Sophie Frampton/Instagram Sophie Frampton
British woman, Sophie Frampton claims that she was detained and locked up for three days in Austin, Texas. Frampton came to the United States to visit her boyfriend Zaid Khayat.
Frampton contacted The Times after reading about Isaac Roblett, who was deported from Chicago.
Frampton’s incident took place last June, as the 30-year-old from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, was detained and deported. Frampton was one of 315 immigration arrests reported to British consulates in the U.S. in 2018.
Frampton claimed that her June trip was her fourth in the previous 11 months. She told The Times that she met Khayat in Thailand in May 2017 when she was on vacation.
Here’s what you need to know:
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1. Frampton had a Wrong Address on her Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA)
- Although this isn’t the first trip to the States for Frampton, Frampton recognizes that the address she put on her ESTA visa was from Australia, not her previous address.
She put the Australian address because she was backpacking down under when she applied for her ESTA.
Sophie Frampton/InstagramSophie Frampton
An ESTA allows you to stay in the United States for 90 days without needing a VISA, according to The Sun.
She first visited the United States in August 2017 before returning in November and January 2018, per the Daily Mail.
2. Frampton Claims she was Handcuffed, Strip Searched & Held Without her Medication
- After officials recognized that something was off with Frampton’s ESTA, she claimed she was handcuffed and taken to jail.
According to The Sun, Frampton then alleges she was told to strip. She was strip-searched, and she said she cried for three days straight while she was in jail.
FacebookZaid Khayat, Framptons boyfriend.
Frampton said she was not able to use the toilet in her jail cell and was not allowed to use her migraine medication, per The Sun.
3. Frampton was Shown an Electric Chair While She was Detained
After going through a strip search, Frampton claimed she was policed by guards every 15 minutes, making her unable to use the bathroom in privacy.
Frampton also claims she was shown an electric chair while she was detained.
According to the Mirror, Frampton said she has needed counseling since returning to the UK.
4. Frampton is not the First U.K. to U.S. Traveler to be Detained
Isaac Roblett, 24, from Hastings, East Sussex traveled to Illinois City, Illinois with his American girlfriend Camila Iglesia, 23 on April 24.
Sophie Frampton/InstagramSophie Frampton
Similar to Frampton, Roblett was also traveling on an ESTA.
Once Roblett arrived in the United States, he was detained and questioned by immigration officials, according to the Daily Mail.
After they scoured Roblett’s phone they claimed to have proof that Roblett was intending to “move” to the United States and stay longer than his ESTA permitted.
Roblett was deported and is banned from entering the United States for life.
5. Roblett Said He is Diagnosed With PTSD
Similar to Frampton’s claim, Roblett also claimed that his experience under immigration officials in the United States has led to some mental health issues.
According to the Daily Mail, Roblett said since returning to the U.K., he has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.
He wants to warn others about immigration officials in the United States, having no decency and unwillingness to respect privacy, referring to immigration officers going through his phone.
‘It’s horrible, the love of my life is in another country and I can’t even see her,’ Roblett said referring to his American girlfriend Camila Iglesia.