A routine road trip to Mexico turned into a nightmare for German tourist Lucas Sielaff, who was detained for 16 days in a U.S. immigration facility before being deported, despite holding a valid travel permit.
Sielaff, 25, was traveling with his American fiancée, Lennon Tyler, from Las Vegas to Tijuana when U.S. border agents stopped them upon their return on February 18. What was supposed to be a quick crossing turned into an ordeal, with Tyler handcuffed and chained to a bench, and Sielaff accused of violating the terms of his 90-day tourist permit.
Sielaff was shackled and transferred to the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, where he was held with eight others, denied information, and subjected to harsh conditions. He was only released after Tyler frantically booked a flight to Germany for $2,744 to secure his departure on March 5.
“What happened at the border was just blatant abuse of power by U.S. immigration authorities,” Tyler said.
Pattern of Detentions Under Trump’s Immigration Policies
Sielaff’s case is not an isolated incident. Under President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, several tourists—primarily from Europe and Canada—have faced similar treatment at U.S. border crossings.
- Jessica Brösche, another German tourist, was detained for 45 days after attempting to enter the U.S. from Tijuana. She spent over a week in solitary confinement before finally being sent home.
- A backpacker from Wales was held for nearly three weeks in Washington state before being deported.
- Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney was detained for 12 days despite holding a valid U.S. work visa.
“These cases show a disturbing trend of detaining and treating foreign tourists like criminals, even when they volunteer to leave,” said Pedro Rios, director of the American Friends Service Committee, a migrant advocacy group.
Legal Challenges and Fear Among Travelers
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has refused to release data on how many travelers have been detained in similar circumstances. However, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has warned its international students and staff to reconsider travel due to the unpredictability of U.S. immigration policies.
Meanwhile, Tyler plans to sue the U.S. government over the treatment of her fiancé, while Sielaff, now back in Germany, suffers from nightmares and is considering therapy.
“Nobody is safe in America anymore as a tourist,” he said.
