A former scholarship student at Kent State University, the Czech clarinetist Jaroslav Skuta has abandoned a concert tour with his trio after being detained at immigration in Detroit.
‘I was subjected to aggressive, demeaning interrogation and threats of jail time,’ Skuta said. ‘Despite having all the necessary documentation and clear evidence of the cultural and non-commercial nature of our project, I was treated with suspicion and hostility from the very beginning. After 5 hours of interrogation, I was denied entry and forcibly sent back home to Prague.’
A spokesman for US Customs and Border Protection said: ‘On July 1, Jaroslav Skuta arrived at Detroit Metro Airport claiming to be entering the U.S. for tourism,’ Mennell stated July 6. ‘During inspection, it was determined he had misrepresented the purpose of his travel and was actually scheduled to perform at multiple events as a professional musician. Performing in the United States constitutes work and requires the appropriate employment-based visa. Skuta did not have the required visa, was refused entry, and returned on the next available.’
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