Karen Newton, a 65-year-old British grandmother, was handcuffed and held in a US immigration detention centre for six weeks despite having a valid tourist visa. Her ordeal began on 26 September 2025, when she and her husband Bill were turned back from the Canadian border due to paperwork issues with their car. While Bill's visa had expired, Karen's remained valid.
Newton was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and transported to the Northwest ICE Processing Center, where she slept on the floor of a locked cell. She has no criminal record and had not entered the country illegally. 'I don't even have parking tickets,' she said. 'I am not a dangerous criminal.'
During her incarceration, guards told Newton that ICE agents receive a bonus for each person they detain. The Trump administration has significantly increased ICE funding, with an annual budget of $85bn, up from $6bn a decade ago. New recruits can receive signing-on bonuses of up to $50,000. Newton believes agents are incentivised to arrest anyone, including tourists with proper documentation.
Newton's case is part of a pattern of international travellers being detained by ICE since Trump's second inauguration in January 2025. Other incidents include German tourist Jessica Brösche, held for 45 days, and British backpacker Rebecca Burke, detained for 19 days. Newton warns other tourists: 'If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.'
