‘I Applied for a Work Visa—and Was Put in Prison for Weeks’

‘I Applied for a Work Visa—and Was Thrown in Prison for Weeks’

Illustration by *The Free Press*, images via Getty and Jasmine Mooney

As a law-abiding Canadian working in the U.S., Jasmine Mooney, 35, thought getting a new visa would be easy. Then she was handcuffed and put in an ICE detention center.

By Jasmine Mooney

03.28.25 — U.S. Politics

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I am a Canadian who loves America. Over the last year, I have lived in LA, working for a U.S. health and wellness brand, and on March 3, I went to reapply for my TN work visa—the type that allows professionals from Canada and Mexico to stay in the U.S.

The last time I did this, in 2024, it was an easy process. As before, I went to the San Ysidro immigration office in San Diego, where previously my visa was easily obtained in just 30 minutes. But this time was different.

I waited six hours while I was shuffled between various officers confused by my situation. Then an immigration officer told me something strange: “You didn’t do anything wrong, you are not in trouble, you are not a criminal.”

I remember thinking, Why would she say that? Of course, I’m not a criminal.

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