Five American citizens are being detained in Turks and Caicos, where they face up to a dozen years in prison for having bullets in their luggage. All five maintain that they inadvertently carried ammunition into the foreign country.
U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) led a group of American lawmakers — Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Bob Good (R-VA) — to press Turks and Caicos government officials for the release of the Americans.
Photo of the meeting from Mullin’s office: pic.twitter.com/qSI32hfDeQ
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 21, 2024
Mullin reported on Monday: “Unfortunately, despite our willingness to work with Turks and Caicos officials to get our constituents home, we were not able to find a path forward today. At this point, well-intentioned American citizens are facing a dozen years in prison all for unknowingly having one or two bullets in their luggage.”
I’ve just returned from leading a bipartisan CODEL to Turks & Caicos where we met with TCI government officials to discuss the five Americans being detained on the islands, including Oklahoman Ryan Watson.
We went in respectful of their sovereignty, and with an open mind…
— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) May 21, 2024
Questions abound on social media regarding “why are there bullets in their luggage?” and “How did their luggage pass through TSA?” and “Do these lawmakers think that if people from Turks & Caicos, or any other country, come to the USA & break OUR laws ‘inadvertently’, they shouldn’t face criminal charges & just be released? What might seem like a ‘minor’ offense to some, may not be how other people see things.”
Other Americans are knocking the politicians for being so quick to visit a tourist destination on the “taxpayer dollar,” characterizing the trip as a boondoggle.