So… a U.S. citizen walked up to Border Patrol in Arizona and said, “Hi, I’m American,” and they were like, “Cool, jail.”
That’s it. That’s the tweet.
Nineteen-year-old Jose Hermosillo, born and raised in New Mexico, was visiting family in Tucson and somehow ended up detained by Border Patrol for ten days. TEN. DAYS. For being in his own damn country. I mean, the last time I got treated that badly for telling the truth, I was at Thanksgiving with my ex’s family.
And how did this happen? Oh, you’re gonna love this. Border Patrol says Jose told them he entered the country illegally and wanted to self-deport.
Really? REALLY? What nineteen-year-old walks into government custody and says, “You know what? I’d like to launch myself out of the country like I’m a beach ball at Coachella. Please and thank you.”
No. No they do not.
But it gets worse. The government’s proof? A signed statement.
Signed.
By a young man who, according to his family, has learning disabilities, is illiterate, and—oh yeah—didn’t have a lawyer.
I can’t even get my Uber Eats order right when I’m hungry, but sure, this kid navigated immigration paperwork alone, in custody, without understanding what he was signing? Makes total sense—if you’re starring in a dystopian reboot of Dumb and Cruel Things Government Agents Do for No Reason.
And this isn’t a one-time oopsie. Between 2015 and 2020, ICE arrested 674 U.S. citizens. That’s not immigration enforcement. That’s playing “Guess Who?” with civil liberties.
“Does he have brown skin?”
Flip.
“Does he speak English with an accent?”
Flip.
“Oops! We just deported a citizen again!”
Y’all, this is not a game show.
Arizona’s Governor and Attorney General are pissed, and honestly, same. We live in a country where you can get locked up for being American at the border of America. We are full-speed sprinting into idiocracy. And Border Patrol? They’re holding the baton.
Ten days in custody, no charges, no apology. Just vibes.
You know, maybe the next time a citizen says, “I live here,” we don’t say, “Prove it—while handcuffed.”
Because I don’t know who needs to hear this—but being born in New Mexico isn’t suspicious. It’s just unlucky.
