A British grandmother detained by US immigration authorities for six weeks has a criminal record that includes five assault convictions, contrary to her public claims of having no criminal history. Karen Newton, 65, was held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, after being turned back at the Canadian border in September 2025.
Court records show Newton was convicted of five counts of assault between 1985 and 2005 in the UK, including one charge of actual bodily harm. She had previously stated she had no criminal record, telling reporters, 'I don't even have parking tickets in the background anywhere.'
Newton and her husband Bill were attempting to enter Canada from Montana when Canadian officials denied them entry due to incorrect paperwork for their vehicle. US border officials then detained Newton, despite her holding a valid tourist visa. She was shackled, transported overnight, and held for six weeks before being released and returned to the UK.
During her detention, Newton claimed ICE guards told her agents receive bonuses for each person detained. ICE has denied this, stating that detention decisions are based on legal grounds. The Trump administration has increased ICE funding to $85 billion annually and set daily arrest quotas of 1,200-1,500.
Newton's case is one of several involving foreign tourists detained by ICE in 2025, including German and British nationals. She now warns other UK tourists against travelling to the US, saying, 'Don't go to the US – not with Trump in charge.'
