> I agree that the conditions are far from ideal, but if that's how US generally deals with people waiting for their court dates, it's what it is.

It's what it is under Trump. 3 months ago Someone in this situation wouldn't have been detained for this long and in the news for such a minor offense.

> This does not mean US should not work to improve those conditions for everyone

This wasn't happening before for cases like this. All the worst CBP agents are empowered now and have no checks on their authority. That's the problem.

More than a decade ago, a UK or Italian colleague travelling into US for a business trip said in an entry interview they are coming in "for work". An IT person, and way before Trump himself even had an idea of becoming a president.

They were drilled for hours until finally they let them in: it required producing a lot of paperwork by the company hosting the event on top of the traveller's documentation.

Were they ever in an orange prison jumpsuit?

Nope, but they never admitted to already having worked on their temporary visit visa (waiver), or that they were denied entry in nearby country due to planning to work there. And they were at an international airport which would have given them easier option to get deported.

> but if that's how US generally deals with people waiting for their court dates, it's what it is.

Historically, (as in: during periods where Trump is not president) it is not.

It did happen before as well: see above comment I made about my IT colleague being drilled for hours when they said they were coming in "for work" instead of "for a business trip".

If you've not passed US border control as a foreigner, you really have no idea of what a pleasant experience it... is not.

My point was not that "being drilled" did not happen.

Being locked up in a detention center for days (and in solitary confinement in at least one recent case) for this sort of violation would have been rare to non-existent.

I crossed the US border many times as a foreigner, although I am now a citizen. The easiest kind of foreigner though - white, anglo, male, middle class. Even those qualifications don't seem like enough to stop the absurd responses from ICE anymore, though.

Was it at a land crossing and were you already denied entry into Canada due to you planing to work there to sustain yourself?

I get it that US could be nicer, but it was Canada who denied entry first (the girl was coming into Canada after being in the US for weeks prior to that).

I just don't think this has changed due to Trump: I could very well see this happening prior to Trump.

Somebody mentioned how average detainee wait for a court date is 50 days! Trump has not been in power long enough to bring the average that high.