Australian girl imprisoned for Visa mistake.

Sunday Times ^ | 1/8/03 | Sunday Times

[moyden]

Student released after visa row

08jan03

AN Australian student jailed in the US for almost two weeks over an alleged visa breach has contacted her family to say she is heading home.

Megan Stapleton, a 20-year-old Sydney TAFE student, today phoned her family home on the NSW south coast and spoke to her 18-year-old brother.

Her mother Antoinette Stapleton, who has been staying in Sydney as she battled authorities for her daughter's release, said she was yet to speak to Megan but was looking forward to her return.

"She rang home and spoke to her brother Alex but I'll wait here (in Sydney) until she's home," Ms Stapleton said.

Earlier today, Megan told Sydney radio 2GB she had finally been released from a Texas jail and was being deported back to Australia.

She said she had spent almost two weeks in jail after US authorities accused her of overstaying her visa. She denied the allegation, saying they had made a mistake.

"I didn't overstay my visa, that's the whole outrage of this situation," she said.

"I had a current visa and somebody in the INS (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) office made the mistake in their paperwork so what it said on the computer was different to what it said on my passport.

"I was fully legal with a current visa and a ticket out of the country. They locked me up, I've been locked up for two weeks and I missed my flight home.

"I'm going to be waiting for the rest of my life for their official apology but it's never going to come."

Megan's mother and a band of supporters yesterday held a public rally outside the US consulate in Sydney's Martin Place where they called on the federal government to intervene in the case.

The mother's lawyer, Ben Slade today said the action had prompted US and Australian authorities to act.

"It's quite clear that the negative publicity, international media pressure, caused not only the Australian authorities to finally act but also put pressure on INS to consider the circumstances of her detention and take a more realistic approach," he said.

"Whether there's been any error committed by the INS or not is something that will deserve consideration."

Mr Slade said he would speak to Megan on her return to determine whether she wanted to pursue the matter further.

Her mother said she was "extremely delighted and relieved" to know Megan was almost home.

"All I know is that she's mid-way between San Antonio and LA and I guess they'll get her on a flight as soon as possible to Australia," she said.

"The Department (of Foreign Affairs and Trade) is giving me the information (about her return) as they have it."

It was not yet clear when Megan would land in Sydney, she said.

[moyden]

I wonder if they shot her dog as well.

[Enterprise]

Sounds about right. Kind of like some of our do-nothing police agencies which are "helpless" to fight drugs and gangs, but do a smashing job of giving out parking tickets.

[stanz]

So happy my security is protected. They jail a girl for two weeks because of paperwork, but cold-blooded killers dance across our borders.

[Oztrich Boy]

Australian girl imprisoned for Visa mistake.

Should have used Mastercard

[VadeRetro]

Someone overstays their visa and we jail them? How do they get home?

(Tramp of boots. Jailer appears before Megan's cell.)

Jailer: "Still in there are you?"

Megan: "Am I being released?"

Jailer: "Released? You just overstayed your visa another day! That's going to cost you another week of jail time!"

[moyden]

What we have here is a case of vindictive bureaucrats, probably taking it out on what they saw as a rich college girl.

Ever notice that these INS/airport security abuse cases tend to revolve around white women?

[VadeRetro]

Ever notice that these INS/airport security abuse cases tend to revolve around white women?

I recall the case of the French woman who became so distressed she took her own top off. Then there was this movie with Yvette Mimieux, falsely imprisoned by Chuck Connors (crooked sheriff) and Ralph Bellamy (crooked judge).

[montag813]

AN Australian student jailed in the US for almost two weeks over an alleged visa breach has contacted her family to say she is heading home.

What business do they have jailing white girls from Anglo-Saxon nations for Visa issues? RACIAL PROFILING NOW!

[Hodar]

From Austrailia and overstay your VISA, and you go to jail.

From Mexico and don't bother with a VISA, get free welfare and vote.

[FreeTally]

Great. They arrest and jail a woman from Australia, an ally of ours, for "overstaying her visa", but they wont deport those from terrorist sponsoring countries, an can hardly deport mexicans who come here illegally.

Thanks, idiots.

[Cicero]

I know he has more important matters on his mind, but in some ways nothing could be more important than cleaning out the Augean Stables of our federal bureaucracy.

Clinton understood the importance of having his people in key places, and he spent 8 years putting them in every key position in the FBI, CIA, Pentagon, Labor Department, Interior Department, INS, and everywhere else.

The main function of the INS under clinton was to naturalize as many Democrat voters as possible, just as the main function of the clinton FBI was to expedite his crimes, and the main function of the clinton Pentagon was to Wag the Dog when required at a moment's notice.

Bush has done little or nothing to hoe these people out of office. Many of them are political appointees, and he has every right to get rid of them, starting with George Tenet and working his way down.

[XLurk]

All of these terrorist Australian college girls need to be rounded up and sent to Guantanamo. I don't care if the FedGov has to frame ALL of them in schemes like this. The very survival of the united states / our national security / freedom itself / the US economy / our way of life / etc. - depends on it.

And before y'all start getting sassy with me, let's get something straight: I DON'T CARE IF THE ILLEGAL MEXICANS DROVE DOWN THE STREET SHOOTING OUT CAR WINDOWS AGAIN AT 4:00AM. It adds a little excitement to this dull neighborhood - and that's what insurance is for.

We must be patient in our quest for multi-culturalism - to which these terrorist, racist, white Aussie gals contribute NOTHING.

(glad I got that off my chest...)

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Sounds about right. Kind of like some of our do-nothing police agencies which are "helpless" to fight drugs and gangs, but do a smashing job of giving out parking tickets.

The Philadelphia Police Dept. has recently cleansed every street corner in the city of drug trafficing - causing crime rates to plummet and the dealers to flee in doors and out of sight. Citizens rejoice, and are much taken with being able to go around their neighborhoods again. Perhaps you missed the news about this program - "Operation Safe Streets"? Try doing a google search. It'll probably be coming to a city near you soon. Other cities are very interested.

[Just another Joe]

So happy my security is protected. They jail a girl for two weeks because of paperwork, but cold-blooded killers dance across our borders.

And she was trying to LEAVE the country.

[Eternal_Bear]

Great. They arrest and jail a woman from Australia, an ally of ours, for "overstaying her visa", but they wont deport those from terrorist sponsoring countries, an can hardly deport mexicans who come here illegally. Thanks, idiots

My thoughts exactly. The law punishes the innocent and the guilty alike. They call that fairness I guess.

[Enterprise]

You are right that I missed the story. My congratulations to the Philadelphia Police Department and my prayers that they will continue their good work, and that other police departments will try hard to emulate them.

[stanz]

Can you believe it? If I were that girl's family, I'd file a huge suit.

[rogue yam]

I don't believe it (yet). Why was the young woman picked up? The article doesn't say. Something is missing.

[stanz]

I'm guessing that the woman was picked up when she tried to leave the country to return home. Her documents were incorrectly issued and it appeared that her Visa had expired. But why did it take a two-week jail stay to figure this out? That's outrageous.