Canadian denied entry into U.S., being held in detention in Arizona

A B.C. woman is calling for help to get her 35-year-old daughter home after she was denied entry into the United States and has since been held in detention.

Alexis Eagles, from Abbotsford, says her daughter Jasmine tried to enter the United States on March 3 with a visa for a job at a consulting firm. According to Eagles, “She was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the San Ysidro border crossing, where she was held for three nights.”

Since Jasmine’s initial detainment, Eagles says she has been moved across several detention facilities, including ones in California and Arizona.

“She was transferred to Otay Mesa Detention Centre in San Diego and held for another three nights. On Sunday, March 9, the online tracking system indicated that she had been released. We assumed this meant she was being deported and escorted to an airport. However, 24 hours later, there was no sign of her, no communication, and we were extremely worried,” Eagles continued on her post on Facebook.

“We eventually learned that about 30 people, including Jasmine, were forcibly removed from their cells at 3:00 am and transferred to the San Luis Detention Center in Arizona. They are housed together in a single concrete cell with no natural light, fluorescent lights that are never turned off, no mats, no blankets, and limited bathroom facilities.”

Eagles says communication with her daughter has been “sporadic,” adding that it’s only because one of Jasmine’s close friends has contacts in the U.S. that they’ve been able to get updates on her whereabouts and welfare.

“What we have learned of the ICE system and its treatment of detainees is inhumane and deeply concerning. Being detained is one thing, but there’s NO excuse for the way people are treated while in custody or for the delays in deportation. They are not criminals, and they just want to go home,” Eagles explained.

“We are doing everything we can to bring Jasmine home. We are in touch with the Canadian Consulate in San Diego, but there is little they can do. A lawyer is also working on her release, but progress is slow.

“Jasmine is an adventurous and hard-working young woman and we desperately want her home,” Eagles said.

In a statement to 1130 NewsRadio, Global Affairs Canada, the agency responsible for the country’s diplomatic and consular relations, says it is aware that a Canadian citizen is being detained in Arizona.

“Consular officials are in contact with local authorities to gather additional information and to provide consular assistance. Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed,” Global Affairs said on Thursday.

“Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on behalf of Canadian citizens with regard to the entry and exit requirements of another country.”

1130 NewsRadio has reached out to Eagles, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for more information.