Welsh Cartoonist Detained by ICE
R.E. (Becky) Burke, a young Welsh cartoonist, has been detained by ICE while on a backpacking trip.
R.E. (Becky) Burke, a young Welsh cartoonist, has been detained by ICE while on a backpacking trip in the U.S. and is currently held in a detention facility. This alarming situation highlights the increasingly hostile treatment of international artists, travelers, and creatives.
It appears that Burke, 28, has been caught up in a cultural misunderstanding that has resulted in an issue with her visa. Burke has been on a four-month backpacking trip to recenter herself. She had been staying with an American host family and doing chores around the house to help out—this has been declared illegal work. She has now spent ten days in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Tacoma, Washington.
Her father shared a plea on Facebook:
Urgent Appeal: Help Bring Becky Home
Our daughter Becky, a 28-year-old British tourist, has been caught up in the recent immigration crackdown in the US. What was meant to be a life-changing four-month backpacking trip across North America has turned into a nightmare. Becky has now been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for over ten days, with no clear timeline for her release.
On February 26th, Becky attempted to cross the Canadian border for the next leg of her journey. Unfortunately, due to an incorrect visa, she was denied entry into Canada. When she tried to return to the US, she was refused re-entry and classified as an "illegal alien." Despite being a tourist with no criminal record, she was handcuffed and taken to a detention facility in Tacoma, Washington.
Becky’s current conditions are deeply concerning. She is sharing a cell, surviving on a diet of cold rice, potatoes, and beans (she is vegan), and has limited access to phone calls. Visitors are restricted to speaking through a glass screen via telephone. All her possessions have been confiscated, and she feels isolated and desperate to come home.
We are doing everything we can. Our local MP has contacted David Lammy’s office, and we are in touch with the British Consulate in London and San Francisco. An American friend is helping by sending funds to her inmate account so she can buy basic necessities like tea and milk. However, progress has been slow, and we urgently need more support.
We are asking for your help. Please share Becky’s story widely through your networks. We hope to connect with experts, legal professionals, or anyone who can offer advice or assistance. Becky is a kind, adventurous young woman who simply wants to return home to her family.
Thank you for your support.
It’s heartbreaking to read this young artist’s Instagram, which is all about the joys of traveling, making new friends and having new experiences in a new country—which is exactly what you should be doing at that age, without fear of detention.
Contact Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards:
(253) 591-5100
Contact Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland:
(360) 459-8514
Strickland’s website also has some resources.
Reach out to organizations:
You can read more about it on the BBC website.
Artists should not be treated as criminals. International visitors should not fear arbitrary detention.
What else can be done to help this young artist return home?
Please share your ideas in the comments.
A little update: I heard back from the interim director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and they are looking for people who might be able to provide legal assistance. If you know any lawyers in Washington, please share their info with the CBLDF.
On 3/12, The Comics Beat published an update that you can read here. Burke is still detained, and her family has set up a Go Fund Me campaign to help with legal expenses.
Holy mother of god
I’m making some calls now. This is horrible. Thank you for writing about this.