Jessica Brösche, a 26-year-old German tattoo artist, faces indefinite detention by U.S. Customs and Border Protection after attempting to enter San Diego on January 25. Brösche, traveling with her American best friend Amelia Lofving, was apprehended despite possessing a German passport, a visa waiver, and a return ticket to Berlin. The incident unfolded when authorities accused Brösche of intending to work as a tattoo artist in the United States, allegedly breaching the visa waiver program's terms. She remains confined at Otay Mesa detention center, where she has been held for over a month.
Initially detained in a cell at the San Diego border, Brösche spent days in confinement before her transfer to the detention center. Her prolonged isolation included eight days in solitary confinement, during which she reportedly suffered mental distress. Lofving, unaware of her friend's whereabouts for an extended period, eventually located Brösche using the federal Detainee Locator website. Her discovery came after desperate pleas for assistance online.
"She says it was like a horror movie. They were screaming in all different rooms. After nine days, she said she went so insane that she started punching the walls and then she’s got blood on her knuckles," – Lofving
Lofving's attempts to secure Brösche's release have been met with challenges. Despite reaching out to the German consulate in Los Angeles, efforts to facilitate Brösche's freedom have so far been unsuccessful. The situation grows increasingly dire as Brösche continues to fight for her release from detention.
Visitation between the two friends was permitted 25 days after Brösche's initial detainment. Lofving remains determined to aid her friend and seeks further support to expedite Brösche's release. The case has drawn attention to the complexities and potential pitfalls of international travel under strict immigration regulations.