Cosplayer Clara Tan has detailed a harrowing experience involving an arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shortly after returning from a convention. Tan, who had attended events related to the game Umamusume: Pretty Derby in California, was apprehended outside Rochester, New York’s airport on October 26.
According to Tan's account, ICE agents identified themselves and stated they had a warrant for her arrest. She alleges that when she requested to see the warrant and identification from the agents, they insisted she accompany them to their vehicle. Tan claims that as she attempted to make a phone call for assistance, the agents rushed her, knocked her phone away, and tackled her to the ground. She reported hearing a "godawful crack" from her foot as she fell and realized she was being handcuffed.
Tan states she was then taken to the Batavia Detention Center. There, she claims she was refused access to legal counsel and placed in a small room. She reported significant pain from her injured foot and that her requests for medical attention were initially ignored. Tan, who is transgender, also described asking about gender-appropriate housing arrangements and being told to "shut the fuck up." She alleges that a guard questioned her about her gender in a dismissive manner.
After approximately 14 hours of detention, Tan was reportedly able to view her arrest warrant. She claims it lacked a judge's signature and contained inaccuracies about her immigration status and entry into the U.S. Tan asserts that she possessed documentation proving her legal entry and study period in the United States, including her time at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
Following a medical evaluation confirming her claims, Tan alleges that the facility decided to release her with an ankle monitor rather than detain her until her court date. She was reportedly informed that Batavia houses "pre-op trans women" but not "anybody with a vagina."
Tan is currently seeking medical treatment for what she believes is a fractured foot. She concluded her account by reflecting on the broader implications of immigration policies, suggesting that such crackdowns can affect communities and individuals in unexpected ways, even those attending fan events.