It has become increasingly common to detain persons near the U.S.-Mexico border as immigration disputes continue to grow.
A Canadian businesswoman who also performs as an actress became part of a group facing strict immigration policy enforcement rules.
A Canadian citizen who turned 35 years old operates a wellness business while expanding his business activities throughout North America.
Her business and acting commitments demanded regular crossings between Canada and America thus making her experienced in visa management.
The challenging event occurred when she encountered difficulties because authorities revoked her three-year TN work visa during flight from Vancouver to Los Angeles.
She sought professional legal advice that lead her to find a solution to reenter the U.S. legally.
She had already accepted a new job position and possessed all necessary documents needed to file an application for a fresh visa from a place where she secured one before.
The March 3 arrival at San Ysidro bridge between Mexico and San Diego marked her attempt to show documentation to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
The officers denied her application entry by telling her to obtain legal status at a U.S. consulate before seeking admission.
The receiving authorities denied Mexico entry to her which left her helpless and without recourse before immigration enforcement officials.
ICE agents detained the subject and delivered her to the Otay Mesa Detention Center situated in San Diego.
She maintained three days in the barely equipped cold holding facility which she later declared unendurable.
“I was put in a cell, and I had to sleep on a mat with no blanket, no pillow, with an aluminum foil wrapped over my body like a dead body for two and a half days,” she recalled.
Transportation to the San Luis Detention Center in Arizona occurred in the dead of night before she entered its cells.
She described the transport as a nightmare, stating, “We were up for 24 hours wrapped in chains,” alongside 30 other women.
The 11-day detention period at which she remained untouched by criminal charges caused her family and legal team to express significant anger.
Her father, speaking to CBS, expressed both relief and frustration over the situation, stating, “Jasmine’s a strong girl, but what she has gone through is … no one should do that.”
The subject of this case is Jasmine Mooney who became known through her appearance in American Pie Presents: The Book of Love (2009).
Credit: (Jasmine Mooney/Linkedin)
Many advocates and supporters of human rights and immigration reform disapprove of how harshly she was treated.
These events raised new questions regarding immigration enforcement practices and the requirement for standard human treatment of confined detainees.
Mooney’s story now highlights the difficulties that exist under the stricter immigration system which has granted her freedom again.
Feature Image Credit: (Instagram/jasminemooney) (Jasmine Mooney/Linkedin) (EPA)