A British graphic artist, Rebecca Burke, 28, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for 19 days after attempting to leave the United States for Canada, despite holding a valid tourist visa and having funds to purchase a return flight home. Burke had been backpacking across the US since January, staying with families through the Workaway programme in exchange for household chores.
On 26 February, when Burke tried to cross into Canada at the border, Canadian officials determined that her living arrangements required a work visa rather than a tourist visa. She was sent back to the US, where American authorities classified her as an illegal alien. She was then shackled and transported to an ICE detention centre, where she remained for nearly three weeks.
Burke's detention occurred during the first 50 days of Donald Trump's presidency, a period in which ICE arrested 32,809 people. Her case mirrors those of other foreign nationals, including Germans Lucas Sielaff, Fabian Schmidt, and Jessica Brösche, who were also held for extended periods. Unlike them, Burke was actively trying to leave the country when she was detained.
Burke had arrived in the US on 7 January under the Biden administration. She had been documenting her travels on Instagram, posting images of her experiences. Her detention came as a shock to her family and friends, who described her as a responsible and creative individual. She has since returned to the UK and is advising others to reconsider travel to Trump's America.
