Opinion
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In the serene and picturesque setting of Turks and Caicos, a stark violation of human rights unfolds as American citizens remain unjustly detained.
The recent plight of Ryan Watson, an American tourist facing a possible 12-year sentence in Turks and Caicos for inadvertently carrying common ammunition in his luggage.
This is not just a simple case of international travel gone wrong but a stark reminder of the challenges Americans face abroad, especially where local laws harshly intersect with GOD-given Rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.
Ryan Watson, along with others like Bryan Hagerich and Michael Grim, finds himself ensnared in an unforgiving judicial system, despite what appears to be an honest mistake. Their stories are heart-wrenching. Watson, for instance, envisioned a dream vacation turning into a nightmare where he might miss life-defining moments like his son’s graduation over a few rounds of common ammunition that were never intended to be included and can cause no harm.
The gravity of these cases is underscored by a shift in local legal policy. Where once tourists could resolve similar misdemeanors with a fine, a court order issued in February now mandates severe prison time for such infractions.
— Office of the Premier Turks & Caicos Islands (@TCIPremier) April 24, 2024
This change not only lacks proportionality but also seems to disproportionately target Americans, as suggested by the ordeal of Michael Grim, another American being held in TCI prisons for having an ammunition magazine in his luggage, who believes his nationality influenced his harsh sentence.
This distressing situation calls for a decisive response from U.S. lawmakers, who must step up to protect the rights and freedoms of American citizens traveling abroad.
Tell Congress Take Action:
Here are five critical actions that members of Congress should urgently undertake:
- Legislative Advocacy: Introduce resolutions to formally condemn the detention of American citizens under such circumstances and call for immediate changes to Turks and Caicos’ policies on tourist detentions.
- Bilateral Dialogues: Facilitate high-level diplomatic dialogues involving U.S., British, and Turks and Caicos officials to negotiate the amendment of these disproportionate penalties.
- Sanctions and Travel Advisories: Draft legislation to impose targeted sanctions on individuals directly responsible for the harsh treatment of American tourists. Concurrently, broadly issue more forceful travel advisories to inform U.S. citizens of the risks involved in traveling to regions with such strict statutes.
- Public and International Pressure: Use public platforms and international forums to highlight these injustices and pressure Turks and Caicos to reform their legal practices, ensuring they align more closely with international human rights standards.
- Consular Support and Legal Aid: Enhance consular support for detained U.S. citizens abroad and explore the possibility of providing legal aid to ensure fair treatment and adequate representation in foreign courts.
Moreover, the U.S. State Department has already acknowledged the issue, issuing warnings for travelers to check their luggage meticulously. However, this is a reactive measure, not a proactive solution. The U.S. government must ensure that its citizens are not only forewarned about foreign legalities but also robustly supported when those laws undermine basic rights recognized in the U.S. Constitution, such as the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
The stories of Ryan Watson, Bryan Hagerich, Michael Grim, and others serve as a cautionary tale and a call to action. It is unfathomable that a simple oversight could lead to severe penalties that disrupt lives and separate families. It is the responsibility of our lawmakers to ensure that the rights of U.S. citizens are vigorously defended, both at home and abroad. Let this be a reminder that American rights should have a voice, even across foreign shores.
Read Related: SAF Travel Advisory: Avoid Turks & Caicos Islands ~ DO NOT VISIT
About Tred Law
Tred Law is your everyday patriot with a deep love for this country and a no-compromise approach to the Second Amendment. He does not write articles for AmmoLand News every week, but when he does write, it is usually about our right to keep and bear arms.
Hopefully one of his next acts after that will be to have all the commiecrats rounded up & sent to Gitmo pending tribunals for treason, crimes against humanity, organized crime, and much much more!
I read your list and I am not sure that you could get the treason part but I think organized crime and you can add definitely add conspiracy to it and it would stick so long as someone like James Homey is not in charge!!!!
Americans have no clue just how much we’re hated around the globe because of the actions of our government. Even the picturesque and serene parts of the world. Viatores cavendum – travelers, be cautioned!
Propaganda has turned some ignorant humps against Americans, but most know their country would collapse if not for the tremendous amount of aid America gives around the world. Stop the aid and they would suddenly beg the Americans to be their friends again.
nah, they’d just get it from China. I’d rather not have China establish bases off shore.
Sad but true and hardly new. In Belgium back in 1965 I saw several instances of “USA = [picture of a] swastika” painted on a wall. It’s also the first time I ever saw graffiti (which I did not understand either.)
Action Needed for the Release Unjustly Detained Americans in J6 GooIags!
this!
I hope you are right but I am not holding my breath.
send a marine contingent rescue our citizens and blockade the islands no tourists no foreign trade
No, it’s on him because he failed to ensure his carry-on bag was ammo free.
Yep. Several people on this forum disparage the ‘nanny state’. Evidently Mr. Watson needed some mentoring. It’s like flying into Mexico, Britain, or Canada. We have to play by their rules.
Contractors.
I for one, will not be traveling to the TCI and will discourage anyone thinking of traveling there to go else where. Really? Leaving the island and you are stopped and jailed for a round of ammo. I could understand smuggling in a bunch of ammo to arm the locals. Get a grip TCI, we can put you out of business. I encourage anyone reading this article to contact the corporate offices of any hotel you have stayed at in the past. They can also make a difference if they start to see a difference in their bottom line.
I pray that is exactly what happens.
As much as this may piss off some people, it’s on the traveler to know the laws where they’re traveling to and to adhere to those laws. Everyone saying that something must be done to intervene needs to look at their attitude towards the current practice of democratic district attorneys of being soft on crime. I think 12 years is a little harsh for what, as far as I know, may have only been a few rounds in the bottom of a bag but it’s still on them.
Spot on. And Tred Law got it wrong when he wrote that checking your luggage meticulously before you travel is not proactive. This case is similar to the female basketball player who possessed THC vapes in Russia; the only difference being intent. However, it would be reasonable for some governmental diplomacy to try for a reduced sentence.
When you can get the US goverment, along with state, counties, cities and towns to enforce the gun laws already on the books here I’ll give your knee jerk crybaby bs another look. T&I has strict laws on their books regarding firearms and ammo and yet you don’t want them to enforce them? Pretty hypocritical. Responsible gun owners properly store their firearms and ammo. They also obey firearms laws. And finally, there’s an old adage, negligence of the law is not an excuse. It may be a mistake, but it’s of his own doing and I for one won’t consider… Read more »
A US administration with testicles would inform the Turks ans Caicos Ambassador to the US that we will be parki g a guided missile destroyer ub their msin port i. 48 hours, and we expect our citizens to be waiting on the pier.
Or maybe send in a couple dozen “contractors” to carry out a coup.
And this is completely different from the situation of that butt-ugly dyke basketball player.
And then what? The British send a couple of their ships. Then what? It escalates into what? Lesson learned: Don’t bring ammunition the next time you visit.
Turks and Caicos comes off the list for future travel…
Jamming up US tourists for minor infractions is a small cottage industry among 3rd world nations. If the world is so friendly, it’s never expressed in the manner US civilians are treated abroad. Sometimes every grudge a nation might feed against America, can often be unloaded on these isolated Americans.
OMG, 4 rounds of ammo and 12 years in prison vs, bring in death drugs while breaking into America illegally and you get squat? Deported only to come back again?
Bravo Sierra!!!!!
Trump 2024
If I were president of the USA, I would say either let him go or no more Americans will be legally allowed to visit your shores and your people are no longer welcome here!
In one breath you rail against those that willfully break US law and the next breath you think a US citizen shouldn’t be held accountable for his actions in violating another countries laws.
You are the problem we have in the US; entitlement.
Wow, that is the second time you said the same thing. It’s like you are stuck on replay. 12 years is ridiculous and there is allot of difference in willfully landing in another country, having them check your bag and not trying to hide it, and someone intentionally breaking the law on purpose while invading a country.
Obliviously people like you are the problem. How many illegals do you have living at your house?
please explain to me the difference in a foreign country enforcing their laws against violators than it is for America to enforce its laws against foreign invaders.
These people were warned what would or could happen if firearms or ammo are brought into TCI. He failed to check, double check or triple check his carry-on bag that was used during hunting season. Hopefully he’ll get out with a hefty fine.
I’m in for the fine but not jail time. He did break their law but 12 Years minimum is ridiculous.
There’s no action to be taken here. As a firearm owner he is responsible for ensuring he complies with the law. There are no excuses.
Yes this is true, he is responsible for his actions. Responsibility is not at issue here, it is the severe penalty imposed that was a misdemeanor, as it should be, and is now a 12 year prison sentence.
He hasn’t been sentenced yet, hope he gets a fine and released.
I think some penalty is due because he did break the law and your is much more reasonable than 12 years which is Bravo Sierra. How about, you are a bad boy and you are not welcome back. I am sure the feeling of those results would be appreciated by both sides.
I concur, he should offer to donate to their favorite charity and release him.
Gee, can you tell me where anyone, even a felon, has gotten 12 years for four bullets in America? Didn’t think so.
maybe if we enforced the penalties instead of inventing new laws we’d not have the school shootings or other crap that endangers our 2A rights.
I don’t know, these people are so crazy I am not sure if it would stop but I think it might make it where less happen. Who knows, but if they did enforce the current laws on the books to the fullest extent allowed we know the streets would be safer because there would be less criminals on the street.
Hope not, we don’t need the former criminal in chief releasing criminals. Still waiting for trump or his co-conspirators to provide any proof of election fraud. People need to be held accountable for their illegal actions.
Hell yeah!
Go take a long wslk on a short pier.
Thanks, I do that when I step into my boat and never got wet.
Don’t forget to send the billionaire your money to pay his legal bills, he needs it.
Do the crime. Do the time.