U.S. immigration authorities arrested and questioned a German national, a legal US resident, at Boston Logan International Airport on March 7, according to the man’s mother and his partner. A few days later, he was transferred to a federal detention facility.
Fabian Schmidt, 34, is being held at Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, Rhode Island, according to an online database of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In a statement emailed Monday, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol deputy spokesperson said “If a breach of law or visa conditions, travelers may be subject to detention and removal.”
“Due to federal privacy regulations, U.S. customs and border security cannot provide details about a particular case,” said Deputy Commissioner Hilton Beckham.
Schmidt’s mother, a senior at Astrid, said she and her son moved from Germany to the US in 2007 and received their green card in 2008.
The senior said he doesn’t know why her son is being detained by US immigrant staff. She said her son, who once lived in California, faced misdemeanor charges about 10 years ago. He has no active legal or court issues, the senior said.
“I feel helpless. I’m absolutely helpless,” said the senior.
Senior and Schmidt partner Bavani Hodgkins confirmed that his family has a lawyer to tackle his case. Attorney David Keller did not immediately respond to emails and text messages requesting more information Monday.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump’s administration has moved to strengthen border enforcement and strengthen immigration policies. Schmidt’s lawsuit raises questions about how federal immigration officials treat people who are permanent legal residents.
News of Schmidt’s arrest and detention were first reported by WGBH, a Boston area public television station.
A senior who also lives in New Hampshire said Schmidt called her from the ice facility on March 11 to provide an explanation of the events leading up to her detention. She said she hadn’t heard from him since.
Electrician Schmidt recently traveled to Germany for seven days to visit his family and flew from Luxembourg to Boston Logan on March 7th, senior said.
Hodgkins was to come and bring him back to Nashua’s house, which he shares with a child who is a US citizen. Hodgkins called authorities when they didn’t show up a few hours later, senior said.
The senior told her that Schmidt was questioned at the airport, but she refused to provide details. He needed to see a doctor at some point during the interrogation and was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, senior said.
“We have no information regarding this case,” said Benjamin Crawley, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Port Authority, which owns and operates Boston Logan, in an email. He introduced NBC News to CBP.
In an emailed statement, Sgt. Massachusetts State Police Gregory Jones said authorities had dispatched troopers at the medical hall at the customs office in Boston Logan e before 8am on March 10th.
“The Boston EMS also responded and decided that individuals would need transportation to a local hospital,” Jones said. CBP officials said, “We were able to accompany individuals to the hospital because we were unable to process individuals through customs prior to transportation.”
Mass General’s press did not immediately respond to emails asking for information about Schmidt.
In an email, a German official at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. said that he was aware of the incident and was in close contact with the relevant US authorities and the families of those involved.
“Please understand that due to the reasons for privacy and data protection laws, we cannot provide details about the case,” the official said. “Please consider the procedures of customs and border authorities and refer to relevant US authorities.”
