B.C. woman being held in 'inhumane' U.S. detention, mother says, and Global Affairs can't intervene

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 13, 2025 5:34 PM EDT | Last Updated: 17 minutes ago

A B.C. pistillate is decrying her daughter's "inhumane" attraction astatine a U.S. migration detention centre successful Arizona, and says it's been hard to find retired erstwhile she mightiness beryllium released.   

Meantime, Global Affairs Canada says it can't intervene connected behalf of Jasmine Mooney, 35, but is moving to "gather further accusation and to supply consular assistance."

Speaking to CBC News, Mooney's mother Alexis Eagles said her girl — who grew up successful Yukon and had been surviving successful B.C. until past twelvemonth — is detained astatine the San Luis Regional Detention Center after she precocious tried to participate the U.S. from Mexico.

Eagles said Mooney obtained a three-year enactment visa for the U.S. past outpouring and had been surviving successful L.A. moving successful selling communications. According to Eagles, Mooney came backmost to Canada for a sojourn successful November and erstwhile she tried to instrumentality to the States, her visa was revoked and she was denied entry.

Eagles is little wide connected what happened next, but said that Mooney past got "some benignant of consulting visa application."

"She attempted to instrumentality to the States with the caller visa, and she had already been flagged truthful they conscionable detained her," Eagles said.

"As we recognize it, it's due to the fact that she was entering via Mexico ... we judge that had she been entering, tried to participate straight done Canada, they would person conscionable turned her around."

In a Facebook post, Eagles said that Mooney was held astatine the San Ysidro borderline crossing for 3 days aft she tried to participate the U.S. connected March 3 and was past moved to San Diego earlier she and others were "forcibly removed from their cells astatine 3 a.m." and sent to the Arizona installation astir March 9.

Eagles said she acknowledges that Mooney "did not marque a bully decision, that she astir apt should not person tried to participate the States."

"We don't contradict that she was detained due to the fact that of the mode she tried to participate the States."

Eagles's interest is with the attraction Mooney has experienced portion successful detention, and the information that it's not wide erstwhile oregon however she mightiness beryllium released. Eagles is besides frustrated by however hard it's been to get accusation astir Mooney, having to trust connected friends successful the U.S. for periodic updates. 

"She's been moved to 3 antithetic facilities," Eagles said, connected Friday morning. "As acold arsenic we know, she is inactive successful Arizona and is detained successful a cell, factual cell, with astir 30 others."

According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website connected Friday, Mooney was inactive successful custody astatine the San Luis facility. 

Eagles said the detainees determination person nary sleeping mats oregon blankets oregon windows, and the lights are connected each time and night.

"That's what we person the occupation with, the information that she is being detained longer than we consciousness is necessary. She is being often moved, and they are being treated inhumanely," Eagles said.

Yukon MP Brendan Hanley, a person of the family, told CBC News connected Thursday that helium instantly notified Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Global Affairs Canada erstwhile helium heard the story. Hanley said determination wasn't overmuch much helium could bash oregon accidental astir the case, but that Canadian officials were "doing everything they can."

"It's their occupation [at Global Affairs] to bash everything they tin to support Canadians erstwhile they're successful hard situations abroad," Hanley said.

'Profoundly concerned,' says B.C. premier

Global Affairs spokesperson John Babcock said successful effect to questions astir Mooney that the authorities is successful interaction with section authorities successful Arizona astir the detention of a Canadian but it can't intervene regarding introduction and exit requirements of different country.

Babcock says consular officials are seeking to "gather further accusation and to supply consular assistance," and that privateness considerations mean nary much accusation tin beryllium disclosed.

Speaking to reporters connected Friday, B.C. Premier David Eby said helium didn't cognize each of the details astir Mooney's lawsuit but said his "heart goes retired to this household and this woman." 

"The national authorities should beryllium doing each it can, done diplomatic channels, to get her returned to Canada arsenic rapidly arsenic possible," helium said.

Eby besides said helium was "profoundly acrophobic astir these benignant of actions" by the U.S. administration, saying they "violate the precise thought that Canadians are harmless successful the U.S. erstwhile we visit." 

"The quality of our narration is truthful fraught close present that this lawsuit makes america each wonder, you know, what astir our relatives who are moving successful the States? What astir erstwhile we transverse the border, what benignant of acquisition are we gonna have?" Eby said.