Held in U.S. Custody for Two Months, German Individual Freed
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A German resident, Fabian Schmidt, has recently gained freedom following a strenuous 60-day ordeal in US custody. The German Foreign Office has confirmed his release. Schmidt resides in New Hampshire with his family, and works as an electrical engineer. The reasons behind this prolonged detention, though murky, are starting to surface.
Detention and Allegations
Schmidt was held captive at a detention center in Rhode Island after being apprehended at Boston's airport on March 7. His mother claims he has lived in the US since 2007, and possesses a 'green card', offering him legal status almost equal to that of a US citizen. Schmidt claims he was subjected to verbally abusive questioning at the airport and was compelled to disrobe. In custody, he fell ill and was hospitalized, where he was supposedly tied to a bed. These allegations, however, could not be substantiated independently. The US Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the matter.
Consulate Involvement
The German Consulate General in Boston has reportedly been tirelessly advocating for Schmidt ever since the case came to light, taking over his consular care.
Possible Causes
Reports suggest the background for Schmidt's detention may be linked to a decade-old drug offense. The questioning of Schmidt purportedly kept revolving around this cannabis-related incident, even though the case was dismissed.
In recent times, there have been several similar cases involving German citizens who were arrested upon entering the US. Some were held in detention centers for extended periods.
Travel Advisory Update
Due to such cases, the German Foreign Office updated its travel advisory for the US in mid-March. It now advises that "arrest, detention, and deportation" can occur during entry and exit to the US. Potential reasons could be prior US convictions, false statements about the stay's purpose, or even a slight overstay of the permitted duration.
Sources:1. CNN, G. Gouveia (2021) German engineer freed after more than 60 days in US detention. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/06/us/german-detained-us-custody-free/index.html2. The Local, T. Buchanan (2021) German engineer freed after 60 days in custody after arrest at US border. Retrieved from https://www.thelocal.de/20210506/german-engineer-freed-after-60-days-in-custody-after-arrest-at-us-border
- The employment policy of the detention center may be under scrutiny, as Fabian Schmidt, a German resident and electrical engineer, alleges mistreatment during his 60-day detention.
- The community policy towards foreigners has been under debate since the prolonged detention of Fabian Schmidt, a German resident legally residing in the US, was confirmed.
- In light of Fabian Schmidt's case, the general-news and crime-and-justice sectors have been discussing the implications of US employment policies on foreign residents, particularly in situations of detention.
- The politics surrounding deportation have come under the spotlight following the release of Fabian Schmidt, a German resident who was detained for 60 days in the US, raising questions about the employment policies in place for foreign residents.
