US immigration authorities arrest three Swiss citizens

The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) is aware of three cases involving Swiss citizens detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The individuals were held until the next available flight to Switzerland, the department told the Keystone-SDA news agency.

Meanwhile, all those detained have since been released, the FDFA announced on Sunday. The «SonntagsBlick» newspaper was the first to report the cases.

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) cannot provide information on the date of the arrests by US authorities or the duration of the detention due to data protection and privacy concerns. The arrests were due to overstays, meaning the individuals remained in the US longer than their ESTA authorization or visa permitted.

With an ESTA authorization, Swiss citizens and citizens of 41 other countries can enter the USA for up to 90 days without a visa. Overstaying an ESTA or a visa can have serious consequences, including deportation, according to the official ESTA website. Those who exceed the 90-day limit will also be banned from future visa-free entry for life.

US government expands review

Most recently, in mid-December, it was announced that the US border agency intends to require tourists entering the USA to disclose their social media accounts.

A proposed amendment submitted by the border protection agency would require travelers entering the country to grant border officials access to their social media posts from the previous five years (Travelnews reported).

The social media platforms concerned include TikTok, X, and Instagram. The document is not yet legally binding; once published in the Federal Register, it will initially be open for public consultation. Such a tightening of regulations would affect all travelers entering the United States under the ESTA program.

It was already reported in August that the U.S. government had significantly expanded its vetting of visa holders. According to those reports, visas could be revoked if there is evidence of overstaying or criminal activity.