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

[Ben Zioner]

3 hours ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

They will be blaming him for the weather next

Which would make total sense, as he denies global warming: "drill, baby drill". Effing idiot.

[jerrymahoney]

At least in the Travel & Leisure article linked above, the European travel advisories are primarily concerned their citizens who travel with neither M or F as gender in their passport:

"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. The order comes with the banning of the “X” marker to denote gender on U.S. passport and visa applications."

[simple1]

9 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 

 

No. It's about power crazed US leadership. Also underpinning the trend for tourists to reschedule their holidays to lessen risk of authoritarian intrusion on private citizens. Currently the USA is on a downward spiral of respect  and trust under trump's so called leadership.

[NoDisplayName]

Is there more to the story?

 

"These travelers were denied entry after attempting to enter the U.S. under false pretenses. One used a Visitor visa, the other the Visa Waiver Program," CBP Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham said in a statement. "Both claimed they were touring California but later admitted they intended to work – something strictly prohibited under U.S. immigration laws for these visas."

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/04/21/german-tourists-turned-away-us-border/83195396007/

 

So they weren't deported for not having hotel reservations, as the headlines claim.  That was just the red flag that attracted attention from the IO's.

[VR333]

 

18 hours ago, bannork said:

”They found it suspicious that we hadn't fully booked our accommodations for the entire five weeks in Hawaii,”

 

Unless you are staying in the one place, few people would book five weeks of accommodation in advance, especially young people. When I was a backpacker, my plans would change depending on whoever you met along the way. 

 

America seems to treat people they refuse entry to more harshly than most countries. Numerous reports where people are handcuffed and thrown in a cell, sometimes for days on end. Just refuse them entry and put them on the next suitable flight out if you doubt they are genuine tourists. No need to be heavy-handed.

 

The first time I arrived in the US at LaGuardia, the immigration officer was disbelieving when I said I would buy a car and spend months traveling around the US. I had the correct visa and a stash of traveler's checks, but it still took a ten minute interview before I was stamped in.

 

Even a long time ago, they kept pretty good records. A few months later, crossing the border from New Brunswick to Maine, I was pulled aside for more questioning. Back when I first arrived, I had put down my cousin in LA as a US contact. When later asked if I knew anyone in the US, I forgot to mention my cousin, as I hadn't actually seen him for years. The second officer looked up from his computer and said, "What about your cousin in LA?" Luckily they let me in again eventually.

 

Right now I would not risk entering the US (for various reasons). Some friends who have been on a few skiing trips to the US have said, not in the next four years. Japan or Canada will have to do.

 

 

[SunnyinBangrak]

12 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

Is there more to the story?

 

"These travelers were denied entry after attempting to enter the U.S. under false pretenses. One used a Visitor visa, the other the Visa Waiver Program," CBP Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham said in a statement. "Both claimed they were touring California but later admitted they intended to work – something strictly prohibited under U.S. immigration laws for these visas."

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/04/21/german-tourists-turned-away-us-border/83195396007/

 

So they weren't deported for not having hotel reservations, as the headlines claim.  That was just the red flag that attracted attention from the IO's.

Im sure the posters venting fury will be shortly along to apologize for pushing yet more anti Trump false narratives. 

[NoDisplayName]

There is more to the story, not usually included in the breathless reports of poor tourist girls being mistreated.

 

The two German teen girls had only booked accommodation for the first two nights of their stay, planning to figure out the rest as their journey unfolded. They did not have hotel bookings for the rest of their stay or any onward domestic flights

....

the girls mentioned they sometimes did freelance work online for clients outside the United States.

....

the girls explained that any work they did was completely for clients outside U.S. borders—and that they had no plans to accept work from American companies

...

officers still have the power to deny entry for several reasons. The most common include:

• Lack of a fixed travel plan or hotel bookings for the entire visit.
• Evidence or suspicion that you might work while inside the United States—even if that work is remote and for foreign clients.
• Any information in your background or answers during questioning that does not match what is considered normal for tourists.

 

https://www.visaverge.com/news/german-teen-girls-deported-after-backpacking-trip-ends-in-arrest-in-hawaii/

 

Digital nomads?  Sounds like they appeared too clever in their work-related answers.

[MicroB]

delete

[MicroB]

21 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

There is more to the story, not usually included in the breathless reports of poor tourist girls being mistreated.

 

The two German teen girls had only booked accommodation for the first two nights of their stay, planning to figure out the rest as their journey unfolded. They did not have hotel bookings for the rest of their stay or any onward domestic flights

....

the girls mentioned they sometimes did freelance work online for clients outside the United States.

....

the girls explained that any work they did was completely for clients outside U.S. borders—and that they had no plans to accept work from American companies

...

officers still have the power to deny entry for several reasons. The most common include:

• Lack of a fixed travel plan or hotel bookings for the entire visit.
• Evidence or suspicion that you might work while inside the United States—even if that work is remote and for foreign clients.
• Any information in your background or answers during questioning that does not match what is considered normal for tourists.

 

https://www.visaverge.com/news/german-teen-girls-deported-after-backpacking-trip-ends-in-arrest-in-hawaii/

 

Digital nomads?  Sounds like they appeared too clever in their work-related answers.

 

So I suppose don't respond to work related email on your phone while in the US? Don't stop off in the US for a cheeky holiday while returning from corporate management meetings in Toronto.

[NoDisplayName]

4 minutes ago, MicroB said:

 

So I suppose don't respond to work related email on your phone while in the US? Don't stop off in the US for a cheeky holiday while returning from corporate management meetings in Toronto.

 

Or..........don't give evasive answers to immigration.

[madone]

10 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 

 

Seems to me a pretty fair indicator of the US changing attitudes to border control.

 

Seems a pretty authoritarian stance to me. 

When I was 18, I rarely knew where I would sleep each night as I travelled. Especially if it was somewhere warm.

[BLMFem]

46 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Im sure the posters venting fury will be shortly along to apologize for pushing yet more anti Trump false narratives. 

What false narrative?

[Walker88]

5 hours ago, BLMFem said:

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!

The cult sees anything that relates to their messiah as blasphemy, so they feel it is their sacred duty to come to defense of their bloated charlatan clown felon, kind of like jihadis going after Danish cartoonists.

 

They toss out "this has always happened" despite the fact they have absolutely no clue if it has or not.

 

Add to this many stories now of NATURALIZED US citizens facing hours of questioning by Immigration when returning from an overseas trip. These are 100% legal full US Citizens, but they are now subject to interrogation and seizure of their mobile devices.

 

Pure, 100% fascism. MAGAs are too stupid to see it, or think somehow born in a trailer park to white trash sperm and egg donors is superior to a naturalized citizen.

[JAG]

5 hours 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 rather get the impression ( may be wrong of course but...) that there is very much a "Higherarchy" in US "law enforcement". Perhaps the Secret Service, FBI are at the top, then the major metropolitan Police Forces, State Police Forces, local Police Forces and Sheriff Departments, then, way down the food chain, Federal agencies like Immigration and Customs (ICE).

[JackGats]

Could it be the girls were suspected of planning to trade sex for accomodation? 

 

Trading sex for material gain is PRA-STI-TU-TION !!!

 

In the land of Liberty, that's a crime worse than terrorism.

[bubblegum]

Anyone traveling to the USA these days should have his/her/its head examined. 

[bunnydrops]

2 hours ago, Seppius said:

Here are the criminals, such a threat

Look at the socks, a Sure sign they are gang members.

[frank83628]

6 hours ago, BLMFem said:

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!

Yes, eacatly, glad you admitted that, so many countries have advisories. So this is basically a non story, started by one of AN's most prolific NON American thread starters.

Have you seen the protests in Poland?

'White peope, white country' is their slogan...does it sound racist to you.... seeing as your profile is 'BLM'.... troll, toatal 🤡

[impulse]

1 hour ago, BLMFem said:

What false narrative?

 

The one that says they were denied entry just because they hadn't booked a hotel.

 

Edit:  And the narrative that this is something brand new under the Trump administration.

 

 

[TedG]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

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.

 

You are correct, this sort of thing has been happening for a while now.    Who was POTUS Oct, 2016?   It's an issue now because Orange Man bad.   

 

In October 2016, CBP airport agents denied Canadian photojournalist Ed Ouentry into the country, after detaining him for over six hours and seizing his three cell phones. According to Mr. Ou’s ACLU attorney, “When the officers returned the phones to him several hours later, it was evident that their SIM cards had been temporarily removed because tamper tape covering the cards had been destroyed or altered.” Similarly, in July, CBP airport agents detained U.S. citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter Maria Abi-Habib for an hour and a half. When they asked for her cell phones, she refused and referred them to the newspaper’s lawyers. Fortunately, the agents eventually released her without seizing or searching her devices.

 

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/12/law-enforcement-uses-border-search-exception-fourth-amendment-loophole

 

Here is what the Obama DOJ wrote in 2014

 

https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao/legacy/2014/11/14/usab6206.pdf

 

 

[impulse]

17 minutes ago, TedG said:

Here is what the Obama DOJ wrote in 2014

 

https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao/legacy/2014/11/14/usab6206.pdf

 

People seem to forget when Obama was referred to as Deporter-in-Chief. 

 

Most of them won't even bother dare to Google it now.  Because they may read something that would scorch their eyeballs.

 

[TedG]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

People seem to forget when Obama was referred to as Deporter-in-Chief. 

 

Most of them won't even bother dare to Google it now.  Because they may read something that would scorch their eyeballs.

 

It would be nice if the left channeled their anger into beating down congess into enacting real change.    

1) Change the culture of the border agents. 
2) Remove the power that congess has shifted from itself to the executive branch back to congess where it belongs. 

[frank83628]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

People seem to forget when Obama was referred to as Deporter-in-Chief. 

 

Most of them won't even bother dare to Google it now.  Because they may read something that would scorch their eyeballs.

 

They don't forget...  they didn't even know, i'd bet most here most here didn't care about US politics until the orange one came on the scene.

Obama deported mor than all previous presidents combined.... silence from bannork, simpleq, xylophone, Ted, placeholder, bubblegum.... to name a few.... total hypocrisy & double standards and per the daily norm..... sad clown like children  in adult bodies

[frank83628]

1 hour ago, madone said:

 

Seems to me a pretty fair indicator of the US changing attitudes to border control.

 

Seems a pretty authoritarian stance to me. 

When I was 18, I rarely knew where I would sleep each night as I travelled. Especially if it was somewhere warm.

Oh shut up you over dramatic clown, you can be refused entry to thailand if the person on  immigration takes a disliking to you. Your hatred of Trump means you will accept literally accept anything as true because it fits your anti Trump narrative. 🤡

[MicroB]

2 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Or..........don't give evasive answers to immigration.

 

There are two accounts being given.

 

So you can be arrested and put in chains for responding to an email from a client in Japan while sipping a coffee in the US.

 

I expect content on Youtube to take a nose dive. You think Mark Wiens gets a work visa for all the places where he does his restaurant reviews. I bet he doesn't even have a journalist pass. I think I might dob in Kalani Smith, aka the Ghosthunter, and his dad, for all those Youtube videos of them eating Gregg's sausage rolls.  Pretty sure they are not getting the correct visas.

 

Obviously Brits on holiday livestreaming their rides in Florida can forget about that.

[MicroB]

2 hours ago, JackGats said:

Could it be the girls were suspected of planning to trade sex for accomodation? 

 

Trading sex for material gain is PRA-STI-TU-TION !!!

 

In the land of Liberty, that's a crime worse than terrorism.

 

This post tells me more about you, than them. This is low.

[MalcolmB]

11 hours ago, frank83628 said:

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

 

Sounds like the derangement is yours.

Only you mentioned Trump.

Are you ok?

[SunnyinBangrak]

2 hours ago, BLMFem said:

What false narrative?

Nonsense like this poster falsely claiming Trump is banning a whole religion because 2 girls lied and were evasive with immigration.

 

"Well gollie jee  name me another administration that straight up attempted to ban an entire RELIGION!ehh?"

 

Irrational hatred is a real problem with lefties. Criticize him for stuff he actually did/said not what you dreamed he did or said. Fair enough?

[MicroB]

1 hour ago, TedG said:

You are correct, this sort of thing has been happening for a while now.    Who was POTUS Oct, 2016?   It's an issue now because Orange Man bad.   

 

In October 2016, CBP airport agents denied Canadian photojournalist Ed Ouentry into the country, after detaining him for over six hours and seizing his three cell phones. According to Mr. Ou’s ACLU attorney, “When the officers returned the phones to him several hours later, it was evident that their SIM cards had been temporarily removed because tamper tape covering the cards had been destroyed or altered.” Similarly, in July, CBP airport agents detained U.S. citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter Maria Abi-Habib for an hour and a half. When they asked for her cell phones, she refused and referred them to the newspaper’s lawyers. Fortunately, the agents eventually released her without seizing or searching her devices.

 

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/12/law-enforcement-uses-border-search-exception-fourth-amendment-loophole

 

Here is what the Obama DOJ wrote in 2014

 

https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao/legacy/2014/11/14/usab6206.pdf

 

 

 

 

Aren't all these memos written by the Deep State seeking to undermine constitutionally elected governments.

 

Or is it only Democrat governments who can actually get anything done.

 

Someone will probably know when they startled shackling tourists. It might have been done going back years. But something has changed to cause the UK Foreign Office to make significant changes to their advice to visitors to the US.

 

 

Border Patrol has better kit than they had in Iraq

 

[TedG]

9 minutes ago, MicroB said:

 

 

Aren't all these memos written by the Deep State seeking to undermine constitutionally elected governments.

 

Or is it only Democrat governments who can actually get anything done.

 

Someone will probably know when they startled shackling tourists. It might have been done going back years. But something has changed to cause the UK Foreign Office to make significant changes to their advice to visitors to the US.

 

 

Border Patrol has better kit than they had in Iraq

 

Nice deflection from my post.  This has nothing to do with what I posted.