More than 90% of foreign nationals stopped by U.S. border agents at Detroit's Ambassador Bridge during the first quarter of 2025 had mistakenly driven onto the bridge after a wrong turn, according to a new report from the Miami Herald based on commentary from U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who recently toured Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities in the area.
"For years, we've been saying it is too easy for people to accidentally end up in the toll plaza said Tlaib. "But I do want to make it clear people are still making this innocent mistake that now has the possibility to destroy their lives."
Immigrant advocates and attorneys say some of those individuals, including families with U.S. citizen children, have been held for prolonged periods in CBP custody without access to lawyers, family, or consulates. In fact, one of them, a 32-year-old Venezuelan Uber driver called Ricardo Prada Vásquez, was detained in January after reportedly turning onto the bridge while delivering food.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed earlier this week that Prada Vasquez had been deported to El Salvador on March 15, claiming he was flagged as a member of the Tren de Aragua gang and in violation of immigration conditions.
No one should just 'disappear' ― much less because they took a wrong turn on the highway," said Miriam Aukerman, a senior staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan to The Miami Herald.
CBP has acknowledged accidental crossings but maintains that a top priority is to minimize the duration of any detention, with the length of time in custody being affected by operational requirements, case complexity and other factors:
"CBP ensures all individuals in custody are treated with respect and in accordance with the law. However, individuals' choices and legal violations contribute significantly to the necessity of detention. CBP facilities are intended for short-term detention, and individuals are either transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or released when legally appropriate."
In all, CBP said it detained 213 foreign nationals at the Port of Detroit between January and late March, though only about half were held long enough to be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Advocates claim that CBP facilities, originally intended for short-term processing, are being used for prolonged detentions without oversight. "We need CBP to come clean," said Aukerman. "There must be transparency, access to counsel, and an end to long-term detention in unsuitable facilities."
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