ICE agents detained 65-year-old U.K. tourist Karen Newton and her husband, despite Newton having a valid visa to remain in the country. The British tourists — her husband Bill is 66 — had attempted to cross over into Canada from Montana but were turned away due to incorrect paperwork.
At that point, Bill’s U.S. visa had expired, but Karen still held a valid visa. The couple offered to pay to be put on a flight back home, but were instead detained in an office. They were held at a Border Patrol station for three days, where they slept on mats on the floor. The couple was also subjected to separate interviews.
Imagine booking a holiday and getting an orange jumpsuit instead of a hotel key.
Here’s what actually happened: Karen Newton, a UK tourist travelling in the US with a valid visa, was detained by ICE, shackled, transported, and held for roughly six weeks. Her trip of a lifetime… pic.twitter.com/uedTqcaHLL
— Gandalv (@Microinteracti1) February 22, 2026
As the story was told to The Guardian, Karen believed the agents were simply looking for anything they could pin on her. She was told that because she helped her husband, Bill, pack, she was in violation of the terms of her tourist visa and, therefore, was guilty by association. The couple was then given a deal. Through “Project Homecoming,” a program started by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, individuals were allowed to self-deport, under which they would face a 10-year ban from entering the United States and receive a $2,600 “exit bonus” along with a complimentary plane ticket. However, they would waive their right to appear before a judge.
All of this was offered under the pretense that it would be resolved quickly, as opposed to waiting for a trial date with the judge. She and her husband were detained for six weeks. Once the couple agreed to the terms, they were transferred to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Wash.
According to Karen Newton, “It’s called a detention facility, but it’s really a prison. Locking doors, guards everywhere, cells, everything clamped to the floor — it’s how I imagine a prison to be. Prison would actually be better, because if you’re in prison, you get a sentence — they tell you how long you are going to be there.”
After her imprisonment was done, Karen and her husband were sent back to England. Their prolonged absence from home resulted in several issues. Karen’s credit score had taken a hit from unpaid bills. Her plants had died, and her car batteries were dead.
President Donald Trump’s immigration policies have received significant backlash. While supporters argue that these crackdowns are important for the country’s safety, many of those being deported do not have a criminal background, much like Karen Newton.
