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A German tattoo artist has been held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention for more than a month after attempting to enter the United States from Mexico. This troubling situation has garnered attention after a friend witnessed her detention.
Berlin resident Jessica Brösche was on vacation in Mexico when she chose to cross into the U.S. from Tijuana with her American friend, Nikita Lofving. However, upon reaching the San Ysidro port of entry, immigration officials took her into custody.
Lofving, who works as a clothing designer in Los Angeles, recounted the moment, stating, “They took her right in front of me as we were walking over. Two hours later, she called me and said, ‘Hey, I’m gonna get deported back to Germany. I’ll call you from Germany in a couple of days.’”
This call occurred on January 25, and since then, Brösche has remained in detention, missing her planned departure from the U.S. on February 15, according to her friend.
Records from the ICE Detainee Locator indicate that Brösche is situated in the Otay Mesa Detention Facility in San Diego County, where she awaits deportation. CNN has sought clarification from ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) concerning the reasons for her detention.
A CBP spokesperson told CNN affiliate KGTV that if a foreign national is denied entry to the U.S. and cannot arrange return travel to their home country, they may be handed over to ICE custody.
An ICE representative stated that Brösche’s detention stems from a “violation of the terms and conditions of her admission.”
Lofving speculated that immigration officials could have misunderstood Brösche’s intent, believing she intended to work unlawfully. “I mean, she was coming to work, but not really for money,” Lofving explained. “We have an agreement between artists. She’s one of my best friends, and we’ve been collaborating on this tattoo project for several years, and in return, I create clothing for her.”
In a previous telephone interview, Brösche described her experience in custody as “horrible,” revealing she spent eight days in solitary confinement. “I just want to get home, you know? I’m really desperate,” Brösche conveyed during her call from Otay Mesa. “I don’t really understand why it’s taking so long to get back to Germany.”
Friends and family of Brösche are hopeful she will be released and able to return to Germany by March 11, with Lofving mentioning that Brösche’s mother purchased a plane ticket for her. However, uncertainty persists regarding whether ICE will approve her release by that date.
“We sent (Brösche) the details for the tickets, and she communicated this to her ICE agent,” Lofving recounted, adding that the agent instructed, “No, you have to get the ticket approved before you buy it.”
Concerns Surrounding the Case
A spokesperson from the German Consulate in Los Angeles informed CNN that they are aware of Brösche’s situation and are maintaining close communication with relevant U.S. authorities as well as with her family and friends.
CoreCivic, which manages the Otay Mesa facility, stated to CNN that they do not know the specific circumstances regarding individuals placed in their custody. “Our duty is to treat each individual with respect and humanity while they are given the legal due process to which they are entitled,” commented spokesperson Ryan Gustin.
Jeff Joseph, president-elect of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, characterized Brösche’s situation as “fairly unusual.” He explained that Brösche entered the U.S. using the Visa Waiver Program, typically leading to immediate deportation when an entry is denied, rather than prolonged detention. “A tourist denied entry would usually be allowed to withdraw their application and return home instead of facing deportation proceedings, which hasn’t happened in this case,” Joseph noted.
Joseph emphasized that Brösche’s prolonged detention at Otay Mesa is “extremely concerning.”
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