Dutch influencer Vera Dijkmans, 29, held in US immigration detention

Dutch influencer Vera Dijkmans, 29, was arrested on Wednesday at Newark airport by the US immigration service ICE. She is held in the Delaney Hall detention centre in Newark, New Jersey. The reason for her arrest is unknown. Dijkmans has 5.7m followers on Instagram.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is aware of the situation and is providing consular assistance. The ministry gives such help to some 3,000 to 4,000 Dutch people held abroad each year. It can include visiting the detainee, giving information on the legal process or suggesting lawyers.

Dijkmans was in the US on a B2 visa, a tourist visa that allows a stay of up to six months per visit.

Her mother, Marianne Scholt, visited her on Saturday, and her sister went too. Scholt says Dijkmans is dressed in a yellow prison uniform and shares a room with twelve other women, where the light stays on at night. She says her daughter gets almost no food and is severely weakened.

"The conditions are inhumane," Scholt says. "We fear for her life." She also says the family is growing desperate and has no idea how long this will last.

Scholt has written to US President Donald Trump asking for help. "She's just a Dutch citizen. Why are they holding her?" she says. She also attended a protest at the gates of the centre, where demonstrators chanted "Free Vera!"

Delaney Hall, which has 1,000 beds, was reopened in 2025 as part of the US government's plan to deport more migrants.