Unveiling the Mystery: The 60-Day Detention of a German Citizen in the United States
American detained in Germany for 60 days afterward
Fabian Schmidt, a German residing in the US, spent over two months in US custody but is now a free man. The German Foreign Office confirmed his release. Schmidt's 34-year-old mother shared the news, with details regarding the reason for his lengthy detention still hazy.
Schmidt's Ordeal
According to reports, Schmidt was apprehended at Boston Airport on March 7 and transferred to a detention center in Rhode Island. The mother revealed that Schmidt, a US resident since 2007, possesses a green card, affording him almost the same rights as American citizens. She claimed he was subjected to mistreatment.
Claims of Abuse
During airport questioning, Schmidt alleged that he was aggressively shouted at and forced to disrobe. In custody, he fell ill and was hospitalized, where he was secured to a bed. However, these assertions couldn't be independently authenticated. The US Department of Homeland Security didn't respond to a request for comment.
The German Consulate General in Boston took charge of Schmidt's case, assuming consular care, following the incident.
The Controversial US Legal System
Owing to similar cases, the Foreign Office revised its travel advice for the US in mid-March. It now warns travelers about the potential for arrest, detention, and deportation during entry and exit, with possible reasons including past US convictions, false statements about travel intent, or even minor overstays [1].
The case's background may be linked to an old drug offense. Schmidt's mother stated that the inquiry persistently focused on a decade-old cannabis offense. However, the case was dismissed [1].
Other Instances
Recent months have witnessed multiple cases of German citizens experiencing lengthy detentions upon entering the US. Some of these individuals were held in detention centers for days or even weeks.
- Sources:
- ntv.de
- toh/dpa
Tags: * USA * Donald Trump * Deportation * Prisoners * Cannabis * Germany
Additional Insights: 1. Schmidt's case received extensive coverage, yet specifics about the cause of his detention or mistreatment allegations were scant in the search results, focusing primarily on his detention and subsequent release [2]. 2. Fabian Schmidt, a green card holder from Germany living in New Hampshire, was detained by federal immigration authorities at the Donald W. Wyatt detention facility in Rhode Island for nearly two months, despite having a recently renewed green card and no active issues in court at the time of his arrest [2]. 3. Schmidt's family sought consular assistance from the German government, which intervened on his behalf, and the German Federal Foreign Office expressed joy over his release. However, details about the cause of his detention or any mistreatment allegations weren't provided in the search results [2]. 4. Customs and Border Protection dismissed charges of a drug-related background in Schmidt's case as being "blatantly false" [2].
- The community policy regarding travel to the United States has been updated by the German Foreign Office due to incidents such as Fabian Schmidt's prolonged detention and potential for arrest, detention, and deportation.
- Fabian Schmidt's employment policy, as a resident of the United States since 2007, seemingly provided minimal protection against mistreatment during his detention at a Rhode Island detention center.
- According to Schmidt's mother, the German citizen's deportation from the United States may have been linked to a ten-year-old cannabis offense, even though the case was dismissed.
- The case of Fabian Schmidt, a German citizen residing in the United States, is one of several recent instances involving the lengthy detention of German citizens upon entering the country.
