British Tourist's Six-Week ICE Detention Sparks Travel Warning for Trump's America
A British traveler detained by Donald Trump's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) forces during a United States trip has issued a stark warning to other would-be tourists. Karen Newton's harrowing experience highlights the unpredictable nature of current US immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
From Road Trip to Detention Center
Karen Newton set off with her husband Bill on a two-month multi-state road trip last July, anticipating guaranteed sunshine and adventure. The couple toured through Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, and California before attempting to cross into Canada for the remainder of their getaway. Their plans unraveled when Canadian authorities turned them back for lacking proper paperwork to bring their car across the border.
Returned to US immigration control, the couple found themselves detained without explanation. "It was scary. You have no way of knowing what's going to happen," Newton told the Guardian. They were held for hours before being transferred to a Montana patrol station, where they slept in a cold cell without beds.
Guilty by Association
The 65-year-old retired primary school administrative assistant had entered the US legally on a valid B2 tourist visa with no outstanding fines, offenses, or criminal record. However, authorities claimed she violated her visa terms by "guilty by association" for helping her husband pack for their trip. Her husband had previously worked in the US with a permit but retired in the UK without obtaining a green card.
Interviewed separately without legal representation, the couple accepted voluntary return to the UK under Trump's Project Homecoming scheme, which came with a 10-year ban from entering the US. Instead of immediate deportation, they were taken to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma.
Detention Center Ordeal
At the detention facility, Newton received an ID card, wristband, and prison clothes. Separated from her husband, she was forced to sleep on a thin floor mattress after a guard dismissed her inability to climb to a top bunk as "crap." Her phone was confiscated, leaving her son Scott unaware of her detention for weeks. The UK Foreign Office informed him that no inmates would be released during an ongoing federal shutdown, despite more than 50,000 deportations occurring between October and November.
Newton observed dozens leaving the detention center during this period while she remained imprisoned. She believes ICE officers are financially incentivized to meet deportation targets, a claim ICE denies, stating officers "risk their lives to enforce border rules rather than make money."
Financial and Emotional Fallout
Finally released on November 6 and driven to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the Newtons returned home to unpaid bills, unopened letters, dead plants, and missing luggage. The experience has left Newton with profound appreciation for freedom. "You only really appreciate your freedom when you've had it taken away," she reflected.
Broader Immigration Crackdown
Under Trump, ICE's budget has soared to $84 billion—more than ten times its funding a decade ago. This hardline approach has seen tourist numbers plummet, with 4.5 million fewer foreigners arriving in the US in 2025. Newton's case follows similar detentions, including British citizen Rebecca Burke's 19-day jail term and Canadian actor Jasmine Mooney's detention.
With the FIFA World Cup co-hosted in the US approaching in May, 2026 was expected to be a peak travel year. However, Newton warns potential visitors: "It's totally out of control over there. There's no accountability." She advises against travel to Trump's America while he remains in power, highlighting the unpredictable risks facing even legal tourists.
