British tourist deported by US in chains after visa error

Travellers to the United States are being warned to doublecheck their visas after a British tourist was unceremoniously deported from the country.

- GEORGE THOMPSON

Rebecca Burke, a 28-year-old graphic artist from Monmouthshire, endured a 19-day detention in a US facility. Ms Burke was detained by US immigration officials despite believing she had followed all the correct procedures for her entry requirements.

She was released back to the UK on Tuesday, having been led onto the plane in chains “like Hannibal Lecter”. She returned to a crowd of friends and family at the airport.

Paul Burke, Rebecca’s father, expressed his concern and urged travellers to be extra vigilant. “You can do everything right and still be detained,” he said. He described her experiences as “traumatic”.

“I think this experience will change all of us,” he said. “I don’t think I’m going to say to anyone, ‘that’s it, she’s home, we can lock the door, and this has now gone away’. This will never go away, and what we want to do is to warn other young people, and anyone planning to travel to the US, to be extra careful and to check and double-check their visa requirements.”

He said Becky had done a lot of research into what visa she needed and had been allowed into the US without issue on 7 January.

“Even with someone so careful, she was in detention for 19 days,” he said. “If you are going to the US for anything other than a standard holiday, I would write to the US embassy, tell them what visas you think you need and get them to write back to confirm yes or no, and then carry that letter with you.”

Mr Burke said he and his wife, Andrea, did not know for certain she was coming home until she walked through the arrivals gate at Heathrow, and only knew she had left the detention facility because another detainee called them.