Overview
- Thomas Bilger, a 40-year-old German citizen, was arrested by ICE on November 20 during a USCIS interview in San Diego and is listed as detained at the Otay Mesa facility.
- Authorities declined to specify the grounds for detention, though reporting ties the case to an alleged B1 visa overstay that his wife and their attorney dispute.
- His wife reports he has had limited visitation, has been moved between facilities in restraints, and shares a cell with multiple detainees.
- A bail hearing was set for Friday local time, and she says he refused an offer of voluntary removal to Germany.
- The case aligns with a rise in ICE arrests at immigration offices and courthouses under the administration’s intensified campaign, with analysts noting diminished prioritization and higher daily arrest targets.