Extreme detention: Berlin resident Jessica Brosché details her 45-day ordeal at a U.S. border imprisonment facility
Berliner Jessica Lia Broesch endured a harrowing ordeal when she was detained for more than six weeks by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) after attempting to enter the United States on Jan. 25. The 29-year-old tattoo artist, who was traveling from Mexico to Los Angeles, spent nine days in solitary confinement at the Otay Mesa Detention Center, according to media reports.
Broesch's detention coincided with a surge in high-profile cases of tourists being held for extended periods at the U.S.-Mexico border, following President Donald Trump's inauguration five days prior. In March, 25-year-old Saxony-Anhalt resident Lucas Sielaff was detained for 16 days while on a trip to visit his girlfriend.
Broesch's case received widespread attention, but she has since returned to her home in Berlin and is resuming her life. Originally from Heilbronn, she spent her adolescent years in Uruguay before moving to Berlin at age 19. She has gained a significant following on Instagram for her abstract calligraphy and geometric tattoo designs, which have been influenced by artists she's met at Der Grimm, where she's worked for four years.
In an interview, Broesch details her experience at the border, sharing that she was stopped despite having a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). She describes the food and living conditions at the detention center as "not gourmet" but tolerable, but recalls the water tasting "disgusting, like dirty tubes and metal."
Broesch alleges that officials gave her various reasons for her detention, including her profession as a tattoo artist and claims she had intended to work while in the country. However, she remains unsure of the exact reason for her detention, as other detained tourists were not artists.
Being detained proved to be an isolating and distressing experience for Broesch. She reports feeling helpless and confused as she attempted to contact her family and friends. Solitary confinement was particularly unpleasant, she says, as she suffered from claustrophobia for the first time in her life.
However, Broesch found solace in reminiscing about fond memories with loved ones, which helped her to stay calm and positive during her detention. Ultimately, it was media attention and the efforts of an ICE officer that led to her release.
Broesch has since expressed her wish to return to a normal life, focusing on her work and art. She remains critical of the injustices she witnessed during her detention and urges others to speak out against them. In a final message, she encourages people to be vigilant and involved in combating the injustices happening around the world.
Jessica Lia Broesch, inspired by her unsettling detention, aspires to lead a normal lifestyle devoid of border troubles. Despite the travel-related ordeal that disrupted her flow of life, she has resumed her career as a tattoo artist in Berlin.
