Three members of the pioneering British punk rock band UK Subs were denied entry to the United States and subsequently deported back to the UK, The Guardian reported on 24 March.
Bassist Alvin Gibbs said that he and bandmates Marc Carrey and Stefan Häublein were detained upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport.
“I was told I would be questioned after being flagged,” Gibbs wrote. He said officials cited two reasons: an incorrect visa and another undisclosed reason that agents refused to reveal.
The bassist speculated about possible political motivations behind their detention.
“I can’t help but wonder whether my frequent, and less than flattering, public comments regarding their president and his administration played a role – or perhaps I’m simply succumbing to paranoia,” he said.
UK Subs, known as pioneers of British punk rock, have historically been critical of Trump and his policies and often make political statements during their performances.
“Two police officers escorted me to another section of LAX, where I found Stefan and Marc already detained in a cold holding pen, along with a group of Colombian, Chinese, and Mexican detainees. My luggage, phone, and passport were confiscated,” Gibbs said.
After landing at 7pm, Gibbs reports being called for a second interview at 4am. The ordeal lasted approximately 25 hours before he was escorted onto a flight back to the UK.
“By the time we were escorted on to the flight at 8pm the next day, I had gone without sleep for well over a day, surviving only on a pot noodle and a couple of cups of tea,” he said.
Only the band’s vocalist, Charlie Harper, was permitted to enter the country. Harper performed the band’s scheduled Los Angeles show with stand-in musicians.
The UK Subs incident follows a similar case involving a French researcher who was denied US entry earlier this month after immigration officers found messages on his phone criticizing the Trump administration.
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