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News.com.au
28-04-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Australians cancel US trips over border crackdown concerns
Australians are cancelling trips to the US as a border crackdown frightens international visitors. Combined with a weak Australian Dollar, some travellers have stated online they are rescheduling or cancelling. The concern comes after two Germans – who hadn't booked any accommodation – were strip searched and detained at Honolulu Airport, held in custody overnight and then sent packing back to Europe. 'Are there any other Aussies that are thinking about cancelling their trip to the US?' TikTok user Remi Meli posted online this week. Ms Meli says she plans to see New York in December, but reports of travellers being detained had made her think twice. Executive orders from Donald Trump are forcing border officials to implement 'enhanced vetting and screening for all foreign nationals intending to enter, or already present in, the United States'. Various Australian academics have spoken up about cancelling trips to conferences for fear of being detained or refused entry. Australian immigration lawyers have issued public statements advising travellers to print out bank statements and have detailed itineraries on hand. Disposable burner phones are also advisable, so personal devices are not thoroughly invaded. A string of notable border incidents have unfolded since Trump's executive order. A Lebanese doctor with a US visa and a job at a Rhode Island hospital was denied entry. Europeans are telling media agencies they have been stopped at US borders and held at detention facilities for weeks, despite holding tourist or work visas. 'I know it's very unlikely … still enough time for me to cancel my trip and reschedule or go somewhere else entirely. So is that the consensus, is that what people are doing?' Ms Mali said in her post. Multiple commenters on Ms Mali's post – which has garnered 3800 comments – said they had rebooked, but many others said they had no dramas at the border. 'I was supposed to go to America in March and cancelled. Going to Europe in October instead now. I had a lot of friends in America saying it wasn't safe because I'm trans,' one person said. 'I cancelled my trip that was in 2 weeks time. All of my friends over there have advised to stay away. It's just not worth the risk,' said another. 'I cancelled. Friends that live over there and work in the airports are saying it's getting bad. They will stop you and search laptops and phones,' said another. Plenty of people are saying they had no issues upon arriving in the US, and concern about the situation was scaremongering. 'Don't cancel. I was scared of the same issue we got through fine. Answer their questions honestly, know where you're going/staying, how long you are staying for etc. Best experience. I want to go back!,' one woman said. 'I'm an Australian and I just travelled to NY and LA a few weeks ago and was fine,' said another. Figures released by the US government earlier this month show overseas visitor numbers to the US fell more than 11 per cent in March compared to the year before, and were down 3 per cent for the first three months of the year. The official Australian government travel advice notes approved Electronic System for Travel Authorisation documents and visas do not guarantee entry. 'An approved ESTA or valid visa doesn't guarantee entry to the United States. US Customs and Border Protection officials at the port of entry will determine your eligibility,' the advice says.
West Australian
28-04-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Australians cancel US trips over border crackdown concerns
Australians are cancelling trips to the US as a border crackdown frightens international visitors. Combined with a weak Australian Dollar, some travellers have stated online they are rescheduling or cancelling. The concern comes after two Germans – who hadn't booked any accommodation – were strip searched and detained at Honolulu Airport, held in custody overnight and then sent packing back to Europe. 'Are there any other Aussies that are thinking about cancelling their trip to the US?' TikTok user Remi Meli posted online this week. Ms Meli says she plans to see New York in December, but reports of travellers being detained had made her think twice. Executive orders from Donald Trump are forcing border officials to implement 'enhanced vetting and screening for all foreign nationals intending to enter, or already present in, the United States'. Various Australian academics have spoken up about cancelling trips to conferences for fear of being detained or refused entry. Australian immigration lawyers have issued public statements advising travellers to print out bank statements and have detailed itineraries on hand. Disposable burner phones are also advisable, so personal devices are not thoroughly invaded. A string of notable border incidents have unfolded since Trump's executive order. A Lebanese doctor with a US visa and a job at a Rhode Island hospital was denied entry. Europeans are telling media agencies they have been stopped at US borders and held at detention facilities for weeks, despite holding tourist or work visas. 'I know it's very unlikely … still enough time for me to cancel my trip and reschedule or go somewhere else entirely. So is that the consensus, is that what people are doing?' Ms Mali said in her post. Multiple commenters on Ms Mali's post – which has garnered 3800 comments – said they had rebooked, but many others said they had no dramas at the border. 'I was supposed to go to America in March and cancelled. Going to Europe in October instead now. I had a lot of friends in America saying it wasn't safe because I'm trans,' one person said. 'I cancelled my trip that was in 2 weeks time. All of my friends over there have advised to stay away. It's just not worth the risk,' said another. 'I cancelled. Friends that live over there and work in the airports are saying it's getting bad. They will stop you and search laptops and phones,' said another. Plenty of people are saying they had no issues upon arriving in the US, and concern about the situation was scaremongering. 'Don't cancel. I was scared of the same issue we got through fine. Answer their questions honestly, know where you're going/staying, how long you are staying for etc. Best experience. I want to go back!,' one woman said. 'I'm an Australian and I just travelled to NY and LA a few weeks ago and was fine,' said another. Figures released by the US government earlier this month show overseas visitor numbers to the US fell more than 11 per cent in March compared to the year before, and were down 3 per cent for the first three months of the year. The official Australian government travel advice notes approved Electronic System for Travel Authorisation documents and visas do not guarantee entry. 'An approved ESTA or valid visa doesn't guarantee entry to the United States. US Customs and Border Protection officials at the port of entry will determine your eligibility,' the advice says.
Perth Now
28-04-2025
- Perth Now
TikTok shows Aussies scared to travel to US
Australians are cancelling trips to the US as a border crackdown frightens international visitors. Combined with a weak Australian Dollar, some travellers have stated online they are rescheduling or cancelling. The concern comes after two Germans – who hadn't booked any accommodation – were strip searched and detained at Honolulu Airport, held in custody overnight and then sent packing back to Europe. 'Are there any other Aussies that are thinking about cancelling their trip to the US?' TikTok user Remi Meli posted online this week. Ms Meli says she plans to see New York in December, but reports of travellers being detained had made her think twice. Australian woman Remi Meli says crackdowns at the US border have her reconsidering her international trip. TikTok Credit: Supplied Executive orders from Donald Trump are forcing border officials to implement 'enhanced vetting and screening for all foreign nationals intending to enter, or already present in, the United States'. Various Australian academics have spoken up about cancelling trips to conferences for fear of being detained or refused entry. Australian immigration lawyers have issued public statements advising travellers to print out bank statements and have detailed itineraries on hand. Disposable burner phones are also advisable, so personal devices are not thoroughly invaded. A string of notable border incidents have unfolded since Trump's executive order. A Lebanese doctor with a US visa and a job at a Rhode Island hospital was denied entry. Europeans are telling media agencies they have been stopped at US borders and held at detention facilities for weeks, despite holding tourist or work visas. 'I know it's very unlikely … still enough time for me to cancel my trip and reschedule or go somewhere else entirely. So is that the consensus, is that what people are doing?' Ms Mali said in her post. Multiple commenters on Ms Mali's post – which has garnered 3800 comments – said they had rebooked, but many others said they had no dramas at the border. 'I was supposed to go to America in March and cancelled. Going to Europe in October instead now. I had a lot of friends in America saying it wasn't safe because I'm trans,' one person said. 'I cancelled my trip that was in 2 weeks time. All of my friends over there have advised to stay away. It's just not worth the risk,' said another. Many Australians online are saying they have recently gone through US customs with no issues. NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia 'I cancelled. Friends that live over there and work in the airports are saying it's getting bad. They will stop you and search laptops and phones,' said another. Plenty of people are saying they had no issues upon arriving in the US, and concern about the situation was scaremongering. 'Don't cancel. I was scared of the same issue we got through fine. Answer their questions honestly, know where you're going/staying, how long you are staying for etc. Best experience. I want to go back!,' one woman said. 'I'm an Australian and I just travelled to NY and LA a few weeks ago and was fine,' said another. Figures released by the US government earlier this month show overseas visitor numbers to the US fell more than 11 per cent in March compared to the year before, and were down 3 per cent for the first three months of the year. The official Australian government travel advice notes approved Electronic System for Travel Authorisation documents and visas do not guarantee entry. 'An approved ESTA or valid visa doesn't guarantee entry to the United States. US Customs and Border Protection officials at the port of entry will determine your eligibility,' the advice says.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Aussies CANCEL their trips to the US after tourists are subjected to terrifying act at an airport
An Australian woman has led the chorus from locals who claim they are reconsidering travelling to the United States after two tourists were strip-searched at the airport. Remi Meli said in a TikTok video she is considering canceling her planned trip to New York City in December, after hearing stories of tourists being detained. Her video comes just days after reports surfaced about two German teenagers who were detained while trying to enter Hawaii. Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, told a German news outlet that upon arrival at Honolulu Airport, they were subjected to full body scans and strip searches. They were then placed in a holding cell overnight before being deported back to Germany. The duo had not booked accommodation for the entirety of their trip, something that triggered a red flag for customs agents. The clip, captioned 'manifesting NYC Christmas magic, not an interrogation room', received a flurry of comments. Aussie social media users shared they had cancelled their US trip over similar concerns. 'Was meant to be going to NYC in December too, we have cancelled. The safety is a concern but also the dollar declining, it will be crazy expensive,' one person said. 'Not going to lie, you couldn't pay me to travel to the US anytime soon,' commented another. Another user referred to the Trump Administration's ongoing deportations of alleged illegal migrant criminals to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, 'Is it truly worth the risk of an El Salvador situation?' they asked. However, others shared that they had recently traveled to the US without any issues. 'Nope, I'm still going. You gotta stop listening to social media,' one person said. 'I'm an Australian and I just travelled to NY and LA a few weeks ago and was fine,' another added. Someone else said they also weren't cancelling their plans. 'I'm leaving today. Just fear mongering. US has been strict about entry since 9/11. I can't wait to go.' they commented. Ms Meli told Daily Mail Australia she is still undecided about whether she will travel later this year. 'I made the video just sharing some genuine concerns I had about traveling to New York as an Aussie,' she said. 'I never expected it to gain so much attention, and while the responses have been really mixed,' she added, 'My intention was never to spread fear or misinformation — just to be honest about something that's been on my mind.' Ms Meli said she was surprised by the overwhelming response, particularly from women. 'It definitely made me pause and think,' she said. In the past 12 months to March this year, the number of Australians visiting the US had fallen by 8 per cent, the sharpest drop since the Covid-19 pandemic. Other countries have seen an even larger fall off, with German visitors falling by 28 per cent and the United Kingdom by 14 per cent. Jared Mondschein, director of research at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, said the decline of tourism to the US was harming its economy. He noted that although the Trump Administration's tariff agenda drew the most attention, it was the services trade that would suffer the greatest impact. 'The impact of a decline in both tourists and students is economically challenging for the United States,' he told Daily Mail Australia. He noted that while concerns over border crackdowns intensified during the Trump administration, similar actions have occurred under Democratic administrations. 'The fact that we are seeing headlines about this is not unprecedented,' he said. In 2022, under the Biden administration, Victorian student Jack Dunn was detained and deported after arriving in the US, due to issues booking a return flight home. 'I know this has happened before, and even if a Democrat were to take office in the next administration, it could happen again in the future,' Mr Mondschein said. The Australian Government's SmartTraveller website has warned Aussie tourists heading to the US to 'Exercise normal safety precautions in the USA'. It warns that 'US authorities have broad powers to decide if you're eligible to enter and may determine that you are inadmissible for any reason under US law.' And Australians are urged to 'ensure [they] understand all relevant terms and conditions before attempting to enter the United States.'
Hindustan Times
21-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Handcuffed, strip-searched, deported: Shocking reason 2 young female travellers' Hawaii trip turned into worst nightmare
Two young German travelers expecting to have the time of their lives on their Hawaii trip instead had to face handcuffs, jail time, and deportation. The incident highlighted the risks international visitors may face at US borders. The story of the ordeal Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, faced was first reported in Germany's Ostsee-Zeitung newspaper. The German Foreign Office confirmed that it was involved in the case, and provided consular support after the two women were detained in Honolulu. Pohl and Lepere arrived in Honolulu from Auckland, planning to explore Hawaii before heading to California and Costa Rica. However, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) became suspicious of their flexible travel style, including the fact that they had not pre-booked lodging for their planned five-week stay in Hawaii. The women were accused of potential illegal work intentions even though they had ESTA travel authorisation. For border officials screening travellers without fixed plans, this is not an uncommon concern. The German Foreign Office says that ESTA approval does not guarantee entry to the United States, as the final say is always left to border officials when travellers arrive. Pohl and Lepere said they were questioned for hours at Honolulu Airport, and then placed in handcuffs and loaded into a transport vehicle. They were then taken to a deportation detention facility. The women said that at the detention facility, they were subjected to full-body scans, strip searches, and issued green prison uniforms. They had to spend the night in a holding cell with long-term detainees, including people accused of serious criminal offences. They were forced to sleep on thin, moldy mattresses, and use rudimentary toilets. Guards warned them to avoid expired food. Pohl and Lepere were brought back to Honolulu Airport in handcuffs the next morning, and subsequently deported. At their request, they were sent to Japan, and not Germany, avoiding a longer return trip to New Zealand. United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, recently tried to ease European travellers' concerns about visiting the US. 'If you're not coming to the United States to join a Hamas protest, or to come here and tell us about how right Hamas is, or…stir up conflict on our campuses and create riots in our streets and vandalize our universities, then you have nothing to worry about,' he said. In several cases, travellers may be denied entry if they do not have clear lodging plans, a well-defined itinerary, or proof of sufficient funds. The ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) lets citizens of some countries travel to the US for short stays without a visa, but ESTA approval permits travel only to a US port of entry. There, the border officials decide whether the travellers will be granted entry. Germany's updated travel advisory now warns that 'entry to the United States is at the sole discretion of U.S. border authorities.'
