arbitrary detention

Germany Updates US Travel Advice After Citizens’ Detainees Spark Outrage

Germany’s recent update to its US travel advice follows the detention of three German citizens at US borders, raising serious concerns about the current state of US immigration enforcement. These detentions, seemingly arbitrary and disproportionate to the alleged offenses, highlight a worrying trend of increased scrutiny by US border authorities, even for individuals with legal standing or minor past infractions.

The case of Fabian Schmidt, a legal US resident since 2008, illustrates this point perfectly. His detention stemmed from a dismissed 2015 misdemeanor marijuana charge, a seemingly minor offense rendered irrelevant by subsequent changes in California’s marijuana laws. This incident underscores a disturbing pattern of using outdated or inconsequential charges as justification for detention, regardless of their current legal standing.… Continue reading