Traveling This Summer? Here's What You Need to Know About Getting Through American Airports.

Yahoo

26-05-2025

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It's that time of year: We're gearing up for summer travel. But given the chaos America has experienced thus far in 2025, some travelers are also starting to worry—if they leave the country, can they be certain they'll get back in? Will international visitors face complications coming to the U.S.?
Throughout the spring, story after story emerged about various types of travelers running into trouble when entering the U.S. A French scientist en route to a conference was denied entry after Customs and Border Protection found messages critical of Donald Trump on his phone. An Irish woman who has lived legally in the U.S. for years spent 17 days in custody because she had a criminal record for drug possession and misdemeanors from 2007 and 2008. About two weeks ago, popular Twitch streamer (and U.S. citizen) Hasan Piker was detained and questioned by border agents on his return into the country.
'It's definitely a hot topic for understandable reasons,' says Jennifer Behm, a partner with Berardi Immigration Law. 'The media has jumped on all these stories we're hearing.'
But it's also just our new reality—and immigration lawyers say they are busier than they've ever been.
'I'm seeing scores of people that I had relationships with a generation ago coming back just to be on the safe side,' says Michael Wildes, an immigration lawyer and managing partner at law firm Wildes and Weinberg.
I'm a citizen born in the U.S. who is currently living abroad, and as I watched from afar, I started to wonder about my own upcoming travel back to the States. Is it safe to travel through any airport? Am I going to be questioned for having a meme criticizing the president on my phone? What is the process like if I am? Then I started to consider what green-card holders, visa holders, and regular tourists must be thinking. I spoke to some immigration lawyers about concerns, rights, and what else people should know as they jet off this summer.
Who is most at risk?
Behm notes that while many of the cases covered in the media are newsworthy, there is often key context that the public lacks about an individual's circumstances.
'We don't always have those specific details when we read these stories in the headlines,' she says. 'I get it's a nerve-wracking time to travel. I'm often telling my clients: You're at low risk doing everything the right way.'
To wit, U.S.-born citizens can pretty much travel normally, says Wildes. As a citizen, you cannot be denied entry into the country, but you can be questioned, like Piker was. The streamer—who has been vocally pro-Palestinian and anti-Trump—says he spent two hours being interrogated by CBP at O'Hare airport in Chicago. According to various news sources, he was asked about his views on the Middle East and the president. He was eventually let go without any charges.
Behm notes she'd even say naturalized citizens should be fine too, as long as they didn't misrepresent themselves when applying for naturalization.
Green-card holders (lawful permanent residents) are the next safest category. For one, only an immigration judge can actually revoke the card. That being said, there are certain factors that could increase one's risk, says Gary Chodorow, an immigration attorney who works with green-card holders. First, any holder who has had a 'brush with the law' could be scrutinized, even if the case was dismissed. Green-card holders who have been spending a lot of time abroad—think more than six months for two years in a row—could also face challenges.
'If you have a green-card holder who's primarily abroad and they didn't file for a reentry permit, which protects their green-card status while they spend extended times abroad, well, yeah, CBP is going to have a lot of questions,' says Behm.
Just because you have a green card doesn't give you the complete right to return to the United States, adds Wildes.
Visa holders should take more caution, especially if they have past misdemeanors or have not acted consistently with the narrative of the visa they secured. Wildes cites the case of a student who came to the country on a student visa and then posted that they were working at a musical festival, which was not permitted by their visa.
'The authorities saw this and revoked his visa,' Wildes says. 'If you have people that are doing whatever it is that they do for a living on Instagram and they don't have a visa allowing it, the government can easily clip their wings.'
And while tourism to the United States is decreasing and some countries are advising against travel to the U.S., some tourists may still find their way here this summer. These individuals with no relation to the U.S. are the ones who are probably at the greatest risk for denied entry.
'Tourists have to be cautious about travel,' Wildes says. 'They should have proof that they have strong ties to their home country and have a brief, innocent, and casual intention of coming to America and departing in a timely fashion.' That is, they should only be coming for leisure or business purposes.
'Their entry is 100 percent discretionary by CBP's inspection,' Behm adds. 'They can be searched, they can be questioned, they can have their visas revoked on the spot.'
Should I allow extra time for travel?
Again, if you're a U.S. citizen, you're probably safe to continue with your travel plans. If citizens have people in their families who are more vulnerable, they may want to take extra precautions, says Wildes.
Anyone who is part of more vulnerable groups—again, those with misdemeanors or lowest residency status—may want to consider avoiding leaving the country for now, and yes, if they choose to travel, should take these possibilities into account as they plan their itineraries. (They also may want to account for potential hiccups that could make the travel take even longer.)
'We're telling individuals to only travel where it's critical and important, and that they have to understand the kind of challenge that can occur and how to conduct themselves,' Wildes says.
But it's really a case-by-case basis, Behm says.
If I'm at a higher risk and have to travel, what should I know?
If you have to visit a relative or attend to business abroad, there are a few things to keep in mind. People who fall into these higher-risk groups should consult with an attorney to make a plan, says Chodorow. He also advises bringing both a valid entry document and documents that explain your situation.
'People with a criminal record should carry with them the police and court documents showing the outcome of their case,' he says. 'People who may be accused by CBP of abandonment of permanent residence, they're going to need to carry proof with them that their stay abroad has been temporary.'
Are there certain airports or locations I should stick to? Or ones to avoid?
Chodorow says people who are at risk should think about where they enter, but that is mostly in case they have to go through legal proceedings. A person who is referred by CBP for an immigration court hearing will be scheduled in the jurisdiction of that point of entry.For instance, if you live in New York, and you enter through Los Angeles, you're going to be scheduled for an immigration hearing in Los Angeles. 'People should think about entering where their U.S. home is,' he says.
He also recommends avoiding pre-flight inspection stations, like those in Canada, Ireland, and the Caribbean. These are border control stations that are outside of the U.S. but operated by Homeland Security. If you're questioned and detained there, Chodorow says, you might be stuck in that country.
'If a person is found to be ineligible to enter the U.S., they won't even get on that plane,' he says.
Behm also notes that travelers flying into major international airports like those in New York, Miami, and L.A. may face more scrutiny. 'I'm not saying that with, again, any sort of statistics to back up, but when I have a client flying into a major airport, I always tell them: Be prepared to be patient,' she says.
But otherwise, there aren't airports that these lawyers advise travelers to avoid on the premise that they are riskier.
Can they really search my phone at the airport?
Short answer: Yes, though at JFK airport in New York, specifically, they need a warrant thanks to a local court ruling. As Wildes says: 'Everything comes out at an airport.' He maintains that U.S. citizens have a right to free speech and would likely not come into trouble for having a text conversation criticizing the administration. Citizens and green-card holders can also refuse a device search and still enter the country, though they could be questioned further.
Visa holders and tourists might want to take more precautions when traveling with phones, whether that's just erasing data temporarily, traveling with a burner, or sending phones ahead of time.
Behm also warns her clients—primarily those who are green-card and visa holders—to be cautious with social media. 'CBP officers, they have a lot of individual discretion, and yes, it could be problematic for you in the future,' she says.
What if I get pulled aside? What are they going to ask me?
Not every CBP inspection is the same, but there are a few things you can expect, says Behm She, even as a U.S. citizen, has been pulled in for questioning in the past when crossing the border from the U.S. and Canada.
During that kind of secondary inspection, CBP usually asks about your citizenship and intentions—and they have a right to do so. According to Behm, they'll start by asking about your lawful right to enter the country. The next line of questioning will be about criminality or drug use. They might also ask about where you live, where you're going in the U.S, and whether you're a tourist. They will also make sure that your response aligns with the 'optics.' For example, if you say you're coming in for a casual vacation, but they identify a wedding dress in your luggage … that might raise some eyebrows about what your real plans are.
If you're nervous about a potential interaction with CBP because of your risk category or your past, Behm recommends having a prep call with an immigration lawyer.
What else should I know?
At the end of the day, a very small percentage of travelers will have to deal with CBP questioning and detention.
'An important thing to keep in mind is that CBP—between land, air, and water ports—are inspecting and admitting over a million people into the U.S. every day,' says Behm. 'When you break it down for numbers and statistics, it is a very, very small, minuscule piece of the population of individuals who are requesting entry who aren't being admitted.'
Chodorow says you can also further minimize your contact with CBP by getting Global Entry, which is a CBP pre-approval program.
Another seemingly simple suggestion? Get a good night's sleep before a long-haul flight.
'Some people are really tired and groggy when they go through inspection, and they don't do a good job explaining their real situation,' he says.