Overview

• Fabian Schmidt, a German citizen and U.S. Green Card holder, was detained on March 7, 2025, upon re-entry to the U.S. and alleges violent interrogation and denial of basic needs.
• The German government is closely monitoring Schmidt's case, alongside two resolved cases of detained German nationals, and has updated its U.S. travel advisory with warnings about detention risks.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection denies mistreatment claims, citing drug-related charges as a potential reason for Schmidt's detention.
• Other foreign nationals from Canada and the UK have reported harsh conditions in U.S. detention, raising broader human rights concerns.
• Germany is coordinating with EU partners to assess whether these incidents reflect a systemic shift in U.S. immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.