British tourist in custody at Tacoma ICE detention center for weeks

Paige Cornwell, The Seattle Times on Mar 11, 2025

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A British tourist who had been traveling through the U.S. has been in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention in Tacoma, Washington, for about two weeks after she was denied entry into Canada, according to ICE and social media posts from the woman’s family.

Rebecca Burke, 28, is detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center “related to the violation of the terms and conditions of her admission,” an ICE spokesperson said in a statement. ICE did not detail what terms and conditions she allegedly violated.

According to a Facebook post from her father, Paul Burke, Rebecca Burke tried to cross the U.S.-Canada border on Feb. 26 for the next leg of her backpacking trip. She was denied entry to Canada because of incorrect visa paperwork and when she tried to return to the U.S., she was instead handcuffed and taken to the Tacoma detention center, Paul Burke wrote.

“What was meant to be a life-changing four-month backpacking trip across North America has turned into a nightmare,” Paul Burke wrote on Facebook.

Paul Burke called Rebecca’s living condition “deeply concerning,” saying she, a vegan, is “surviving on a diet of cold rice, potatoes, and beans.” ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Paul Burke’s Facebook post.

“Becky is a kind, adventurous young woman who simply wants to return home to her family,” Paul Burke wrote, using Rebecca’s nickname.

Paul Burke told the BBC that Canadian authorities were concerned Rebecca would work illegally. Rebecca had occasionally helped with household chores in return for free lodging, Paul Burke told the British outlet.

The British Foreign Office said it’s aware of a British national detained in the U.S. and is in contact with local authorities.

Burke is a London-based comic artist and illustrator. Her Instagram shows her journey through Seattle in the days leading to her detention. In her stories, she posted about visiting the Museum of Pop Culture, Mount Rainier National Park and the Washington Park Arboretum. Her last photo, of a comic book she had purchased, was posted shortly before she was taken into custody.

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