Home / Crime and Justice / Grandmother's Dream Trip Becomes 6-Week US Detention Nightmare
Grandmother's Dream Trip Becomes 6-Week US Detention Nightmare
23 Feb
Summary
- A 65-year-old grandmother with a valid visa endured a six-week detention in the US.
- She was detained after her husband's visa expired during a road trip.
- She described the experience as terrifying, humiliating, and prison-like.
A 65-year-old British grandmother's long-awaited holiday in the United States transformed into a harrowing six-week detention. Karen Newton, who held a valid tourist visa, was detained in September 2025 along with her husband Bill after attempting to cross into Canada.
US border officials detained Newton, despite her valid documentation, citing her association with her husband whose visa had expired. She recounted being handcuffed, shackled, and transported overnight to detention facilities, describing the conditions as terrifying and humiliating.
Newton, a retired school administrative assistant, struggled physically and emotionally during her confinement, sleeping on the floor due to difficulties with bunk beds. She was eventually subjected to voluntary self-removal but remained detained for an additional 39 days before her release in November 2025.
The traumatic experience has left lasting emotional scars, with Newton comparing the detention centre to a prison. Her case highlights concerns among international tourists regarding potential detentions.
