The U.S.-Mexico border has seen an uptick in detentions, sparking concerns over the treatment of individuals caught in immigration disputes.
Among those impacted is a Canadian entrepreneur and actress whose ordeal has raised questions about the rigid enforcement of immigration policies.
The individual, a 35-year-old Canadian national, co-founded a wellness brand and has pursued business ventures across North America.
Her professional commitments required frequent travel between Canada and the United States, making her well-versed in visa applications and renewals.
In November last year, she faced an unexpected hurdle when her three-year TN work visa was revoked while she attempted to fly from Vancouver to Los Angeles.
Seeking to rectify the issue, she consulted legal experts who guided her toward a solution to regain legal entry into the U.S.
With a new job offer and the necessary paperwork in hand, she planned to apply for a fresh visa at a location where she had previously secured one.
On March 3, she arrived at the San Ysidro border crossing between Mexico and San Diego, ready to present her documents to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
Instead of processing her application, officers instructed her to visit a U.S. Consulate to apply for legal status before re-entering the country.
Her situation took a drastic turn when she was denied re-entry to Mexico, leaving her stranded and at the mercy of immigration authorities.
Shortly after, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained her and transported her to the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego.
For three days, she was kept in a cold holding cell with minimal provisions, an experience she later described as unbearable.
“I was put in a cell, and I had to sleep on a mat with no blanket, no pillow, with an aluminum foil wrapped over my body like a dead body for two and a half days,” she recalled.
The distressing conditions did not end there, as she was later transferred to the San Luis Detention Center in Arizona in the middle of the night.
She described the transport as a nightmare, stating, “We were up for 24 hours wrapped in chains,” alongside 30 other women.
Despite spending 11 days in detention, she was never charged with a crime, a fact that fueled outrage from her family and legal representatives.
Her father, speaking to CBS, expressed both relief and frustration over the situation, stating, “Jasmine’s a strong girl, but what she has gone through is … no one should do that.”
The woman at the heart of this ordeal is none other than Jasmine Mooney, known for her role in American Pie Presents: The Book of Love (2009).
Her case has drawn criticism from human rights advocates and immigration reform supporters who argue that her treatment was unnecessarily harsh.
The incident has also prompted questions about the broader implications of immigration enforcement and the need for humane treatment of detainees.
As Mooney regains her freedom, her story serves as a stark reminder of the challenges individuals face within an increasingly stringent immigration system.
Feature Image Credit: (Jasmine Mooney/Linkedin)
