Serious allegations German allegedly mistreated by US authorities
A German living in the USA is detained at Boston Airport - despite having an unlimited US residence permit. He makes serious accusations against the authorities. The Federal Foreign Office is aware of the case.
16.03.2025, 18:45
dpa
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- A German living in the USA has been detained upon entering the United States.
- According to his family, he became ill while in custody and was taken to a clinic where he was tied to a bed.
- The 34-year-old German has a green card and has lived in the USA since 2007.
A German living in the USA has been taken into custody on entering the United States and, according to his relatives, has been in a detention center for more than a week. The background to the case is unclear. When asked by the German Press Agency, the Foreign Office said that the case was known.
According to his mother, 34-year-old Fabian Schmidt has been living in the USA since 2007 and has a so-called green card, an unlimited residence permit that puts him on an equal legal footing with US citizens. Schmidt accuses the authorities of treating him badly. Among other things, he was shouted at during questioning at the airport and had to undress. While in custody, he fell ill and was taken to a clinic where he was shackled to his bed.
Consulate general in Boston is in contact
The allegations could not be independently verified. The US Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a dpa inquiry on Thursday.
The Federal Foreign Office told dpa that the Consulate General in Boston in the state of Massachusetts was dealing with the case and was in contact with the man, his relatives and local authorities. "One thing is clear: we expect our partners to ensure that detention conditions meet international human rights standards and that detainees are treated with dignity," it said.
Old drug offense as possible background
According to his mother, the questioning of Schmidt repeatedly revolved around a cannabis offense from almost ten years ago. Schmidt had been stopped with more than 30 grams of cannabis in California at the time. The case was dropped. In 2022, however, a federal investigating authority contacted Schmidt again about the case and summoned him to a hearing. However, he did not appear there because he had not received the letter due to relocation.