US visa warning after British tourist held in immigration centre for 12 days

The father of a Welsh woman detained at the US border has warned tourists to "double-check and triple-check" their visa requirements while travelling.

Rebecca Burke, 28, has been held in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing centre for the last 12 days after a visa mix-up.

Her father, Paul Burke, says the graphic artist from Portskewett, Monmouthshire, has been “caught up in the recent immigration crackdown in the US”.

Rebecca began a four-month backpacking trip around the US on 7 January, but was denied entry into Canada on 26 February due to an “incorrect visa”.

She had been planning to stay with a host family in Vancouver, carrying out domestic chores in exchange for accommodation, as she had previously done in Portland, Oregon.

Canadian authorities told her she should have applied for a working visa, instead of a tourist visa.

According to her father, when Rebecca tried to return to the US by crossing back into Washington, she was “refused re-entry and classified as an ‘illegal alien’” for alleged visa violations.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said that individuals who travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Program “are not allowed to work for any type of compensation”, including work in exchange for room and board.

Mr Burke, a consultant in the steel industry, said in a Facebook post on Saturday (8 March): “What was meant to be a life-changing four-month backpacking trip across North America has turned into a nightmare.”

He added that “despite being a tourist with no criminal record”, Rebecca was handcuffed and taken to a detention facility in Tacoma, Washington, with “deeply concerning” living conditions.

The vegan backpacker is being given rice, potatoes and beans to eat, with limited phone access, claims Mr Burke.

ICE has indicated that Rebecca is eligible for voluntary departure and is likely to be deported, but this must go through an immigration judge.

The family say that there is currently “no clear timeline for her release”, with Rebecca “isolated” and “desperate to come home”.

Mr Burke said: “We hope to connect with experts, legal professionals, or anyone who can offer advice or assistance. Becky is a kind, adventurous young woman who simply wants to return home to her family.”

He warned travellers to “check and double-check and triple-check the visa requirements” while overseas, adding “I really don’t want anyone else to go through this,” reported The Guardian.

Catherine Fookes, the Labour MP for Monmouthshire, said: “I am deeply concerned about my constituent’s welfare and the distress this situation is causing her and her family. Her family is desperate to bring her home, and I share their urgency in seeking a resolution.

“Since being made aware of the case, my team have been in regular contact with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and other relevant authorities to press for urgent action. We have relayed the family’s request for voluntary departure and continue to push for clear answers on the next steps to get her home as soon as possible.

"My team and I will continue doing everything in our power to secure a swift resolution and will not stop working until my constituent is safely reunited with her family."

A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are supporting a British national detained in the USA and are in contact with the local authorities.”

The Independent has contacted ICE for comment.

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