Teenage German tourists handcuffed and deported from Hawaii over ‘suspicious’ hotel booking

[bannork]

Two globetrotting German teenagers had their travel plans upended when they were denied entry to the U.S. and detained by border officers who called their trip “suspicious,” according to a report.

Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepère, 18. were interrogated in Honolulu International Airport for hours and allegedly subjected to body scans and strip searches before, finally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents denied them entry to the country and said they would be deported, according to the outlet.

”They found it suspicious that we hadn't fully booked our accommodations for the entire five weeks in Hawaii,” Pohl said. “We wanted to travel spontaneously. Just like we had done in Thailand and New Zealand.''

Teenage German tourists handcuffed and deported from Hawaii over ‘suspicious’ hotel booking

Forget the USA folks until there's a change of government and the authorities can learn to control their paranoia.

[frank83628]

And what? Is this supposed to be a Trump bad thread... because 2 people got denied entry?

WOW..

 

scraping the barrel 

[impulse]

4 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

And what? Is this supposed to a Trump bad thread... because 2 people got denied entry?

WOW..

 

scraping the barrel 

 

Not to mention that crap like this has happened under every administration since 9/11.  (And probably even before that).  But when it wasn't Trump's term, it was widely ignored.

[frank83628]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

Not to mention that crap like this has happened under every administration since 9/11.  (And probably even before that).  But when it wasn't Trump's term, it was widely ignored.

Totally. These derangement sufferers are desperately trying to make any & everything about Trump.

 

[BLMFem]

3 hours ago, frank83628 said:

Totally. These derangement sufferers are desperately trying to make any & everything about Trump.

 

Now you're talking out of your butt (again) "Frank". Most (all) governments of countries that have large numbers of people travelling to the US have had to issue travel advisories.

That's how bad it's gotten, buddy!

[Briggsy]

US Immigration have always been exceptionally aggressive and accusatory. It must be the way they are trained or the culture or something. Everybody is a 'perp'.

 

I am aware that firing questions at people is a good way of trying to catch people out who are hiding something but I wonder if this approach is really the best way to take with everybody that lands in front of them.

[impulse]

7 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

US Immigration have always been exceptionally aggressive and accusatory. It must be the way they are trained or the culture or something. Everybody is a 'perp'.

 

I am aware that firing questions at people is a good way of trying to catch people out who are hiding something but I wonder if this approach is really the best way to take with everybody that lands in front of them.

 

I agree, and that's been the case at least since 2000 when I started traveling international.  Ramped up to supercharge level after 9/11.   The disingenuous thing is insinuating that it's connected to Trump's term.  That's the only reason it's being reported now.  Until Trump, the MSM ignored it.

 

[SunnyinBangrak]

5 hours ago, frank83628 said:

And what? Is this supposed to be a Trump bad thread... because 2 people got denied entry?

WOW..

 

scraping the barrel 

Trump flies to Hawaii every morning to try barring genuine tourists from entering. You can see him at Honolulu airport McDonalds every lunchtime.

 

They will be blaming him for the weather next

[Tug]

6 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I agree, and that's been the case at least since 2000 when I started traveling international.  Ramped up to supercharge level after 9/11.   The disingenuous thing is insinuating that it's connected to Trump's term.  That's the only reason it's being reported now.  Until Trump, the MSM ignored it.

 

Rubbish let the youngsters enjoy their youth this administration is the only one in my lifetime that creates these problems don’t try to tell us to un see what is obvious we ain’t stupid.

[impulse]

1 minute ago, Tug said:

Rubbish let the youngsters enjoy their youth this administration is the only one in my lifetime that creates these problems don’t try to tell us to un see what is obvious we ain’t stupid.

 

You're saying that if the MSM didn't report it, it didn't happen before?

 

[BLMFem]

5 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Trump flies to Hawaii every morning to try barring genuine tourists from entering. You can see him at Honolulu airport McDonalds every lunchtime.

 

They will be blaming him for the weather next

If I see a crayon next to a hurricane tracking chart then, hell yes, he's getting the blame!

[BLMFem]

6 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

You're saying that if the MSM didn't report it, it didn't happen before?

 

Is that what he's saying or are you just trolling?

[Tug]

11 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

You're saying that if the MSM didn't report it, it didn't happen before?

 

Well gollie jee  name me another administration that straight up attempted to ban an entire RELIGION!ehh?so yup they are thankfully keeping close tabs on this clown show.and don’t try to conflate that with some he supports terrorists like the trump crowd are known to do.

[proton]

2 minutes ago, Tug said:

Well volley jee name me another administration that straight up attempted to ban an entire RELIGION!ehh?so yup they are thankfully keeping close tabs on this clown show.

 

How and when did an entire religion attempted to be banned? There is one which needs to be of course

[phetphet]

18 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Trump flies to Hawaii every morning to try barring genuine tourists from entering. You can see him at Honolulu airport McDonalds every lunchtime.

 

They will be blaming him for the weather next

Oh come on! He doesn't have time to fly to Hawaii. He's too busy playing golf and writing and publishing  messages to his Truth social media platform. 

[GroveHillWanderer]

31 minutes ago, impulse said:

I agree, and that's been the case at least since 2000 when I started traveling international.  Ramped up to supercharge level after 9/11.   The disingenuous thing is insinuating that it's connected to Trump's term.  That's the only reason it's being reported now.  Until Trump, the MSM ignored it.

 

The various articles about this make it clear that this not just the same as in the past and that for instance, many of the countries issuing advisories to their citizens about travelling to the US are doing so in direct response to Trump administration policies.

 

Here's just one such article. 

 

Quote

The shift comes after President Donald Trump issued a January 2025 executive order that says a person is either male or female and rejects the idea that a person can transition from the sex assigned at birth to another gender.

 

Countries Are Now Issuing Advisories for Travelers Visiting the U.S.—What to Know

 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/countries-are-now-issuing-advisories-for-travelers-visiting-the-usa-11706306

[GroveHillWanderer]

Here's another article reflecting how the same Trump-specific concerns that led to these travel advisories is also causing a serious drop in tourist numbers.

 

Quote

“Policies and pronouncements from the Trump administration have contributed to a growing wave of negative sentiment toward the U.S. among potential international travelers,” they said. “Heightened border security measures and visible immigration enforcement actions are amplifying concerns,” it added.

 

Airlines, Hotels, Cruise Stocks Face This Big Threat as Tourists Boycott the U.S.

 

https://www.barrons.com/articles/airline-stocks-hotels-us-tourist-boycott-9bc8fb69

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

Stay away.

And that is what more and more potential USA tourists do.

Travel agencies are worried about oncoming seasons.

There other more welcoming countries.

4 hours at the immigration queue, mobile phones searched. Confiscated and denied entry when refusing to provide passwords etc.

Indiscriminate assumptions like in this and other cases.

 

Now think of you to come to Thailand for 60 days.

Having booked whole trip?

Any Thailand critical stuff on your devices?

You look like you want to to work here!

-> off to detention.

[Purdey]

Is Hawaii worth a visit? Pictures seem to show it is similar to Miami and Cancun. 

[KhunBENQ]

7 minutes ago, Purdey said:

Is Hawaii worth a visit? Pictures seem to show it is similar to Miami and Cancun. 

It was in the 1990s and the natural features are not easy found in another developed country (with all the infrastructure).

Volcanoes, desert and green jungle within an hour drive.

Is Lahaina still a heap of ash or rebuilt?

Really moved me to learn about this catastrophic fire.

Hawaii is more than Waikiki.

Thailand is more than Patong.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

The shift comes after President Donald Trump issued a January 2025 executive order that says a person is either male or female and rejects the idea that a person can transition from the sex assigned at birth to another gender.

 

How does that connect with 2 German guys being refused entry at the border, other than Orange Man Bad...

 

The lack of constitutionally protected civil rights at the border has been an ongoing topic for decades.  They can confiscate your phone and your laptop, they can confiscate your money.  It's been that way for a long time but the MSM pretty much ignored it as long as Trump wasn't president. 

 

Personally, I'm glad it's finally coming to light, even if the only reason is that reporting on it is bad for the Orange Man.  Finally, we may have a discussion about civil asset forfeiture and your utter lack of 4th Amendment protections at the border.

 

[connda]

My guess is that their plans were to pick up jobs in the local economy and hang around for awhile.  My other guess is they got caught and deported.  Shoulda tried California first.  Easier to blend in down in SoCal.

[BLMFem]

2 minutes ago, connda said:

Do I care? No. 

Does the fact that you're posting clearly contradict your statement and makes you look like a bit of an.........? Yes.

[connda]

2 hours ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

They will be blaming him for the weather next

Volcano eruptions are his fault.

[connda]

11 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

Does the fact that you're posting clearly contradict your statement and makes you look like a bit of an.........? Yes.

Who are you other than bob smith with a buffed black female avatar that was probably created with ChatGPT and a "Come Troll With Me" username? 

You're little more than bob smith's Mr. Hyde persona used to create as much intra-forum divisiveness and discontent as possible.  Where do you people come from?  Really?  Ya'll are some really unhappy people with sad lives.


 

[Seppius]

Here are the criminals, such a threat

[BLMFem]

6 minutes ago, connda said:

Who are you other than bob smith with a buffed black female avatar that was probably created with ChatGPT and a "Come Troll With Me" username? 

You're little more than bob smith's Mr. Hyde persona used to create as much intra-forum divisiveness and discontent as possible.  Where do you people come from?  Really?  Ya'll are some really unhappy people with sad lives.

.....he posted while still claiming not to care.

[BLMFem]

35 minutes ago, connda said:

My guess is that their plans were to pick up jobs in the local economy and hang around for awhile.  My other guess is they got caught and deported.  Shoulda tried California first.  Easier to blend in down in SoCal.

Still don't care?

[richard_smith237]

18 hours ago, bannork said:

”They found it suspicious that we hadn't fully booked our accommodations for the entire five weeks in Hawaii,” Pohl said. “We wanted to travel spontaneously. Just like we had done in Thailand and New Zealand.''

 

Which is perfectly reasonable for anyone with basic levels of intelligence... 

 

That they were treated this way either indicates there is more to the story, or the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were abusing their powers, acting without common sense of an intelligent level of discretion.

 

Its pretty pathetic to not to understand that young Europeans from a G8 nation may want the basic freedom to make their choices as they move rather than get locked down to something they may not want - this is extremely common for any youngster travelling.
 

 

Additionally - linking this to the Trump administration is utterly ridiculous and idiotic.

 

[BLMFem]

7 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Which is perfectly reasonable for anyone with basic levels of intelligence... 

 

That they were treated this way either indicates there is more to the story, or the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were abusing their powers, acting without common sense of an intelligent level of discretion.

 

Its pretty pathetic to not to understand that young Europeans from a G8 nation may want the basic freedom to make their choices as they move rather than get locked down to something they may not want - this is extremely common for any youngster travelling.
 

 

Additionally - linking this to the Trump administration is utterly ridiculous and idiotic.

 

As many governments in the West and around the world have found it necessary to issue travel warnings for travel to the US after Trump 2.0 I think we can agree that that's neither ridiculous nor idiotic.