- cross-posted to:
- news@lemmy.world
- world@quokk.au
- bbc@rss.ponder.cat
- cross-posted to:
- news@lemmy.world
- world@quokk.au
- bbc@rss.ponder.cat
Summary
Welsh tourist Becky Burke was detained for 19 days in a US immigration facility and transported in chains like “Hannibal Lecter” after alleged visa violations.
Burke had been backpacking and staying with host families in exchange for help around the house, which authorities suspected breached her tourist visa conditions.
Deported on March 18, she described the ordeal as traumatizing. Her parents criticized the harsh treatment and are considering addressing the issue politically.
The interesting thing about this is the amount of spin the bbc is putting on it. They generally do far less of that than US media outlets. But calling her a tourist in the headline is a clear misrepresentation. And really, they didn’t even need to go there. The real story was already bad enough. She could have been full on running a housekeeping business, and the chains still would be ridiculous cruelty worth reporting on. Even Canada said no way when she tried to enter as a “tourist”. But I guess she should have asked for assylum rather than come back to the US at that point.
Sure thing, and if you stay over at a friend’s house and make the bed in the morning it’s their legal obligation to report you for not obtaining a proper license for your housecleaning business first /s
These weren’t “friends” houses. I personally think there should be some kind of visa for this. I just don’t like how media headlines continue to get worse. The BBC has been better than most.
Yes it curious. I expect it’s just some young keen reporter exploiting the zeitgeist.
Like a lot of countries, the US have never been kind to visa abusers, but chaining them up is new. I note they haven’t asked her how it happened and she has t said, yet.
Others have speculated that she was just to honest with the boarder staff. And just told them what she was doing. Probably didn’t even know it was against the terms of her visa. But remember, Elon says empathy is our greatest weakness. Doesn’t seem to be much of that in ICE.