, allegedly violating her B2 tourist visa terms.
She spent over a month in detention, initially sleeping on a cell floor before being driven 12 hours overnight to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington. Describing it as "essentially a prison," she was issued a grey sweatshirt, jogging bottoms, an ID card, and a wristband. Due to an inability to climb a ladder, she was forced to sleep on a thin mattress on the floor.
Allegations of Incentives and Budget Increases
Ms. Newton believes ICE agents are motivated by financial incentives, claiming guards told her they receive bonuses per detainee. ICE has denied these allegations. Under the Trump administration, investment in ICE has surged, with the annual budget now at $85 billion, up from $6 billion a decade ago. Since last August, new agents have been offered signing-on bonuses of up to $50,000.
Ultimately, the Newtons accepted a deal to return voluntarily to the UK in exchange for a 10-year ban from entering the US. On November 6 last year, they were driven to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and flown home. Ms. Newton warns that if this could happen to her, it "can happen to anyone," describing the immigration situation as "totally out of control."
Other High-Profile Cases Highlight Widespread Issues
Ms. Newton's ordeal is not isolated. Rebecca Burke, a 28-year-old graphic artist from Monmouthshire, south Wales, was detained for nearly three weeks last year after attempting to cross into Canada. She was handcuffed and held at the same Tacoma facility, sharing a dorm with dozens of women, mostly asylum seekers. Her father contacted the British foreign office and UK press to highlight the case.
Similarly, German tourist Jessica Brösche was stopped by ICE and held for 45 days in January last year. She was arrested by US Customs and Border Protection while trying to enter through San Diego from Tijuana, traveling under the ESTA visa waiver program with tattooing equipment.
These incidents underscore growing concerns about US immigration enforcement under Trump, prompting calls for heightened caution among international travelers.
