The past few days have been filled with several reports of visa, green-card holders, and those in the process of legalization facing sudden arrests, detentions, and deportations, as President Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement continues. Highlighted below are nine instances. The similarities across these cases involve patterns of immigration enforcement that appear to be influenced by heightened scrutiny, alleged procedural violations, and potential political or ideological targeting.
Some deportations or prolonged detainments were based on minor infractions (Fabian Schmidt’s marijuana case, Lucas Sielaff’s misunderstanding of a question, Jasmine Mooney’s visa paperwork issue), suggesting excessive enforcement. In some cases, the victims shared experiences that highlight harsh detainment conditions (Jessica Brösche, Jasmine Mooney, Lucas Sielaff) such as being arrested in detention for several days, solitary confinement, or poor treatment, raising concerns about the conditions in immigration facilities and behaviors of officials.
Many individuals were detained upon arrival at airports or border crossings, showing that legal travel does not necessarily guarantee entry, even for those with visas or green cards. For instance, Dr. Rasha Alawieh (Lebanese doctor, H1-B visa holder) – she was detained at Boston Logan Airport despite having a valid visa and was deported. Fabian Schmidt (German green card holder) – detained at Boston Logan Airport despite having legal permanent residency. Jessica Brösche (German tattoo artist, ESTA travel permit holder) – detained for 46 days upon arrival at the border. Lucas Sielaff (German tourist, ESTA permit holder) – detained at the U.S.-Mexico border and later deported after misinterpreting a CBP officer’s question. Jasmine Mooney (Canadian TN visa applicant) – detained at San Ysidro border crossing after trying to apply for a visa. Camila Muñoz (Peruvian green card applicant) – detained at a U.S. airport while returning from Puerto Rico.
All nine cases collectively illustrate concerns about due process and the broad discretion of immigration enforcement.
- Case of Dr. Rasha Alawieh: Lebanese doctor and H1-B visa holder
Alawieh is a kidney-transplant specialist at Brown University with a valid H1-B visa. She was detained at Boston Logan Airport and deported despite a court order temporarily barring officials from sending Alawieh back to Lebanon. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said they found deleted photos of Hezbollah figures on her phone, leading to the cancellation of her visa. The government claims they received the court order too late to stop her deportation.
- Case of Fabian Schmidt: German Green card holder
Schmidt is an electrical engineer who was detained at Boston Logan Airport. His mother said immigration agents had put pressure on her son to give up his green card, and that he was hospitalized after collapsing. Officials cited a past marijuana-related charge as the reason he was detained. Schmidt faced a misdemeanor charge in 2015 for having marijuana in his car, but his mother stated that the case was dismissed after California revised its marijuana possession laws.
- Case of Ranjani Srinivasan: Indian Columbia University student with visa
Srinivasan is a fulbright scholar linked to Columbia University’s pro-Palestinian protests. ICE attempted to detain her at home, but she fled to Canada and was informed the next day that her university enrollment had been withdrawn because the U.S. government revoked her student visa, following an accusation that she is a supporter of Hamas. Srinivasan self-deported after she was apparently targeted as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on Columbia students that protested in support of Palestinian people.
- Case of Camila Muñoz: Peruvian immigrant & green card applicant
Muñoz recently married an American Trump voter. USA Today reports that Muñoz had overstayed her original visa in 2020, but she and her husband reasoned that she would be safe because she had been vetted from the start, worked on a W-2 and paid her taxes, and recently applied for a green card. She was detained at an airport on their way home from Puerto Rico to Wisconsin. The husband now regrets voting for Trump, as he is shocked by the impact on his wife.
- Case of 10-year-old cancer patient: U.S. citizen
The 10-year old girl with brain cancer was detained with her undocumented parents while traveling for medical care. Her parents were deported, disrupting the child’s cancer treatment. On previous occasions, the parents presented letters from their doctors and lawyers to the officers at U.S. immigration checkpoints in Texas to pass through.
- Case of Jessica Brösche: German tattoo artist with valid travel permit
Brösche had an ESTA permit for visa-free travel into the U.S., but border officials suspected she had an intention to work in the U.S. without authorization. She was detained for 46 days at an ICE facility, including 8 days in solitary confinement. Officials reportedly suspected she had worked in the U.S the last time she was in the country.
- Case of Lucas Sielaff: German Tourist
Sielaff had an ESTA permit for visa-free travel. He was detained at the U.S.-Mexico border while visiting his American fiancée. He was detained and deported because he incorrectly answered CBP’s question about where he lived. Sielaff said he misunderstood the question border officials asked him, leading him to incorrectly answer CBP’s question. He was held for 16 days before choosing to self-deport.
- Case of Jasmine Mooney: Canadian Citizen and TN visa applicant
Mooney is a 35-year-old Canadian actress and marketer detained by U.S. immigration enforcement after attempting to apply for a TN visa at the San Ysidro border crossing in California. She had previously applied for a TN visa for a U.S.-based marketing job. Her first application was rejected over missing letterhead, and a subsequent approval was later revoked due to concerns about a company she worked for selling hemp-based products. After being told she was in the wrong place for her visa application, Mooney was detained for 12 days. She was shackled, transferred between facilities, and subjected to invasive procedures including pregnancy tests in open spaces.
- Case of Mahmoud Khalil: Green card holder and Columbia University graduate
ICE’s arrest of 30-year-old Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil continues to make news headlines as the court case continues to develop. His case has drawn widespread attention, particularly because of his involvement in last year’s pro-Palestine student protests at Columbia University. He had served as a mediator between student protesters and the university administration during demonstrations that included a tent encampment and the temporary occupation of an academic building. A judge has temporarily halted his deportation while his challenge in court is reviewed. Khalil’s attorneys asked for his return to New York from Louisiana, where he is being held in ICE detention, pending an appearance in front of an immigration judge on March 27.
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