Canadian woman put in chains, detained by ICE after entering San Diego border
Third foreign national sent to detention center from San Ysidro crossing
A Canadian entrepreneur arrested by ICE is speaking out after she got arrested while trying to enter the San Diego border to obtain a visa last Monday.
SAN DIEGO â A Canadian entrepreneur detained by ICE is speaking out after she got arrested while trying to enter the San Diego border to obtain a visa last Monday.
âEvery single guard that sees me is like ‘What are you doing here? I don’t understand – youâre Canadian. How are you here?’â Jasmine Mooney said in an interview from the Arizona immigration detention center she is now fighting to get out of.
Mooney told Team 10 she is appalled by the conditions inside the private for-profit detention facility in San Luis.
âI have never in my life seen anything so inhumane,â she said in an interview with Investigative Reporter Austin Grabish.
Mooney, who previously was working in Los Angeles for a health tonic beverage company on a TN visa, which was revoked, said she went to the border with a new job offer and visa paperwork.
She got her first visa at the San Ysidro border crossing on the advice of a Los Angeles attorney, who met her at the border, she said.
First visa revoked
Mooney, who is the co-founder of the Holy! Water brand, said a U.S. border officer at the Vancouver airport in Canada revoked her first visa when she was visiting home.
âThey told me I was unprofessional because I didn’t have a proper letterhead on my paperwork,” Mooney said.
Mooney said a border officer told her because she had a prior visa revoked, she needed to go to a U.S. consulate to apply for legal status to work in the country again.
She said the officer refused to allow her to go back to Mexico and ordered her to be detained.
One issue border officers may have had with Mooneyâs previous U.S. employment is that one drink Holy! Water advertised on its website contains Delta-9 âfull spectrum hemp.â
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, including Delta 9-THC, if the product contained no more than 0.3% THC. Anything more is still considered a controlled substance under federal law.
CBP wouldnât tell Team 10 the reason for Mooneyâs detention, citing privacy restrictions, but said the agency routinely denies travelers from entering the country on 60 different grounds.
The agency noted it treats all travelers with integrity, respect and professionalism.
Mooney disagreed and said she was kept in a cold room at the border by CBP before being arrested by ICE, who placed her at the Otay Mesa Detention Center.
âI 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 said.
Mooney said the food inside the Otay Mesa Detention Center was awful and claimed in the middle of the night she, along with a group of 30 other women, was rounded up to get transferred to a facility in Arizona.
âWe were up for 24 hours wrapped in chains,â she said.
Core Civic, the private company that owns the Otay Mesa facility, said it provides three ânutritiousâ meals a day to inmates.
âMenus are reviewed and approved on a regular basis by a registered dietitian to ensure appropriate nutrition is provided to those entrusted to our care,â said Brian Todd, a Core Civic spokesman.
The Arizona facility where Mooney is now being housed didnât return a request for comment from Team 10.
Brittany Kors, right, is trying to put pressure on the Canadian government to intervene and get her best friend Jasmine Mooney released from ICE detention.
Mooney said she has no idea when she will be released from detention. Her best friend Brittany Kors is trying to put pressure on the Canadian government to intervene.
âI just feel like there has to be more that they can do this. This can’t be right. It can’t be allowed to happen,â Kors said in an interview from Vancouver.
Kors contacted Team 10 after seeing our reporting on two German citizens who were detained by CBP and then arrested by ICE after trying to enter the San Diego border.
âThis just seems like it’s such a waste of taxpayer dollars,â said Kors, who was surprised to learn her friend was being held in a for-profit private detention center.
Attorney sees spike in detention cases
Kors has been contacting immigration attorneys and trying to round up support for Mooney from Canada.
âI just feel really helpless⌠We don’t know what the next steps are. We don’t even know the reason why they are holding her there.â
San Diego immigration attorney Andrew Neitor said thereâs been an anecdotal increase in the number of non-U.S. citizens being detained by immigration authorities.
âMany of the detentions are for reasons that up until a couple of months ago would not have resulted in a person’s detention because CBP and ICE have many other options at their disposal, they do not need to detain people,â he said.
Team 10 asked ICE for comment on Tuesday, but by Wednesday afternoon, the agency had not responded.
The Canadian government said it is aware of Mooneyâs detention and is working to gather more information from authorities in Arizona.
âEvery country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on behalf of Canadian citizens with regard to the entry and exit requirements of another country,â said Global Affairs Canada spokeswoman Brittany Fletcher.
Is it okay it’s for ICE to detain people, Shackled and Chained?
The question of whether it is acceptable for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain individuals while shackled and chained is a complex and deeply debated issue, touching on legal, ethical, and human rights considerations. Here are some key points to consider:
1. Legal Framework
- Detention Authority: ICE has the legal authority to detain individuals who are in the U.S. unlawfully or who are awaiting immigration proceedings. This authority is derived from federal immigration laws.
- Use of Restraints: The use of shackles and chains is generally governed by ICE’s own detention standards, which allow for restraints in certain situations, such as during transport or if there is a perceived risk of escape or harm.
2. Ethical and Human Rights Concerns
- Dignity and Humane Treatment: Many human rights organizations argue that the use of shackles and chains can be degrading and inhumane, particularly when applied to individuals who do not pose a flight risk or a threat to others.
- Proportionality: Critics argue that the use of such restraints should be proportional to the risk posed by the individual. For example, shackling non-violent detainees, including asylum seekers, has been criticized as excessive.
3. Impact on Vulnerable Populations
- Asylum Seekers and Children: The detention and shackling of asylum seekers, including children and families, has been particularly controversial. Many argue that these individuals are fleeing violence and persecution and should be treated with compassion rather than subjected to punitive measures.
- Health Concerns: Shackling can exacerbate physical and mental health issues, particularly for individuals who may have experienced trauma or have pre-existing medical conditions.
4. Alternatives to Detention
- Community-Based Programs: Some advocates argue that alternatives to detention, such as community-based supervision programs, are more humane and cost-effective. These programs allow individuals to live in the community while their immigration cases are processed.
- Case Management: Providing legal assistance and case management can help ensure that individuals comply with immigration proceedings without the need for detention or restraints.
5. Public Opinion and Advocacy
- Public Debate: The use of shackles and chains by ICE has sparked significant public debate, with advocacy groups, lawmakers, and the general public expressing a wide range of views on the issue.
- Policy Changes: There have been calls for policy changes to limit the use of restraints and improve conditions in detention facilities, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Conclusion
Whether it is “okay” for ICE to detain people while shackled and chained depends on one’s perspective on the balance between enforcement and human rights. While ICE has the legal authority to use restraints in certain situations, the ethical and human rights implications of such practices continue to be a source of significant controversy and debate. Many argue for a more humane approach that respects the dignity and rights of all individuals, regardless of their immigration status.
Ultimately, the question invites broader reflection on how society balances security, enforcement, and the humane treatment of individuals within the immigration system.
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