The Trump Administration is enamored by detention and deportation because Trump can act like a dictator, ignoring the spirit and law of due process, imposing humiliation on persons. Detention and deportation are the Administration’s signature acts.  Here is a summary of story of Jasmine Mooney, published in the Guadian on March 19.

Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian citizen, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for two weeks despite having a valid work visa. Without explanation or legal recourse, she was treated as if she were a criminal, stripped of her belongings, and subjected to harsh detention conditions. She was transferred between detention centers, shackled, and placed in freezing, overcrowded cells with no access to legal assistance. Her ordeal revealed the systemic mistreatment of detainees, many of whom had no criminal records but were held in indefinite bureaucratic limbo.

Arbitrary Detention Without Explanation

Mooney was initially at an immigration office discussing her visa status when she was suddenly told to put her hands against the wall, frisked like a criminal, and detained. She was given no reason, no chance to call a lawyer, and no timeline for how long she would be held. Every time she asked for information, the response was a vague “I don’t know.”

Inhumane Conditions in Freezing Cells

For the first two days, she was locked in a tiny, freezing cement cell with bright fluorescent lights that never turned off. She and five other women were given only a thin aluminum sheet as a “blanket,” and there was no way to know the time. She distrusted the food, so she fasted, unsure of when she would be released.

Shackling and Forced Transfers Like Criminals

When Mooney and other detainees were transferred between facilities, they were shackled in chains—hands bound to their waists, feet restrained, making movement difficult. They endured a 24-hour, sleepless, grueling transport, crammed into a bus with men and women packed together. No one was told where they were going.

Degrading Medical and Hygiene Practices

Upon arriving at the San Luis Regional Detention Center, all female detainees were forced to undergo pregnancy tests while squatting over a communal toilet in a filthy cell, holding cups of urine as a nurse dropped tests into them. They were given one Styrofoam cup for water, one plastic spoon to reuse for every meal, and hand towels instead of real towels for showers. The lights were left on 24/7, ensuring sleep deprivation.