The Straits Times
Saturday, Dec 24, 2016
Teenage blogger Amos Yee has been detained in the
United States over immigration-related matters.
According to the United States' Immigration and Customs
Enforcement website, an "Amos Pang Sang Yee" from Singapore is
currently detained at the McHenry County Jail, an hour's drive from
Chicago.
There were no other details about the detention on the
website, but the South China Morning Post reported on Friday (Dec
23) that the 18-year-old was detained after he landed at Chicago's
O'Hare Airport on Dec 16.
The paper quoted US-based Singaporean activist Melissa
Chen as saying he had entered the US on a tourist visa, but was
detained following a secondary screening in which he told
immigration officers he was seeking asylum.
According to the US Department of Homeland Security,
asylum may be granted to those who are unable or unwilling to
return to their home country.
This must be due to persecution or a well-founded fear
of persecution because of the asylum seeker's race, religion,
nationality, membership in a particular social group or political
opinion.
When The Straits Times contacted his mother Mary Toh on
Friday, she declined to comment on whether she had spoken to her
son, or what she plans to do.
Mr Yee has served two prison terms for wounding
religious feelings.
