Czech Musician Denied Entry to the United States

Last week, a Czech musician was denied entry into the United States, resulting in the cancellation of several concerts.

Clarinetist Jaroslav Skuta, from the Czech Republic, had been scheduled to perform in four concerts in the U.S. However, he posted on the International Clarinet Association’s Facebook page Friday morning, stating that he had been detained by immigration officers at the Detroit airport and refused entry.

“I was detained by them for several hours,” Skuta wrote. “My phone and all devices were confiscated, I was subjected to extremely rude and intimidating questioning, and they threatened to imprison me. After hours of torment, they finally ordered me to be sent back to Prague. I had all the proper documentation for an invited project — I had planned to visit Czech communities in Nebraska and Ohio with friends there and give chamber music performances in community spaces and churches. It was designed to share Czech classical music with Czech-American communities. Immigration officers didn’t believe me and clearly intended to send me back from the start. It was a devastating experience, but I hope I can return to the U.S. in the future after a change in government.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials could not be reached for comment. The concerts were organized by the Nebraska Czech Cultural and Educational Foundation.

Stephen Stigge, the foundation’s president, said he had been returning from the Czech Republic on Monday when he received an email from Skuta’s piano collaborator — who was also supposed to perform — informing him that Skuta had been detained.

Although the foundation is relatively new and had not worked with Skuta before, “I know he’s been to the U.S. in the past,” said Stigge. He also noted that in the past year, the foundation successfully brought two bands from the Czech Republic to perform in Nebraska without incident.

Since Donald Trump’s presidency, immigration enforcement has become significantly stricter, and there have been reports of travelers with valid visas being denied entry for reasons such as refusing to allow agents to search their electronic devices or having a history of criticizing the U.S. government.

Stigge said the Czech Consulate in Chicago and the Czech Ambassador have been informed of the situation and are investigating. However, he emphasized that his foundation does not want to be involved in any “political consequences” of the case. “We do want to make sure that anyone coming to perform has the correct paperwork so this doesn’t happen again,” he said.