Shocking Details from Canadian Woman’s Detention Nightmare in the U.S.

A Canadian woman has recently shared her harrowing experience of being detained by U.S. immigration officials, detailing the inhumane conditions she endured during her nearly two-week captivity. Jasmine Mooney, a 35-year-old business consultant from Vancouver, described the traumatic experience as akin to being kidnapped in an eye-opening piece for The Guardian.

Mooney's ordeal began when she attempted to cross the U.S. border with a job offer and the necessary visa documents in hand. Despite her legitimate intentions, she was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the San Ysidro U.S.-Mexico border crossing on March 3. Shockingly, Mooney was informed that her previously granted NAFTA work visa had been revoked due to her former employer's use of hemp in its products—news that left her devastated.

In her account, Mooney expressed her frustrations: “I had just started building a life in California... After a few months, I secured a similar position with a different health and wellness brand and began the visa process again.” However, her hopes were dashed when she was advised by an immigration officer that her previous issues meant she had to apply through the consulate.

Things escalated quickly from there. With no warning, Mooney was led away from the immigration office and subjected to a humiliating search. “We were bound in chains that wrapped tightly around our waists,” she recounts, a shocking reflection of the brutal treatment meted out to those in detention. Her first few days were spent in a tiny freezing cell with limited communication, as none of her fellow inmates spoke English.

Mooney was eventually transferred to the Otay Mesa Detention Center, where she described the conditions as "inhumane." Her experience continued to worsen as she learned of other detainees who were equally trapped in a grim situation, one woman detained for mistakenly entering a restricted lane while on a road trip and a family that had been living in the U.S. for over a decade only to face deportation due to missing paperwork.

Her transfer to the San Luis Regional Detention Center in Arizona was equally distressing, characterized by a 24-hour journey that involved being shackled and crowded on a prison bus. Mooney highlighted the degrading conditions there, such as lack of proper medical care and toilet access.

Despite these challenges, a ray of hope emerged when Mooney found a tablet attached to the wall of her cell, allowing her to email a friend. This connection enabled her story to reach the media, amplifying the voices advocating for her release. After nearly two weeks of suffering and uncertainty, news arrived that she would be released—a bittersweet victory that raised awareness about the larger issues in the immigration system.

Mooney reflected on her situation, stating, “Imagine what this system is like for every other person in there,” drawing attention to how her privileged background made her experience stand out against the multitude of others trapped in similar scenarios. Even with media attention and support from friends and politicians, she was still subjected to an unjust detention that leaves many questioning the U.S. immigration policies.

Now, she faces a five-year ban from returning to the U.S., but her resilience shines through as she plans to appeal the decision: “I love America. I miss the life I was building there and the opportunities it offered.”

This shocking account serves as a stark reminder of the cruel realities faced by countless immigrants, and it raises urgent questions about the treatment of detainees under U.S. immigration policy.