Canadian woman detained in U.S. immigration for 12 days
A Canadian woman named Jasmine Mooney has shared her experience after being detained in the U.S. for nearly two weeks. Her account, published in The Guardian, details what she described as a traumatic ordeal. Mooney, a 35-year-old business consultant from Vancouver, was detained at the San Ysidro U.S.-Mexico border on March 3. She had traveled to the U.S. for a job and carried her visa paperwork, but was arrested without clear reasons by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Her mother criticized the conditions in which she was held, saying, “We treat cattle better than this in Canada.” Mooney had previously worked in the U.S. with a trade visa that was revoked due to her employer using hemp in its products. After being offered a similar job, she returned to apply for her visa but was unexpectedly detained. She describes feeling confused and alarmed when officers suddenly took her away without explanation. During her detention, Mooney endured harsh conditions, including being held in a cold, small cell. She shared her cell with other women who didn’t speak English. After three days, she was moved to the Otay Mesa Detention Center, where she felt her situation was now more serious. Mooney detailed the treatment of detainees in the facility, noting that food and water were limited, and many essential items were inadequate. Despite the distressing conditions, she connected with other women who also faced struggles in their immigration processes. After a challenging transfer to a detention center in Arizona, Mooney was eventually able to contact friends who alerted the media about her situation. She mentioned that officials told her she could have left sooner if she had signed a specific form and paid for her own flight home. Mooney is currently barred from returning to the U.S. for five years but plans to appeal this decision. She expressed her love for the U.S. and her desire to return to her life there. Her experience highlights the difficulties faced by many in the immigration system.