Jasmine Mooney, known for her role in American Pie Presents: The Book of Love, has shared her experience of being held by ICE for nearly two weeks.
The 35-year-old, who transitioned from acting to a career in business consultancy, was detained by U.S. immigration authorities on March 3. She was trying to re-enter the United States from Mexico when officials stopped her.
Mooney claimed she was detained without any prior notification or clear reason by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a personal account for The Guardian, Mooney explained that she had received her trade Nafta work visa on her second try. This visa permits Canadian and Mexican citizens to work in specific professional fields in the U.S., and she pointed out that she had no criminal background.
After her role in the 2009 film American Pie Presents: The Book of Love and several other TV projects, Mooney shifted her focus to business consulting in California. She frequently traveled between Canada and the U.S. without incident until her visa was revoked at the border. This event led to questions about why she applied for it at the San Diego border, even though her lawyer was located there. After staying in Canada for several months, Mooney secured a new job that necessitated reapplying for her visa.
She returned to the San Diego border’s immigration office, where confusion about her case led to the suggestion that she apply through the consulate. Mooney agreed to this step without hesitation.
She recalled, “Then [the officer] said something strange: ‘You didn’t do anything wrong. You are not in trouble, you are not a criminal’.”
Despite her expectation that she could simply fly back to Canada, Mooney was unexpectedly approached by a man and, without any clarification or notice, her personal belongings were taken. She was then frisked and detained.
Mooney described the experience: “One minute, I was in an immigration office talking to an officer about my work visa, which had been approved months before and allowed me, a Canadian, to work in the US. The next, I was told to put my hands against the wall, and patted down like a criminal before being sent to an Ice detention center without the chance to talk to a lawyer.”
An ICE spokesperson later confirmed her detention to CBS News, citing her lack of legal documentation for staying in the U.S.
During her detention, Mooney found herself in “a tiny, freezing cement cell with bright fluorescent lights and a toilet” alongside five other women. She was confined there for two days, only leaving for meals, and was only allowed a phone call on the third day. She was eventually presented with a set of documents to sign, which included a five-year entry ban unless she reapplied via the consulate.
Feeling disoriented, Mooney signed the forms and expressed her willingness to cover her return flight costs. Nevertheless, she was moved into another cell, processed into a “real jail,” and then transferred again after three nights, likening the ordeal to being “kidnapped” and involved in “some sort of sick psychological experiment”.
She was finally notified of her impending release.
Although Mooney pleaded with officials to allow her to pay for her own ticket home from the moment she arrived, her ICE agent reportedly informed her lawyer that she “could have left sooner” if she had signed a withdrawal form and if they had known she would fund her own return.
Mooney was then transported back to San Diego, taken to the airport, and has since reunited with her family and friends. She described the lengths they went to for her release as “surreal,” involving legal assistance, media outreach, and numerous calls to detention centers, all in an effort to make contact with ICE or anyone who could help.
Reflecting on her experience, Mooney observed: “Imagine what this system is like for every other person in there. […] This is not just my story. It is the story of thousands and thousands of people still trapped in a system that profits from their suffering.
“[…] The reality became clear: Ice detention isn’t just a bureaucratic nightmare. It’s a business. These facilities are privately owned and run for profit.”
According to an ICE spokesperson, Mooney’s detention was a result of executive orders signed by Trump, with the spokesperson explaining: “All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the US regardless of nationality.”