Fans of "American Pie" were stunned to learn that Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney had a bizarre run-in with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement while attempting to renew her work visa.
According to reports, Mooney said she was "chained" by ICE agents and ultimately held in "inhuman" conditions in detention centers across San Diego and Arizona.
The alleged situation reportedly happened as Mooney came to the United States at the southern U.S. border, where "agents asked her to visit a US Consulate to apply for legal status to work in the country again."
She was reportedly taken to San Diego's Otay Mesa Detention Center after being kept in a cold room "for three days" according to the report.
Mooney's mother, Alexis Eagles, reported the story, including the conditions her daughter were allegedly held in as she attempted to renew her visa to continue working in the United States.
She recounted her daughter's story in a lengthy Facebook post.
"My daughter, Jasmine, a 35-year-old Canadian, attempted to enter the U.S. on March 3, 2025, with a consulting visa for a company in the States. Unfortunately, her visa was denied, and she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the San Ysidro border crossing, where she was held for three nights," Eagles wrote.
She added, "From there, she was transferred to Otay Mesa Detention Centre in San Diego and held for another three nights. On Sunday, March 9, the online tracking system indicated that she had been released. We assumed this meant she was being deported and escorted to an airport. However, 24 hours later, there was no sign of her, no communication, and we were extremely worried."
Canadian ‘American Pie’ actress detained by ICE while applying for visa at southern border says she was ‘wrapped in chains’ https://t.co/DGCF66K700 pic.twitter.com/28MtBSSZhr
— New York Post (@nypost) March 14, 2025
Her mother added, "What we have learned of the ICE system and its treatment of detainees is inhumane and deeply concerning. Being detained is one thing, but there’s NO excuse for the way people are treated while in custody or for the delays in deportation. They are not criminals, and they just want to go home."
Her mother updated the original post with news that it appeared her daughter would be coming back home to Canada in the coming days. The post was updated on 3/14.
"We are very optimistic that Jasmine will be home within the next 24 hours. It appears she is currently enroute from Arizona to a holding facility in San Diego, or perhaps already there. We don’t know for certain if she’ll be on the flight that’s been booked for her, and I continue to hold my breath until we know for sure she’s on the runway. Cross your fingers everyone - we’re on the home stretch!" Eagles wrote.
An ABC News reporter on Friday wrote, "Detained Canadian citizen Jasmine Mooney is heading home to Vancouver and spoke to us from an Air Canada plane on the tarmac in San Diego tonight."
Only time will tell if she gets her visa renewed. Many on social media said she was silly for trying to do it from the southern border instead of the Canadian border with the USA.
