Jessica Brösche, a tattoo artist from Berlin, has found herself in an unexpected predicament after being detained by immigration authorities at the San Ysidro port of entry. Her journey to the United States, originally slated as a three-week trip under the Visa Waiver Program agreement, has turned into an extended detention at the Otay Mesa Detention Facility in San Diego County. The situation has raised eyebrows and concerns among immigration experts and her family.
Brösche traveled to the U.S. with her American friend, Nikita Lofving, who witnessed her detention. Upon arrival, Brösche was denied admission and subsequently taken into custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The reason cited for her detention is a violation of the terms and conditions of her admission.
“I mean, she was coming to work, but not really for money,” said Nikita Lofving.
Typically, tourists denied entry are allowed to withdraw their application for admission and return home. However, Brösche's case deviates from the norm, as she was not granted this option and instead placed in ICE custody.
“Instead of being subjected to deportation proceedings, they’re allowed to kind of get back on the airplane and turn around and go home, and that does not appear to have happened in this case,” explained Jeff Joseph, president-elect of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Brösche's prolonged detention has sparked concern among her friends, family, and immigration experts. Jeff Joseph described her case as "fairly unusual" and "extremely concerning." As Brösche remains confined, her mother has purchased a plane ticket in hopes of her returning to Germany on March 11. However, it remains uncertain whether ICE will release her by then.
Initially planning to leave the U.S. on February 15, Brösche has now been detained for over a month. The delay was partly due to an ICE requirement that she get her ticket approved before purchasing it, causing further setbacks.
“No, you have to get the ticket approved before you buy it,” an ICE agent informed her.
During her detention, Brösche endured "horrible" solitary confinement for eight days. Despite the challenging circumstances, she remains hopeful of returning home soon.
“I don’t really understand why it’s taking so long to get back to Germany,” Brösche expressed.
Brösche's artistic collaboration with Lofving has been ongoing for several years, with a mutual exchange of talents—tattoo artistry for clothing design.
“We have an agreement between artists. She’s one of my best friends. We’ve been working on this tattoo project on my body for the last five or six years, and in exchange, I make clothes for her,” Lofving shared.
As her detention continues, Brösche's loved ones remain anxious about her situation. The legal community is also watching closely due to the unusual nature of her case.
