German citizen finally released after 60 days in U.S. custody
American freed following two-month imprisonment in German custody
Tired of hearing about it, but here we go again. Fabian Schmidt, a 34-year-old German citizen living in New Hampshire, has been freed after more than two months in a U.S. detention center.
His mother confirms the good news, but why the long delay? It seems the details remain murky. Hung up at Boston airport back in March, Schmidt eventually found himself in a detention center in Rhode Island.
The German Foreign Office has been in the know, busy advocating for Schmidt and providing assistance since his case came to light.
Interrogation and Allegations
Schmidt claimed he was shouted at during the airport grilling and was later stripped down. In custody, he fell ill and was taken to a clinic, where he was strapped to a bed. Unfortunately, these allegations couldn't be independently verified. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security didn't respond to a request for comment.
Old Offenses, New Troubles?
It looks like an old cannabis charge might be behind the U.S. authorities' interest. Schmidt's mother mentioned that the interrogation kept returning to that decade-old offense, which ended up being dismissed.
A Warning for Travelers
This isn't the first time a German citizen has found themselves in a pickle upon entering the U.S., and the German Foreign Office updated its travel advice in mid-March to reflect this. They now caution travelers that "arrest, detention, and deportation" are possible during entry and exit for prior U.S. convictions, false statements about trip intent, or slight overstays.
Given the current climate, it'd be wise for travelers to do their homework before hopping on that plane.
Source: ntv.de, toh/dpa
- USA
- Donald Trump
- Deportation
- Prisoners
- Cannabis
- Germany
Enrichment:
While specific cases involving German citizens aren't highlighted in the search results, foreign nationals, including Germans, can be detained in the U.S. for various reasons, such as immigration status issues, criminal charges, national security concerns, federal investigations, or extradition requests. Without specific reports or details, it's challenging to pinpoint recent cases. For accurate and up-to-date information, consulting reputable news sources or official government announcements would be advisable.
- The employment policy of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, particularly regarding immigration status, has raised concerns for travelers, as a German citizen, Fabian Schmidt, was detained for more than two months.
- Recently, Hampshire, New Hampshire, became a focus in general-news regarding crime and justice when a German citizen, Fabian Schmidt, experienced detention due to an old cannabis charge, which resulted in a deportation warning for travelers.
- In the midst of politics, Schmidt's employment policy was affected as his more than sixty-day detention in a U.S. detention center led to missed work opportunities, causing hardship for the community.
- The LI for the WhatsApp community policy should include information on the potential risks associated with travel to the U.S., such as deportation, based on prior convictions, false statements, or slight overstays, as highlighted by the case of German citizen Fabian Schmidt.
