In February 2026, a claim spread online that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained a British grandmother, 65-year-old Karen Newton, for six weeks despite her valid tourist visa. In February 2026, a claim spread online that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained a British grandmother named Karen Newton for six weeks despite her valid tourist visa. Snopes readers also wrote in to ask if ICE detained a "British tourist" named Karen Newton for six weeks. According to The Guardian, ICE detained Newton, a 65-year-old British tourist and grandmother, in September 2025. For example, The Guardian reported that Newton was a British national, a grandmother, had a valid tourist visa and that ICE detained her for six weeks (emphasis ours):Karen, 65, had a British passport and a tourist visa.

Source: The Guardian February 24, 2026 12:37 UTC