Australian woman says she was deported after visiting her US army officer husband at Hawaii base
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What we know about deportation of an Australian woman from the US
- Nicolle Saroukos, 25, from Sydney, was deported from the U.S. after visiting her husband, a U.S. Army lieutenant stationed in Hawaii.
- Saroukos claims she was detained overnight in a federal prison alongside convicted criminals after being flagged for extra screening at Daniel K Inouye International Airport.
- Border officials allegedly laughed at Saroukos when she mentioned her husband's military service and questioned her about tattoos and potential visa overstay.
- Saroukos says she was subjected to a body cavity search and was paraded through the airport in handcuffs before being deported, with officials failing to notify her husband.
- After her mother contacted the Australian consulate, Saroukos was put on the same returning flight home, and she and her husband are now together in Sydney, with Saroukos stating she feels she can never enter the United States again.