News broke this morning that cartoonist R. E. “Becky” Burke was returning home, after being detained by ICE for three weeks. A BlueSKy account set up in her name posted:
Amazing news! Becky is back with her parents in the UK as of earlier this hour. Thank you everyone for your support. If Becky’s story moved you, please get involved in an organization that supports imprisoned immigrants. Where Becky was held one is Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. www.nwirp.org
Burke, 28, was first detained on February 28th. While on a four month backpacking trip around North America she was attempting to cross over into Canada but was sent back after revealing that she was exchanging light household chores for lodging. Sent back to the US, she was detained by ICE for similar reasons: under her tourist visa she was not allowed to work and even when no money exchanges hands, it can be classified as work.
As news spread of Burke’s detention, international concern grew. A well known figure in the UK indie comics scene, Burke received visits and aid from friends in the Seattle area where she was detained. The BlueSky account, run by Laura Hudgens, updated her status – and Burke’s plans to make comics about her ordeal.
Becky sent a letter [email protected] dated 3/7. It just arrived. “I am planning lots of comics for afterwards and drawing often (including portraits of the other women, which make them very happy—the least I can do when they are in very much worse predicament than me).”
“I keep thinking about when I will be on that plane. I will be smiling the entire journey home.”
In a later post details of her detention were revealed.
A friend visited Becky Burke yesterday. Becky has frequent 30 second coughing fits that leave her diaphragm sore. It’s terrible to be sick away from home, much less in a prison. She does have access to a doctor to make sure she isn’t dying or anything and she can buy lozenges. She had been wearing the same sweatshirt for two weeks and spend a frigid night without it to have it washed. She thinks that might have contributed to her getting sick on top of the stress of imprisonment. She has been tested once for COVID. Negative. Well-meaning strangers are coming to visit her at the detention center and she really appreciates it but she is too exhausted and sick to want to see anyone she doesn’t know. She isn’t lonely because she is getting to know the women she is detained with. Becky now has the number for Northwest Immigrant Rights Group that she can give to other detainees and get them some help, too. She knows how lucky she is to have a local-ish support system. She is doing her best to maintain her mental health but she is depleted with illness. She has sketched 78 pages of comics while in detention and is considering a book to tell her story and the stories of other detainees.
While Burke’s story seemingly has a happy ending, tales of other tourists being detained by ICE have cast a chilling effect over cartoonist plans to travel to the us, with many announcing they will no longer be planning to travel to the US. Those planning to come are taking special care to ensure that every T is crossed and I dotted on their visas.
While Burke’s incarceration was extreme, she is a very talented cartoonist. I look forward to reading her future comics and wish her and her family good health.
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