Latest news with #FoleyFoundation
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Map Shows Where Americans Are Being Detained Overseas
More Americans are being held in Venezuela than in any other foreign country, the State Department revealed last week, buried in a travel warning urging U.S. citizens not to travel to the troubled South American nation. While a spokesperson for the department told Newsweek they could not provide specific numbers of wrongful detentions abroad out of security concerns, there are at least 43 U.S. citizens currently being held hostage or in wrongful detention, based on data provided by a group that advocates for Americans held overseas. President Donald Trump and his administration have taken an urgent approach to bringing detained Americans home, securing the release of 47 people since January 20. Dozens more remain either imprisoned in or unable to leave a foreign country. "The thing we need to keep in mind when we talk wrongful detention, this is hostage taking by foreign powers," Elizabeth Richards, director of hostage advocacy and research at the Foley Foundation, told Newsweek. "We are not looking at legitimate charges or legitimate judicial processes, as we understand them in United States. When we talk capture countries, we're talking about countries, and the leaders in those countries, who have purposely decided to treat human beings as bargaining chips." The Foley Foundation, set up in memory of the journalist James Foley who was brutally murdered by ISIS in 2014, advocates for the return of Americans being held overseas. Its most recent annual report, published in March, tracks those detained and released in the past year. It estimates that 54 Americans were held hostage or wrongfully detained in 17 countries in 2024, with between six and nine in Venezuela, eight in China, five in Russia and four in Afghanistan. Others were held in Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian Territories. Wrongful detention does not refer to the roughly 98 percent of American arrests overseas each year linked to legitimate law enforcement and judicial processes, the Foley Foundation says. In other words, it does not include those arrested following alleged criminal or civil actions in which evidence of a crime has been made public. The federal government typically allows those to play out in the respective country's legal system. In order for the State Department to consider a detention "wrongful", a case has to pass through a series of tests known as the Levinson Criteria. That includes whether a person is being held purely because they are an American citizen, if the foreign country is doing so in order to influence the U.S. government, and even if the person is being held in violation of the foreign country's own laws. Richards told Newsweek that this criterion does not cover all Americans who cannot come home. "Now we know the U.S. government doesn't publicly put out any numbers, and when we say 43 Americans, we count exit bans in our numbers," Richards said. "Our understanding is the U.S. government currently doesn't count exit bands as wrongful detentions, though we think that might be evolving, and we would hope that the U.S. government would eventually treat exit bands as any other type of wrongful detention." Exit bans stop people from leaving the country they are in, though they are not held in a prison or jail. The Foley Foundation estimated that around a quarter of Americans wrongfully held last year were subjected to such orders. A spokesperson for the State Department told Newsweek that the department does not provide specific numbers on wrongful detentions due to privacy, security and "other reasons." On May 6, the White House put out a list of some of the 47 Americans the Trump administration had successfully brought back to the U.S. since January, including ballerina Ksenia Karelina, held in Russia for 14 months, and Marc Fogel, a teacher also held in Russia for several years. While high-profile cases like these receive the bulk of media attention, Richards said many wrongfully detained Americans remain overseas without much hope. "Sometimes it's difficult for families to get attention to their case and we only know cases where there's public information available, or the family has come to us for support," she said. "Some families will choose to be quiet, choose not to work with anyone and that's fine, that their right, and we work with plenty of families too, where we don't publish the name of their loved one," she added. "But that's always the choice of that family advocating for them, but if we don't have clear metrics, it makes it difficult I think for the general public to understand the scale and the scope of the problem." The State Department spokesperson told Newsweek that President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were committed to bringing all Americans unjustly detained overseas home, but factors such as a lack of U.S. embassy or poor diplomatic relations can make the work of State Department officials difficult. Many Americans wrongfully detained are held for months or years. George Glezmann was taken by the Taliban in Afghanistan, where there is no longer an American embassy, and held for 836 days. He was finally released in March. Venezuela, highlighted by the State Department on May 27, also does not have a U.S. embassy. The relationship between the two countries remains strained. "Venezuelan security forces have detained U.S. citizens for up to five years without respect to due process, in harsh conditions-including torture-frequently based solely on their U.S. nationality or U.S. passport," the department said in a press release. The Foley Foundation noted in its annual report that through the end of 2024, the State Department had not included those held in Venezuela as wrongfully detained. The Trump administration's announcement last week, which included a warning for Americans not to travel to Venezuela over fears of wrongful detention, marked a shift in U.S. foreign policy. The Bring Our Families Home project, funded by the Foley Foundation, lists the names and faces of those still wrongfully held abroad, including Wilbert Castaneda, an American sailor and father of four who was "forcibly disappeared" by the Venezuelan government, according to the project. The project lists nine others it is actively working on behalf of to secure their release, from Venezuela, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan. Humanitarian organizations like the Foley Foundation and Amnesty International are continuing their work to free U.S. citizens alongside the federal government. In 2024, 17 Americans were released - including three hostages - with some freed as part of prisoner exchanges. That number has been far surpassed already in 2025, with the White House making the announcement in early May that the new administration had already secured the release of 47 Americans. "We are tracking more returns so far for this year than all of 2024, so that is excellent and we would love to see that continue," Richards said, adding that she believes there is always more which could be done by the government. "One challenge we know our families routinely face is just trying to get U.S. government leaders to meet with them, to learn the stories of their loved ones, and trying to get that up to the president of the United States." Related Articles U.S. Doubles Down on Iran Nuclear ThreatIndia-Pakistan Update: Trump Offers to Help After Missile StrikesMarco Rubio Has the State Department Back on Mission | OpinionUS-China Military Rivalry Flares in the Middle East 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where Americans Are Being Detained Overseas
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. More Americans are being held in Venezuela than in any other foreign country, the State Department revealed last week, buried in a travel warning urging U.S. citizens not to travel to the troubled South American nation. While a spokesperson for the department told Newsweek they could not provide specific numbers of wrongful detentions abroad out of security concerns, there are at least 43 U.S. citizens currently being held hostage or in wrongful detention, based on data provided by a group that advocates for Americans held overseas. President Donald Trump and his administration have taken an urgent approach to bringing detained Americans home, securing the release of 47 people since January 20. Dozens more remain either imprisoned in or unable to leave a foreign country. "The thing we need to keep in mind when we talk wrongful detention, this is hostage taking by foreign powers," Elizabeth Richards, director of hostage advocacy and research at the Foley Foundation, told Newsweek. "We are not looking at legitimate charges or legitimate judicial processes, as we understand them in United States. When we talk capture countries, we're talking about countries, and the leaders in those countries, who have purposely decided to treat human beings as bargaining chips." The Foley Foundation, set up in memory of the journalist James Foley who was brutally murdered by ISIS in 2014, advocates for the return of Americans being held overseas. Its most recent annual report, published in March, tracks those detained and released in the past year. It estimates that 54 Americans were held hostage or wrongfully detained in 17 countries in 2024, with between six and nine in Venezuela, eight in China, five in Russia and four in Afghanistan. Others were held in Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian Territories. What Is Wrongful Detention? Wrongful detention does not refer to the roughly 98 percent of American arrests overseas each year linked to legitimate law enforcement and judicial processes, the Foley Foundation says. In other words, it does not include those arrested following alleged criminal or civil actions in which evidence of a crime has been made public. The federal government typically allows those to play out in the respective country's legal system. In order for the State Department to consider a detention "wrongful", a case has to pass through a series of tests known as the Levinson Criteria. That includes whether a person is being held purely because they are an American citizen, if the foreign country is doing so in order to influence the U.S. government, and even if the person is being held in violation of the foreign country's own laws. Richards told Newsweek that this criterion does not cover all Americans who cannot come home. "Now we know the U.S. government doesn't publicly put out any numbers, and when we say 43 Americans, we count exit bans in our numbers," Richards said. "Our understanding is the U.S. government currently doesn't count exit bands as wrongful detentions, though we think that might be evolving, and we would hope that the U.S. government would eventually treat exit bands as any other type of wrongful detention." Exit bans stop people from leaving the country they are in, though they are not held in a prison or jail. The Foley Foundation estimated that around a quarter of Americans wrongfully held last year were subjected to such orders. A spokesperson for the State Department told Newsweek that the department does not provide specific numbers on wrongful detentions due to privacy, security and "other reasons." A Difficult Dance of Diplomacy Left: U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Marc Fogel back to the United States after being released from Russian custody, at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Right: US-Russian ballet dancer Ksenia... Left: U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Marc Fogel back to the United States after being released from Russian custody, at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Right: US-Russian ballet dancer Ksenia Karelina and her boyfriend South African boxer Chris van Heerden embrace as she arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, following her release from Russia on April 10, 2025. More Al Drago/ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images On May 6, the White House put out a list of some of the 47 Americans the Trump administration had successfully brought back to the U.S. since January, including ballerina Ksenia Karelina, held in Russia for 14 months, and Marc Fogel, a teacher also held in Russia for several years. While high-profile cases like these receive the bulk of media attention, Richards said many wrongfully detained Americans remain overseas without much hope. "Sometimes it's difficult for families to get attention to their case and we only know cases where there's public information available, or the family has come to us for support," she said. "Some families will choose to be quiet, choose not to work with anyone and that's fine, that their right, and we work with plenty of families too, where we don't publish the name of their loved one," she added. "But that's always the choice of that family advocating for them, but if we don't have clear metrics, it makes it difficult I think for the general public to understand the scale and the scope of the problem." The State Department spokesperson told Newsweek that President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were committed to bringing all Americans unjustly detained overseas home, but factors such as a lack of U.S. embassy or poor diplomatic relations can make the work of State Department officials difficult. Many Americans wrongfully detained are held for months or years. George Glezmann was taken by the Taliban in Afghanistan, where there is no longer an American embassy, and held for 836 days. He was finally released in March. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks to supporters as he celebrates the results of the parliamentary and regional elections at the Bolivar square in Caracas on May 25, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks to supporters as he celebrates the results of the parliamentary and regional elections at the Bolivar square in Caracas on May 25, 2025. FEDERICO PARRA/AFP via Getty Images Venezuela, highlighted by the State Department on May 27, also does not have a U.S. embassy. The relationship between the two countries remains strained. "Venezuelan security forces have detained U.S. citizens for up to five years without respect to due process, in harsh conditions—including torture—frequently based solely on their U.S. nationality or U.S. passport," the department said in a press release. The Foley Foundation noted in its annual report that through the end of 2024, the State Department had not included those held in Venezuela as wrongfully detained. The Trump administration's announcement last week, which included a warning for Americans not to travel to Venezuela over fears of wrongful detention, marked a shift in U.S. foreign policy. Work Ongoing to Bring Americans Home The Bring Our Families Home project, funded by the Foley Foundation, lists the names and faces of those still wrongfully held abroad, including Wilbert Castaneda, an American sailor and father of four who was "forcibly disappeared" by the Venezuelan government, according to the project. The project lists nine others it is actively working on behalf of to secure their release, from Venezuela, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan. Humanitarian organizations like the Foley Foundation and Amnesty International are continuing their work to free U.S. citizens alongside the federal government. In 2024, 17 Americans were released — including three hostages — with some freed as part of prisoner exchanges. That number has been far surpassed already in 2025, with the White House making the announcement in early May that the new administration had already secured the release of 47 Americans. "We are tracking more returns so far for this year than all of 2024, so that is excellent and we would love to see that continue," Richards said, adding that she believes there is always more which could be done by the government. "One challenge we know our families routinely face is just trying to get U.S. government leaders to meet with them, to learn the stories of their loved ones, and trying to get that up to the president of the United States."
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Brother of American Detained in China Tells US: ‘Don't Just Talk About It'
National Brother of American Detained in China Tells US: 'Don't Just Talk About It' The brother of an American woman said to be wrongfully held in a Chinese prison for over a decade has a message for the federal government: "Don't just talk about it, be about it." Dawn Michelle Hunt has been in Guangdong Women's Prison since her 2014 arrest for drug smuggling-a charge that she, her brother and father have consistently denied. In a similar case, Nelson Wells Jr. has spent over a decade in a Chinese cell for drug charges that he and his representatives say are dubious. "The time for politicking about this stuff, it's over," Dawn Hunt's brother, Tim Hunt, formerly a 28-year Chicago Police veteran, told Newsweek. "Everybody talks about reaching across the aisle; everybody talks about what's best for America because everybody wants to talk about making America strong. That's cool. countries that ain't as strong are jealous. If they keep taking your people and you don't have a playbook to get your people back, you aren't as strong as you think you are. All these about doing stuff: please, please, please do it. Don't just talk about it, be about it." Dawn Hunt and Wells Jr. are just two of an estimated 200-plus U.S. citizens said to be wrongfully detained by China. Americans John Leung, Kai Li and Mark Swidan came home the day before Thanksgiving last year as part of a prisoner swap, spurred by a congressional committee. It mirrored the return in September of U.S. citizen David Lin after nearly 20 years. Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for China's embassy in the U.S., told Newsweek he was unaware of the detainment of Dawn Hunt and Wells Jr. "I would like to share China's principled position on this matter: China is a country governed by the rule of law and consistently safeguards the safety and lawful rights and interests of foreigners in China in accordance with the law," he said, adding: "At the same time, all foreign nationals in or entering China must abide by Chinese laws, and those who violate the law will be held accountable." Recent Foley Foundation findings show that while some Americans were freed from jails overseas in 2024, progress was minimal. Statistics suggest that more Americans were wrongfully detained between 2015 and 2024 than between 2005 and 2014. "The Foley Foundation is encouraged by the energy the new administration has brought to the issue of hostage recovery, and views the fast start as a hopeful sign that progress can be made on several longstanding cases, in addition to others where American captives are facing acute physical and mental health issues," Elizabeth Richards, Foley Foundation's director of hostage advocacy and research, told Newsweek. US Envoy for Hostages Adam Boehler speaks during a US hostage and wrongful detainee flag raising ceremony at the State Department in Washington, DC, on March 6, 2025. JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty John Kamm, chair of San Francisco-based nonprofit Dui Hua Foundation, told Newsweek in March that he filed a new appeal to press China for clemency for Dawn Hunt and Wells Jr. "Years ago, a senior Chinese official told me, 'When U.S.-China relations are bad, your work suffers. When U.S.-China relations are good, you benefit,'" he said. "My work is now in the suffer stage." The U.S. Department of State told Newsweek it takes claims of mistreatment of U.S. citizens "seriously" and raises concerns with host governments over credible reports. "The Chinese government arbitrarily enforces local laws without fair and transparent process under the law.... The Department of State continuously monitors the circumstances surrounding the detentions of U.S. citizens overseas, including those in China, for indicators that the detentions may be wrongful," it said. Dawn Hunt, 53, arrived in China after winning a contest, spending about two weeks there. She was then offered a trip to Australia. Contest organizers purportedly gave her a designer bag that, unbeknown to her, was lined with drugs and flagged by airport security, according to Tim Hunt. She was detained, arrested, later found guilty via trial and sentenced to death. She has since developed uterine fibroids and potentially ovarian cancer. Tim Hunt said she had blood transfusions due to heavy bleeding but refused a hysterectomy out of distrust for her caretakers and a medical exam due to fears about China's government collecting her DNA for nefarious reasons, he said. After failed efforts by the Obama, first Trump and Biden administrations, Tim Hunt has cautious optimism that the current one will make detained Americans a priority, citing the releases of Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich and Marc Fogel from Russian detention. "I don't care who's in office, OK?" he said. "This isn't political for me; it's not political for the Wells family. This should not happen. We're American." He said he's been in contact with the offices of his Illinois state Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth-who Newsweek contacted for comment-in the hope they will put forward a resolution in Congress urging the release of Americans from their adversary. Dawn Hunt told him on March 28, the last time they spoke, that she is thankful for all domestic efforts toward her release. Moped Accident to Wrongful Detainment Dad-of-three Wells Jr. was arrested in China in May 2014. According to family and representatives, the New Orleans native, 51, had a moped accident in Japan that resulted in a head injury. He traveled to China for medical aid and nearly exhausted his finances. Wells Jr. was arrested by Chinese authorities for drug charges that both he and his family vehemently deny. His term was reduced from life to 22 years in 2019. Wells Jr.'s health has deteriorated since he was jailed. His father, Nelson Wells Sr., told Newsweek that hopes for his son's release fluctuate alongside presidential administrations. Political posturing in the past year has amplified due to U.S. prisoner releases from Russia and China, combined with efforts from the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China, or CECC. Yet aside from officials in Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy's office, the Wells say they have had silence from Senator John Kennedy and House Speaker Mike Johnson. A spokesperson for the speaker told Newsweek that Johnson hasn't spoken to the family since Trump took office "but the Speaker's staff has spoken with the Wells family multiple times this year." Former prisoners released by Russia, US journalist Evan Gershkovich (10thL), former US marine Paul Whelan (9thL), and US-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva (8thL) pose behind a banner reading "Hostages and Wrongful Detainees, Bring Them Home" after landing at Joint Base San Antonio-Kelly Field, Texas, on August 2, 2024. Journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow prisoners released by Russia landed in the United States late August 1, as part of an extraordinary swap deal struck between Washington and Moscow. A plane carrying Gershkovich, former US marine Paul Whelan, and journalist Alsu Kurmasheva landed at around 11:40 pm (0340 GMT) at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, where President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were waiting to greet them. SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP/Getty In 2023, around the time Johnson became speaker, Wells Sr. told CBS affiliate KSLA: "Mike Johnson was the only one that called and explained everything, what he can and cannot do." "Mike Johnson took concern and he said, 'I will do this, look into it and see any loopholes,'" Wells Sr. said. The Wells family shared with Newsweek a letter that Nicholas Burns, then U.S. ambassador to China, sent them on January 13, before the Biden administration concluded. It says that he wrote to Chongqing Prison Administration Bureau's director general about reports of mistreatment and discrimination against Wells Jr.-who is Black and said to be the only minority in his all-Chinese jail-plus his living conditions. Burns said he raised the Wells' request for a video call with their son, adding: "We will continue to closely monitor Nelson's medical situation and are actively working with prison authorities to ensure that he receives necessary medical care." Visits to Wells Jr. by embassy and consular officials every other month were promised by U.S. officials. Burns vowed "continued commitment to support Nelson's welfare and well-being" and to iterate the same to his successor, recently confirmed to be David Perdue. Wells Jr. was in higher spirits during his last conversation with his parents, on February 28. He said he required a colonoscopy, dental work and treatment for an abscess and had another visit with his psychiatrist. "[Meeting with consular officials] lifted his spirits, and I believe that's the reason why he was so cheerful.... he feels as though it is giving him hope. The bad side about that is if nothing materializes. That's what I'm afraid of," Wells Sr. said. What's Next? CECC Chair Christopher Smith said President Donald Trump made imprisoned Americans a priority in his first term and is continuing efforts. "I sent a letter to the president [in February] asking him to prioritize their release and am working to introduce hopefully raise the diplomatic stakes for China and ultimately bring home Americans unjustly detained there," he told Newsweek. Joi Chaney, founder of consulting firm J.O.I. Strategies and adviser to the Wells family, said special hostage envoy Adam Boehler wants to raise more public awareness about Americans held overseas. Peter Humphrey, an ex-prisoner of China who advises imprisoned Americans' families, told Newsweek "now is the time" to contact everyone who can facilitate releases. "We need to get Cassidy and Johnson to reach out now to the hostage envoy's office, and we should be doing so ourselves," he said. "That's on our action list." Richards said a "more adversarial" tone toward China, including tariffs, could hurt efforts, but said: "We admire the passion Boehler has brought to the position. We also have hope that under [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio's leadership, the State Department will be more forward leaning in the support provided to families, especially for families that do not have a wrongful detention designation yet." Related Articles 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC. This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
Newsweek
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Brother of American Detained in China Tells US: 'Don't Just Talk About It'
The brother of an American woman said to be wrongfully held in a Chinese prison for over a decade has a message for the federal government: "Don't just talk about it, be about it." Dawn Michelle Hunt has been in Guangdong Women's Prison since her 2014 arrest for drug smuggling—a charge that she, her brother and father have consistently denied. In a similar case, Nelson Wells Jr. has spent over a decade in a Chinese cell for drug charges that he and his representatives say are dubious. "The time for politicking about this stuff, it's over," Dawn Hunt's brother, Tim Hunt, formerly a 28-year Chicago Police veteran, told Newsweek. "Everybody talks about reaching across the aisle; everybody talks about what's best for America because everybody wants to talk about making America strong. That's cool. countries that ain't as strong are jealous. If they keep taking your people and you don't have a playbook to get your people back, you aren't as strong as you think you are. All these about doing stuff: please, please, please do it. Don't just talk about it, be about it." Vector illustration of the Arrested man hand and hand cuffs Vector illustration of the Arrested man hand and hand cuffs Branchegevara/Getty Dawn Hunt and Wells Jr. are just two of an estimated 200-plus U.S. citizens said to be wrongfully detained by China. Americans John Leung, Kai Li and Mark Swidan came home the day before Thanksgiving last year as part of a prisoner swap, spurred by a congressional committee. It mirrored the return in September of U.S. citizen David Lin after nearly 20 years. Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for China's embassy in the U.S., told Newsweek he was unaware of the detainment of Dawn Hunt and Wells Jr. "I would like to share China's principled position on this matter: China is a country governed by the rule of law and consistently safeguards the safety and lawful rights and interests of foreigners in China in accordance with the law," he said, adding: "At the same time, all foreign nationals in or entering China must abide by Chinese laws, and those who violate the law will be held accountable." Recent Foley Foundation findings show that while some Americans were freed from jails overseas in 2024, progress was minimal. Statistics suggest that more Americans were wrongfully detained between 2015 and 2024 than between 2005 and 2014. "The Foley Foundation is encouraged by the energy the new administration has brought to the issue of hostage recovery, and views the fast start as a hopeful sign that progress can be made on several longstanding cases, in addition to others where American captives are facing acute physical and mental health issues," Elizabeth Richards, Foley Foundation's director of hostage advocacy and research, told Newsweek. US Envoy for Hostages Adam Boehler speaks during a US hostage and wrongful detainee flag raising ceremony at the State Department in Washington, DC, on March 6, 2025. US Envoy for Hostages Adam Boehler speaks during a US hostage and wrongful detainee flag raising ceremony at the State Department in Washington, DC, on March 6, 2025. JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty John Kamm, chair of San Francisco-based nonprofit Dui Hua Foundation, told Newsweek in March that he filed a new appeal to press China for clemency for Dawn Hunt and Wells Jr. "Years ago, a senior Chinese official told me, 'When U.S.-China relations are bad, your work suffers. When U.S.-China relations are good, you benefit,'" he said. "My work is now in the suffer stage." The U.S. Department of State told Newsweek it takes claims of mistreatment of U.S. citizens "seriously" and raises concerns with host governments over credible reports. "The Chinese government arbitrarily enforces local laws without fair and transparent process under the law.... The Department of State continuously monitors the circumstances surrounding the detentions of U.S. citizens overseas, including those in China, for indicators that the detentions may be wrongful," it said. Dawn Hunt, 53, arrived in China after winning a contest, spending about two weeks there. She was then offered a trip to Australia. Contest organizers purportedly gave her a designer bag that, unbeknown to her, was lined with drugs and flagged by airport security, according to Tim Hunt. She was detained, arrested, later found guilty via trial and sentenced to death. She has since developed uterine fibroids and potentially ovarian cancer. Tim Hunt said she had blood transfusions due to heavy bleeding but refused a hysterectomy out of distrust for her caretakers and a medical exam due to fears about China's government collecting her DNA for nefarious reasons, he said. After failed efforts by the Obama, first Trump and Biden administrations, Tim Hunt has cautious optimism that the current one will make detained Americans a priority, citing the releases of Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich and Marc Fogel from Russian detention. "I don't care who's in office, OK?" he said. "This isn't political for me; it's not political for the Wells family. This should not happen. We're American." He said he's been in contact with the offices of his Illinois state Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth—who Newsweek contacted for comment—in the hope they will put forward a resolution in Congress urging the release of Americans from their adversary. Dawn Hunt told him on March 28, the last time they spoke, that she is thankful for all domestic efforts toward her release. Moped Accident to Wrongful Detainment Dad-of-three Wells Jr. was arrested in China in May 2014. According to family and representatives, the New Orleans native, 51, had a moped accident in Japan that resulted in a head injury. He traveled to China for medical aid and nearly exhausted his finances. Wells Jr. was arrested by Chinese authorities for drug charges that both he and his family vehemently deny. His term was reduced from life to 22 years in 2019. Wells Jr.'s health has deteriorated since he was jailed. His father, Nelson Wells Sr., told Newsweek that hopes for his son's release fluctuate alongside presidential administrations. Political posturing in the past year has amplified due to U.S. prisoner releases from Russia and China, combined with efforts from the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China, or CECC. Yet aside from officials in Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy's office, the Wells say they have had silence from Senator John Kennedy and House Speaker Mike Johnson. A spokesperson for the speaker told Newsweek that Johnson hasn't spoken to the family since Trump took office "but the Speaker's staff has spoken with the Wells family multiple times this year." Former prisoners released by Russia, US journalist Evan Gershkovich (10thL), former US marine Paul Whelan (9thL), and US-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva (8thL) pose behind a banner reading "Hostages and Wrongful Detainees, Bring Them Home" after... Former prisoners released by Russia, US journalist Evan Gershkovich (10thL), former US marine Paul Whelan (9thL), and US-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva (8thL) pose behind a banner reading "Hostages and Wrongful Detainees, Bring Them Home" after landing at Joint Base San Antonio-Kelly Field, Texas, on August 2, 2024. More SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP/Getty In 2023, around the time Johnson became speaker, Wells Sr. told CBS affiliate KSLA: "Mike Johnson was the only one that called and explained everything, what he can and cannot do." "Mike Johnson took concern and he said, 'I will do this, look into it and see any loopholes,'" Wells Sr. said. The Wells family shared with Newsweek a letter that Nicholas Burns, then U.S. ambassador to China, sent them on January 13, before the Biden administration concluded. It says that he wrote to Chongqing Prison Administration Bureau's director general about reports of mistreatment and discrimination against Wells Jr.—who is Black and said to be the only minority in his all-Chinese jail—plus his living conditions. Burns said he raised the Wells' request for a video call with their son, adding: "We will continue to closely monitor Nelson's medical situation and are actively working with prison authorities to ensure that he receives necessary medical care." Visits to Wells Jr. by embassy and consular officials every other month were promised by U.S. officials. Burns vowed "continued commitment to support Nelson's welfare and well-being" and to iterate the same to his successor, recently confirmed to be David Perdue. Wells Jr. was in higher spirits during his last conversation with his parents, on February 28. He said he required a colonoscopy, dental work and treatment for an abscess and had another visit with his psychiatrist. "[Meeting with consular officials] lifted his spirits, and I believe that's the reason why he was so cheerful.... he feels as though it is giving him hope. The bad side about that is if nothing materializes. That's what I'm afraid of," Wells Sr. said. What's Next? CECC Chair Christopher Smith said President Donald Trump made imprisoned Americans a priority in his first term and is continuing efforts. "I sent a letter to the president [in February] asking him to prioritize their release and am working to introduce hopefully raise the diplomatic stakes for China and ultimately bring home Americans unjustly detained there," he told Newsweek. Joi Chaney, founder of consulting firm J.O.I. Strategies and adviser to the Wells family, said special hostage envoy Adam Boehler wants to raise more public awareness about Americans held overseas. Peter Humphrey, an ex-prisoner of China who advises imprisoned Americans' families, told Newsweek "now is the time" to contact everyone who can facilitate releases. "We need to get Cassidy and Johnson to reach out now to the hostage envoy's office, and we should be doing so ourselves," he said. "That's on our action list." Richards said a "more adversarial" tone toward China, including tariffs, could hurt efforts, but said: "We admire the passion Boehler has brought to the position. We also have hope that under [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio's leadership, the State Department will be more forward leaning in the support provided to families, especially for families that do not have a wrongful detention designation yet."
Fox News
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump so far has freed 11 hostages in his first month as president; Biden released around 70 in four years
President Donald Trump's administration has secured the release of 11 U.S. hostages held by foreign governments since taking office less than one month ago, according to the White House. The Trump administration has emphasized arranging the release of U.S. hostages under his second administration and welcomed U.S. Marc Fogel, a U.S. history teacher who had been detained in Russia since 2021, back to the U.S. Tuesday. Other hostages released since Trump's inauguration include six Americans detained in Venezuela, two Americans detained in Belarus and Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, who was held hostage by Palestinian militant group Hamas. There are at least two living American citizen hostages believed to be held in Gaza. By comparison, former President Joe Biden said in 2024 his White House secured the release of more than 70 hostages during his four years in office, according to an August 2024 statement. Fox News Digital didn't find any available data to compare numbers from Biden's first month in office. There were 46 American nationals known to be held captive in 16 different countries in 2024, according to the nonprofit Foley Foundation, which advocates for U.S. hostages and was named after James Foley, a U.S. journalist kidnapped while reporting in Syria in 2012 and killed by ISIS in 2014. That number is now likely closer to the low 30s after the recent releases of hostages in January and February. On Tuesday, Trump met with Fogel, who was arrested in August 2021 at a Russian airport for possessing drugs and was slated to serve a 14-year sentence. Fogel's family said the drugs he had on him were medically prescribed marijuana. "I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all," Fogel said Tuesday after meeting Trump. "And President Trump is a hero. "These men that came from the diplomatic service are heroes," Fogel said. "The senators and representatives that passed legislation in my honor — they got me home — they are heroes." Following Foley's return and after announcing the release of another, unnamed hostage held in Belarus Wednesday, Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler said Trump "has made bringing Americans home a top priority, and people respond to that." The names of most of the hostages released in February have not been publicly shared. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital about which hostages the U.S. was planning to release next. Just before Trump's inauguration Jan. 20, both the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration coordinated to secure a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which included provisions to release dozens of hostages on both sides. Biden and Trump separately boasted about their individual efforts to secure the deal, and State Department spokesman Matthew Miller described the Trump administration's involvement as "critical" to getting the deal over the finish line. Trump also touted his administration's involvement in a social media post Jan. 15, claiming it occurred "as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies." Although Biden said the two teams had been "speaking as one team" during the negotiations, he also mocked suggestions that Trump was responsible for securing the ceasefire deal. "Who in the history books gets credit for this, Mr. President, you or Trump?" Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich asked Biden Jan. 15 after a White House news conference. "Is that a joke?" Biden said. When Heinrich said it was not, Biden replied, "Oh. Thank you."
