Latest news with #BeckyBurke
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
Detained Welsh tourist tells of experience in US
A Welsh tourist who was detained in a US immigration centre has spoken of her experiences. Becky Burke, 28, spent 19 days in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing centre in Washington State after being denied entry into Canada, over a "visa mix-up". Ms Burke believed that her case was "prioritised" following a combination of media, social media and diplomatic pressure since her case was first made public. A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection previously told the BBC they could not discuss specific cases but travellers were treated with "integrity, respect and according to law". Tourist in US chained 'like Hannibal Lecter' Tourist detained in US back home in Wales, dad says Speaking to BBC World Service's Outside Source, Ms Burke said she had planned a four month backpacking trip across North America, Canada and other areas. She had flown from New York to Portland, Oregon, where she spent time with a host family, helping with household chores in return for accommodation. At the end of February she travelled to Seattle with plans to travel to Vancouver in Canada to stay with another family. "After I bought my tickets I saw that Trump had come into power so I was making sure that I left the country well within my ESTA," she said. She described how she spent six hours at the border waiting while officials were "trying to determine if what I had been doing in America counted as work". "I was getting quite worried. "I then had an interrogation for about an hour in a small room where they were asking me loads of details about what I had been doing in America and at the end of that, they had determined that I had been working in America and violated my ESTA." Ms Burke said while in the ICE centre many people were telling her that she was "lucky" to be in this one, as it was known as "one of the better ones". "A few of the woman had come from San Diego and they were telling me how awful [it was] and how they were treated. "The officers would shout at them and throw them in the shower for like five seconds [max]." She added that she wanted to use the spotlight on her to share the stories of the other woman in the centre. Ms Burke believes pressure from the press coverage helped with her early release. She said an ICE officer told her that her case had been brought to "the top of the pile" after they received an email from the British consulate. The following day she was told a flight had been booked to take her home on 18 March. A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) previously said it could not comment on specific cases for privacy reasons, but added: "All persons arriving at a port-of-entry to the United States are subject to inspection. "CBP officers treat all travellers with integrity, respect, professionalism and according to law." The spokesperson said in the event of a foreign national being found inadmissible to the United States, CBP would "provide the foreign national an opportunity to procure travel to his or her home country". "If the foreign national is unable to do so, he or she will be turned over to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) for repatriation," they added. 'Our daughter was deported in leg and waist chains' Visa rule warning as tourist detained at US border Man deported to El Salvador will never live in US, says White House
BBC News
18-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Detained Welsh tourist tells experience in US border
A Welsh tourist who was detained in a US immigration centre has spoken of her experiences for the first time. Becky Burke, 28, spent 19 days in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing centre in Washington State after being denied entry into Canada, over a "visa mix-up".Ms Burke believed that her case was "prioritised" following a combination of media, social media and diplomatic pressure since her case was first made public. A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection previously told the BBC they could not discuss specific cases but travellers were treated with "integrity, respect and according to law". Speaking to BBC World Service's Outside Source, Ms Burke said she had planned a four month backpacking trip across North America, Canada and other areas. She had flown from New York to Portland, Oregon, where she spent time with a host family, helping with household chores in return for the end of February she travelled to Seattle with plans to travel to Vancouver in Canada to stay with another family."After I bought my tickets I saw that Trump had come into power so I was making sure that I left the country well within my ESTA," she said. She described how she spent six hours at the border waiting while officials were "trying to determine if what I had been doing in America counted as work"."I was getting quite worried. "I then had an interrogation for about an hour in a small room where they were asking me loads of details about what I had been doing in America and at the end of that, they had determined that I had been working in America and violated my ESTA." Ms Burke said while in the ICE centre many people were telling her that she was "lucky" to be in this one, as it was known as "one of the better ones"."A few of the woman had come from San Diego and they were telling me how awful [it was] and how they were treated. "The officers would shout at them and throw them in the shower for like five seconds [max]."She added that she wanted to use the spotlight on her to share the stories of the other woman in the Burke believes pressure from the press coverage helped with her early release. She said an ICE officer told her that her case had been brought to "the top of the pile" after they received an email from the British consulate. The following day she was told a flight had been booked to take her home on 18 March. A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) previously said it could not comment on specific cases for privacy reasons, but added: "All persons arriving at a port-of-entry to the United States are subject to inspection."CBP officers treat all travellers with integrity, respect, professionalism and according to law."The spokesperson said in the event of a foreign national being found inadmissible to the United States, CBP would "provide the foreign national an opportunity to procure travel to his or her home country"."If the foreign national is unable to do so, he or she will be turned over to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) for repatriation," they added.
Reuters
10-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Arizona hires Buffalo's Becky Burke as head coach
April 10 - Becky Burke has been named the new head coach at Arizona after leading Buffalo to the WNIT championship. Burke, 35, was hired on Wednesday as the 10th head coach of the Wildcats, replacing Adia Barnes. She guided the Bulls to a school-record 30 wins this season, culminating with an 88-84 win over Troy in the WNIT final on Saturday. "Coach Burke is a proven program builder and rising star in collegiate women's basketball with a track record of transformational success," athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois said. "She is familiar with the Wildcats and the tight-knit community we have in Tucson." Burke said she is excited to lead a program "with such rich tradition." "Wildcats' fans fully understand the role that elite culture plays in building a program that wins championships," she said. "Our staff will be ready to make that a reality as we call Tucson home." Burke was 61-37 in three seasons at Buffalo after compiling a 30-23 record in two seasons at South Carolina Upstate from 2020-22. Before that, she was a head coach at the Division II level at Charleston ( and the NAIA level at Embry-Riddle, located in Prescott, Ariz. Barnes was 169-114 in nine seasons at Arizona, including a Final Four appearance in 2021. She left to become the head coach at SMU earlier this month.
NBC Sports
10-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Arizona hires Buffalo's Becky Burke as women's basketball coach
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona has hired Buffalo's Becky Burke as its women's basketball coach. Burke replaces Adia Barnes, who left to become SMU's coach last week. 'Our model centers around identifying head coaches who prioritize success in coaching, recruiting and the development of high-character student-athletes,' Arizona athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois said in a statement Wednesday. 'Coach Burke is a proven program builder and rising star in collegiate women's basketball with a track record of transformational success. She is familiar with the Wildcats and the tight-knit community we have in Tucson.' Burke spent the past three seasons at Buffalo, leading the Bulls to a program-record 30 wins and the WNIT title in 2024-25. She led Buffalo to the Mid-American Conference tournament championship game after being picked to finish fourth in the league. Burke previously spent two seasons as USC Upstate's coach and two a Division II University of Charleston. She also coached two seasons at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, after stints as an assistant at Saint Joseph's and Cal State Fullerton. Burke went to the NCAA Tournament as a player for Louisville three times, including a trip to the 2009 national championship game.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Becky Burke departs Buffalo for Arizona women's basketball job
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — After cutting down the nets at the end of University at Buffalo's winningest women's basketball season, Becky Burke is leaving for greener pastures in the desert. Burke was named the new coach at University of Arizona on Wednesday, three days after coaching UB to a school record 30th victory in the WNIT championship game at a sold-out Alumni Arena. Advertisement 'My three years in Buffalo have been an absolutely incredible experience,' Burke stated in a news release. 'I'm so thankful to have been able to coach so many amazing young women and work at such a prestigious University. I will forever be grateful to Mark Alnutt for trusting me to lead this program and for giving me this opportunity. The support from the community and the City of Buffalo has been absolutely unbelievable throughout my three years here. I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish during my time, and excited for the future of UB women's basketball.' Buffalo wins WNIT championship in front of sellout crowd Athletic director Mark Alnutt said UB will conduct a national search for Burke's replacement. UB's associate women's basketball coach for the past two seasons, Jacey Brooks was introduced this week as head coach at Northern Illinois University. Given our recent success and the resources that we put into our women's basketball program, this will be a very attractive job.,' Alnutt stated in the news release. Advertisement Burke, a former University of Louisville player who previously coached at University of South Carolina Upstate, went 61-37 and reached the Mid-American Conference championship game once in three seasons at UB after replacing Felicia Legette-Jack, who led the Bulls to three NCAA tournaments before leaving to coach her alma mater Syracuse University. 'I am very appreciative of the job that Becky Burke has done to elevate our women's basketball program to championship heights,' Alnutt said. 'Becky's hard work and dedication to our program helped position her for this next opportunity. From record wins on the court to record crowds in the stands, she left her mark at UB and in the Western New York community. I'm genuinely excited for Becky and her family in this next chapter.' Love and Basketball: Emotional journey leads UB Becky Burke and her wife into parenthood *** Advertisement Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
