An American actress experienced an unbelievable struggle after ICE officers put her under arrest.
Her story has generated worldwide discussions about detainee mistreatment while proving the difficult nature of immigration system policies.
After staying silent for many months Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney conversed about her unfathomable experience for the first time.
She describes what she endured as “the most inhumane thing” she has ever witnessed, revealing the harsh realities of the U.S. immigration enforcement system.
The 35-year-old Mooney spent numerous weeks passing between Vancouver and Los Angeles for her Holy! wellness operations. Water.
She tried to enter the United States through San Ysidro border from Mexico to San Diego while renewing her Trade NAFTA (TN) work visa on March 3.
Since she had successfully followed the procedure previously she anticipated standard verification procedures followed by approval.
Officials at the border review her application which put her directly in ICE detention before she could grasp what was happening.
The San Ysidro border facility kept her in conditions that lacked proper food supplies and essential living necessities during her three-night detainment.
Mooney’s visa application faced issues with document paperwork that Alexis Eagles later discovered to be the possible reason behind the detainment.
She then spent another three days at the Otay Mesa Detention Center located in San Diego.
She and 30 other detainees experienced their true ordeal when guards woke them abruptly at 3 a.m. followed by placing shackles on them before taking them to San Luis Regional Detention Center in Arizona.
The lengthy trip required a 24-hour travel period during which detainees experienced extreme pain because chains were used to restrain their waist, hands and feet.
The new detainees went through multiple evaluation procedures with medical testing and fingerprints being one of them.
Mooney described the humiliating experience of being forced to take a pregnancy test in unsanitary conditions, calling it “disgusting.”
The personnel at San Luis assigned her to a tiny place that contained just a single bed and a restroom facility.
During her first time in detention she received a blanket which she hadn’t been provided for the previous days.
The conditions present at her cell frightened her enough to stay in place so she could evade both the poisonous water and food.
The woman eventually dared to leave her cell and learned their disturbing personal stories from other detainees.
The couple from my community with authorized 10-year work visas got arrested while they approached the Mexican border by accident during their travel vacation.
A female student found herself detained upon re-entry when she returned to America for completing her master’s degree after overstaying her visa by three days.
The prayer session inside the facility brought detainees together for sharing their experiences and praying for their families including their children.
Mooney received heartfelt prayers at this emotional instant when all women formed a circle around her.
Anxiety gripped her for twelve days before she received unexpected news of her freedom without knowing the reasons.
“No one told me anything. Not once. She disclosed her shock about her homecoming because no one explained the situation to her.
Mooney returned to Canada and thanked everyone who helped her through this ordeal by mentioning how the media and her loved ones made her freedom possible.
She later took to Instagram, saying, “Just got home after what felt like escaping a deeply disturbing psychological experiment.”
The actress intends to write an article about her detention experience and she will utilize her platform to defend detainees who find themselves in similar circumstances.
What occurred will not destroy my strength. Through my voice I will fight for others because I refuse to let what happened break me.
Feature Image Credit: (Universal Studios) (CTV News) (EPA) (Alexis Eagles) and (Instagram/jasminemooney)