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Woman held in shackles at JFK for overstaying visa
Officials at JFK might have some 'splaining to do after they shackled a detained an Icelandic tourist for days -- all because she had overstayed her tourist visa 10 years ago. Erla Osk Arnardottir Lillendahl, 33, is not happy about the treatment she received upon arriving at JFK -- she's even called the experience the most humiliating of her life. Lillendahl was arrested at JFK and interrogated for two days. During that time, she was held in a cell, had her hands and feet chained, was not permitted to call relatives and was even denied food and drink for a period of time. Now the Government of Iceland has asked US Ambassadors to explain the incident.
According to Iceland's foreign minister Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, "In a case such as this, there can be no reason to use shackles. If a government makes a mistake, I think it is reasonable for it to apologize, like anyone else."
Can't say I disagree.
Filed under: United States, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kylie Feb 22nd 2008 5:27PM
You're all arguing about the wrong thing. Whether she should have been stopped or not is not the issue. The issue is a country that considers itself to be some paragon of virtue using tactics you'd expect to see in communist China. If she should not be entering the country, simply book her on the next flight home. Allow her to call her relatives. Treat her with dignity. Allow her to explain her side and listen. If she must wait for a flight, put her in an airport hotel room (mandatory and at her own expense of course) but don't insult and degrade her. For doing that only degrades your entire country and government.
Tri Dec 17th 2007 4:50PM
So it's a step up from the Minnesota case (http://www.startribune.com/local/11592171.html). We can't make it any worse can we?
Nick Hawkins Dec 17th 2007 6:52PM
My BS-ometer is going off. Shackles? Seriously for a simple visa violation? I get the feeling that it's somewhat embelished, although if she was busted for overstaying her visa a number of years ago, then she isn't eligible for the Visa Waiver Program, and thus should have reapplied at the US Embassy for a visa. She didn't and rolled the dice and took her chances.
What's more disturbing is the fact that the reporters didn't try to contact DHS to get specifics on this and see if there's a discrepancy (which there probably would be).
Translation of the blog post: http://eggmann.blog.is/blog/eggmann/entry/389611/
Rachel at The Window Seat Dec 17th 2007 7:36PM
Maybe this was our government's version of retribution against Iceland for the White House prank caller who pretended he was Iceland's president and successfully set up a meeting with Bush earlier this month (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3973925).
mark Dec 18th 2007 11:55AM
this country is becoming a police state because an entire generation of americans believed it was ok to give up their rights...too bad
nic Dec 18th 2007 12:34AM
OMG , they let 12 freakin' million illegal Mexicans free and clear in public! marching through streets carrying their MEXICO! flags in rallies and police practically kiss their arses instead of IDing them and arresting them, overwhelming our hospitals and schools and they do this to one icelander? WTF?
fredjudd Dec 18th 2007 11:49AM
Just one more example of the gross incompetence of the Bush Cheney regime. It took a few years to filter down to the I C E, but now it is there. But, since Iceland is complaining, I hear they have WMD. Maybe Bush and Cheney should dust off the war plans.
kbs Dec 18th 2007 11:54AM
hey it's post 9-11. what did she expect coming back to the states after she overstayed her previous visa?
wow they really must have not liked her attitude to shackle her.
She shouldn't have been allowed to board a flight from Iceland to the states if she had visa issues to begin with. Would have saved her and everyone the trouble.
rcorrino Dec 18th 2007 4:01PM
"mark said...
this country is becoming a police state because an entire generation of americans believed it was ok to give up their rights...too bad"
Well, that and a huge percentage of the voting population now emigrated from police states or have parents who emigrated from police states who either believe this is just status quo or that there is nothing that can be done about it.
Robay Dec 18th 2007 4:02PM
The dangerous Icelandics. Thank God our fearless government is protecting us from the dangerous Icelandics. Just think how many (TSA) jobs would be lost if we used European security model.
For the NSA trolls, this is fair use for comedic purposes.
Kevin Dec 18th 2007 5:52PM
It's about time the US Govt starts enforcing Visa expirations. The real problem with immigration is NOT Mexicans looking for work running across the border. The problem is Visas - given out according to law, with NO exit strategy. There is no functioning program in place to get people to leave when their Visas expire. Most of the 911 offenders were here on Visas, but were never asked to leave.
DJ Dec 19th 2007 7:11AM
I LOVE IT..maybe some of these people will go home when they are supposed to. I'm sick of people coming here under false pretenses, ie illegal marriages, etc. STAY AWAY. We don't want you here. I'm not just talking about people from Mexico. I'm talking Russia, Poland, Ireland, etc!!!! Feel free to visit, but GO HOME at the end of your 90 days!!!!
You have your own country. Ours is over crowded as it is!
RC Dec 19th 2007 9:26AM
The US is over-crowded?
Hardly!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density
Virtaaj Dec 20th 2007 12:00PM
I think it is a very bad thing. The US should stop being paranoid.
DJ Dec 19th 2007 11:39AM
overcrowded with illegals!
DJ Dec 21st 2007 11:05AM
we aren't paranoid, we just don't want people here illegally...they are a burden on the country..England is thinking of trying out a great new thing..CHARGING people money if they have family people coming from a NON EU country..a "tax"..they don't get it back until the people LEAVE...I think that's a great idea...Pay to come, refundable upon departure
Glen Dec 25th 2007 12:23PM
Two points:
It still surprises me that individuals "get the feeling that [the victim's story is] somewhat embellished" when they hear stories like this
As an immigration attorney, who deals primarily with post removal orders, I can tell you horror stories with ICE officials. This pales in comparison with ICE cases involving children and families in your states
Also, those individuals whose moral hierarchy is so great that they are compelled tell others to "go home when they are supposed to," here are the facts:
Until a few months ago, DHS [Immigration] argued that, under discretionary laws promulgated by the legislature, they did not even have a duty to look at applications -any applications- at any time.
In other words, an application for an extension, green card or an adjustment- all allowed by law -could be ignored indefinitely by DHS for no reason whatsoever.
Therefore, immigration violations, they argued, although due to DHS failure to adjudicate, remained the fault of the applicant; regardless of whether the applicant actually did anything wrong.
A certification of an AILF class action lawsuit changed their tune quickly. In the meantime, however, thousands of individuals invested in the economy, including mortgages, family and the like, became in violation of the law for following the law.
There is a crisis in our country; and it seems to me that the only fault lies in those citizens who foster inequity and bigotry, veiled under the guise of necessity and morality.
kimble Dec 23rd 2007 5:40PM
Stop complaining about the police state running off tourists and do something about it! Write your representatives and let them know you want drastic reform of our immigration facilities and that all visitors should be treated with dignity. Due process isn't simply a right of citizens, but of all people under the jurisdiction of U.S. law.
Also, please consider voting for Ron Paul in your state's upcoming Republican primary/caucus-- he sure as heck would do his best to insure we hire INS agents that can tell the differences between terrorists and tourists.
Nick Hawkins Dec 24th 2007 12:11PM
Wow, this comment really took a turn for the worse. Ron Paul, lol.
Seriously, the fact that the alleged journalist who wrote this article didn't even bother to get a statement from DHS should be a red flag for anyone who's interested in the truth of what happened.
Nick Hawkins Dec 25th 2007 3:45PM
In this case I am not sympathetic at all to this woman. She was already PNG'd and decided that she would take a chance at coming back.
I'm sure that there are legitimate gripes with ICE and DHS, but this isn't one of them.
But then again, I'm really not surprised with the political orientation of this blog and reactions with people with such a myopic viewpoint.