Green Card Holder Detained for Two Months Details 'Horrendous' Conditions
Fabian Schmidt, a New Hampshire resident and electrical engineer, was released on May 8 after being detained by federal authorities.
Schmidt, who has had a green card since 2008 after moving to the U.S. from Germany in 2007, was taken into custody at Boston Logan International Airport in March upon returning from Luxembourg, he said. He later was transported and held in a Rhode Island detention facility.
"It was degrading, it's dehumanizing. It is horrendous," Schmidt told GBH News. "People shouldn't be treated like that, especially when they're in distress."
Newsweek has contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and CBP for comment.
Why It Matters
Schmidt's case comes amid an immigration crackdown under the Trump administration. People with valid documentation—including green cards or visas—have been detained and face legal jeopardy. President Donald Trump has pledged to remove millions of migrants without legal status as part of his flagship immigration policy.
A green-card holder has the right to live permanently in the U.S., provided they do not commit any actions that "would make you removable under immigration law," according to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A green card can be revoked if the recipient breaks U.S. laws or does not pay taxes.
What To Know
The 34-year-old recounted arriving at Logan and presenting his recently renewed green card to a CBP officer. He was then directed to a room for questioning.
"As soon as I stepped foot in there, I started getting violently interrogated, verbally abused," he said.
According to his family, Schmidt has no ongoing legal issues, though he faced a misdemeanor charge in 2015 for allegedly having marijuana in his vehicle. The charge was dismissed following changes in cannabis laws. His family said that Schmidt missed a court hearing related to the case in 2022 because the notice was not sent to his correct address.
Schmidt recalled being questioned about his past legal issues, including a 2016 drug-related offense in California that was eventually dismissed and a DUI from the same year that led to fines and a probation sentence.
He alleged that authorities conducted a strip search, confiscated his smartwatch, and refused to let him contact a lawyer, the German consulate or his family. The interrogation that followed, he said, focused on personal and financial details, such as the balance in his bank account, his parents' professions and their place of residence.
"He told me I was a flight risk and that he was scared that I would enter through a southern border," Schmidt said. "I tried reminding him that I'm from Germany, I have a good family, none of us would ever sneak into a border, nor do I need to sneak into the border. I'm a legal permanent resident that's lived here for 18 years."
At Logan, Schmidt said he was given a thin mat to sleep on, a cup of noodles with cold water, and a water bottle. Just over three hours later, he was awakened for additional questioning. Schmidt recalls that it was around the third day when agents told him he needed to take a shower. Feeling feverish and unwell, he declined, saying he didn't want to shower without a towel, fearing it would worsen his condition.
"They didn't care. Two men brought me to this back room, made me strip down naked and tossed me into this freezing cold shower and then gave me a camping towel," he said, describing it as something you couldn't "dry an infant in."
Schmidt told GBH News that he eventually fainted while on his way to the bathroom, recalling the moment he collapsed and hit the ground hard. When he regained consciousness, he informed an agent that he needed to be taken to a hospital.
Schmidt said he was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was treated for the flu and a high fever while handcuffed to the bed. Despite a doctor's recommendation for rest and recovery, he was returned to the airport holding area, where he spent another 18 hours. Initially told he might be released with a court date, Schmidt instead learned he would be transferred to a detention facility. He was then placed in a secluded cell with unsanitary conditions.
A few days after being detained, Schmidt said he was transported in shackles to the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Rhode Island.
Along the way, he said CBP agents mocked him and made inappropriate comments. At Wyatt, Schmidt said, he was placed in a cell with a man reportedly charged with murder but noted that staff there acted professionally, unlike at the airport. After nearly two months in detention, Schmidt received word that he would be released. He was transferred to an ICE processing center in Burlington, Massachusetts, where his partner was waiting.
"She [Bhavani] ran into my arms," Schmidt said. "I was just ecstatic as I finally got to hug her. It was a big moment to breathe fresh air and to have your partner back."
Several green-card holders have been released from ICE detention in recent weeks. Critics argue that the Trump administration's detention and deportation policies frequently fail to provide adequate due process protections. Supporters maintain that the administration's crackdown is essential to remove people with criminal records.
What People Are Saying
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Trump and EU reach trade deal ahead of looming deadline
The trade deal echoes the arrangement Trump reached with Japan. President Donald Trump announced July 27 the United States had reached a trade deal with the European Union, days ahead of a self-imposed Aug. 1 deadline. Trump met with the European Commission's president, Ursula von der Leyen, during his trip to Scotland over the weekend, where the pair discussed terms and came to an agreement. The deal includes a 15% tariff on most European exports to the United States, similar to agreements struck recently between Trump and other major trading partners, including Japan. The levy is higher than the 10% rate sought by Europeans but a reduction from the 30% Trump threatened to impose earlier in July. The agreement also includes $600 billion in EU investments in the U.S., and the purchase of $750 billion worth of U.S. energy. "I think we both wanted to make a deal,' Trump said. "I think it's going to be great for both.' The 15% tariff will be applied 'across the board,' for items including cars, but steel and aluminum will remain at 50%. "We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world, and it's a big deal,' von der Leyen said. 'It's a huge deal. It will bring stability. It will bring predictability.' The president has repeatedly criticized the European Union, saying it was "formed to screw the United States" on trade. The U.S. trade deficit with the EU reached $235 billion in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Heading into the weekend meeting, he called the relationship between the EU and the United States "very unfair" and said he thought officials had a "50/50 chance" of striking a deal. After an agreement was announced, von der Leyen said the deal would "rebalance" relations, despite European leaders long claiming there was not an unfair trade balance. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the agreement averted a trade conflict that threatened a 27.5% tariff on cars. "This agreement has succeeded in averting a trade conflict that would have hit the export-orientated German economy hard,' Merz said. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called it a 'positive' trade deal. Ireland's Trade Minister Simon Harris said the tariff provides certainty in trade that 'is essential for jobs, growth and investment.' "A deal provides a measure of much needed certainty for Irish, European and American businesses who together represent the most integrated trading relationship in the world,' Harris said. Trump is seeking to reorder the global economy and reduce decades-old U.S. trade deficits. He has so far reeled in agreements with Britain, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, although his administration has failed to deliver on a promise of "90 deals in 90 days." The EU deal echoes the deal reached with Japan. Despite the recent deals, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the administration will continue to pursue aggressive tariffs around the world, including potential duties on critical semiconductors in the near future. Contributing: USA TODAY, Reuters
Chicago Tribune
7 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
At least 3 killed and others injured in train derailment in southern Germany
BERLIN — A regional passenger train derailed in southern Germany on Sunday, killing at least three people and seriously injuring others, authorities said. Federal and local police said the cause of the crash near Riedlingen, roughly 158 kilometers (98 miles) west of Munich, remains under investigation. Photos from the scene showed parts of the train on its side as rescuers climbed atop the carriages. It was not immediately clear how many people were injured. Roughly 100 people were onboard the train when at least two carriages derailed in a forested area around 6:10 p.m. (1610 GMT). Storms passed through the area before the crash and investigators were seeking to determine if the rain was a factor. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in a post on social platform X, said he mourned the victims and gave his condolences to their families. Deutsche Bahn, Germany's main national railway operator, said in a statement that it was cooperating with investigators. The company also offered its condolences.
Axios
9 hours ago
- Axios
U.S. reaches trade agreement with Europe with 15% tariff
President Trump said on Sunday that the U.S. reached a trade agreement with the European Union that would impose a 15% tariff rate on its goods. Why it matters: Europe is the latest major partner to accept significantly higher tariffs to stave off worsening trade fights with Trump. Details: Trump announced the deal alongside European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen during a trip to Scotland. Trump said the EU agreed to buy more than $750 billion worth of U.S. energy, as well as invest $600 billion on top of the bloc's existing commitments in America. Trump said that the EU would also purchase military equipment as well as open its markets for U.S. manufacturers. What they're saying: "I think it's the biggest deal ever made," Trump said on Sunday. "It will bring stability, it will bring predictability," von der Leyen said, calling it a "huge deal." Catch up quick: The EU pact comes after one struck with Japan earlier this week. That deal imposed 15% tariffs on U.S.-bound imports, but also included a massive investment mechanism that has come under scrutiny. The big picture: Europe's economy was reeling before Trump took office. Still, White House trade policy has targeted its most dominant sectors, including auto manufacturing. German carmakers — Mercedes, BMW and Audi — have been subject to a 25% tariff rate since April, while other goods faced a blanket 10% tariff. By the numbers: As a bloc, the EU is America's top trading partner, with more than $600 billion worth of goods imported from European nations last year. The U.S. exported slightly more than half of that sum, with $370 billion worth of goods sent to Europe in 2024. That trade deficit has been one source of Trump's frustration with Europe since taking office. The bottom line: Some of the world's largest economies will adjust to far higher tariff rates than initially thought, with huge implications for global economic growth and inflation.
