đŸ‡ș🇾 USA |Travel Warnings

There are 10 cases at least on local papers in Latin America. Daily. Lots of people with valid visas sent back, no history of overstay. Every day. I had a a link somewhere about harrassment to Dominican Republic/Puerto Rican citizens and green card holders that was the most suspicious. Raids by ICE without warrants reported everywhere in Spanish speaking papers. Maybe it is paranoia or oversensitive media but the general consensus is that it is happening helter skelter. Hapzardly.

I mean, they stopped Muhammed Ali’s son, for Alah’s sake.

EDIT:
Media in Spanish says “legal resident”, but does not specify under which capacity/circunstances. But the news has spread in several language media.

Here we are in 2025. The UK has issued a travel advisory to the US; other European countries are also doing so.

Hands up if you expected this.

Guy

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The warning came as German national Fabian Schmidt is currently being held at a Rhode Island detention center since being stopped at Boston Logan International Airport on March 7 while tattoo artist Jessica Brösche has spent over a month awaiting deportation at the Otay Mesa Detention Facility in San Diego. While Brösche was suspected of planning to work illegally when crossing the border from Mexico, Schmidt had a valid green card and has been living in the U.S. since 2008.

Family who had been in contact with Schmidt during his detention said that he was “violently interrogated” for hours, stripped naked and put in a cold shower by two officials questioning his intentions upon entering the U.S.

https://www.thestreet.com/travel/countries-warning-against-travel-to-usa

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I am also reading stories of academics from Germany entering the US to attend an academic conference, and being asked by immigration officials to open their computers to see the contents of their presentations, presumably to ensure that such contents are ideologically correct as determined by the current administration.

Hands up again for those who saw this coming.

Guy

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You mean they issued it via this site, or some internet rag advises not to go?

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Duly noted. The internet rag was Newsweek. I will look further into this.

EDIT: This is the source I read:

Guy

This has the potential to turn into yet another political discussion.

Let’s keep this strict about the travel aspect of it in this topic, agreed?

It’s quite worrying how random this seems to be. Almost feels like what tourists fear when trying to visit China


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Seems almost the same or worse than china. Looking through your phone and computer urgghhhhhhhh. Actually it’s worse than china because china would just not let you in. The US is actually detaining people for weeks in some cases. If you suspect somebody is going to work why not just tell them you are not getting in?
Why kidnap them essentially?

This professor at McGill (who spoke about cancelling conference travel to the US) mentioned the extensive privately operated detention system in the US. Funneling would-be visitors into that detention system and keeping them there for a while helps their profitability—paid for by the American taxpayer, of course.

With the arbitrary nature of these detentions, he concludes, the benefits of academic exchange at these events in the United States are outweighed by the potential risks of being detained and disappearing for a few weeks with no explanation.

Guy

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The cruelty is the point. To “shock and awe”. Basically, to treat them so bad that they go back and tell others and those others won’t come/try to enter the US. At least that is what was told about arresting and jailing the asylum seekers at the border.

It assumes basically, like in a TSA line, that all are enemies, intent on hurting and abusing the US.

However, these new cases are citizens not of third or fourth world countries, with limited access to visas or even passports, but people have visas or enter visa free, even green cards. What is the point of cruelty against them? Why not just turn them away, especially as those law enforcement resources should be focused on deporting the “11 million undocumented/illegal workers/hard core foreign criminals” that are supposedly the most pressing issue? ICE facilities ain’t empty.

Another question: will the current policies affect the coming World Cup and Olympic Games development? Athletes and tourists and media from all over all converging on the US.

After reading all of this, I’m wondering if I should transit through San Francisco on my way to Taipei. A United flight from Vancouver, connecting in SF to Taipei, is $300 cheaper than EVA Air. However, I’m considering the risks.

On the way back to Canada, even if you’re only transiting through the U.S. without entering, you still have to collect all your checked baggage and go through both CBP and TSA again. I’m starting to question whether saving $300 is worth the hassle.

Has anyone flown United to Taipei compared to EVA Air? I’ve heard that EVA offers better service and more legroom—is that true?

Which class of travel are you considering? If economy, I would not describe the EVA seating arrangement as spacious. I’ve had friends say they do like the premium economy cabin though.

In terms of dealing with US immigration: at least you would do so in Vancouver where you would not be detained by them. They could, however, deny you entry.

Guy

Ridiculous.

I agree. The arbitrary detentions going on are unfortunate. It’s making the US even less popular among Canadians, which is quite something.

Guy

on my way back TO Canada unfortunately I have to go thru CBP at SFO

I wasn’t responding to you, but I will now. If some Canadian nobody is worried that he’s going to get pulled off a plane by DHS when connecting to TPE in SF, Canada has more to worry aboot than how popular America is. :joy:

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I think you can relax. If you’re this paranoid about the US how are you going to feel about China when you get to Taiwan? :taiwan: :joy:

And seriously, I know you’re doing your DD, but foreigners have been living in Taiwan for a long time. You’re not going to break new ground here. You’re not going to uncover some new threat to our way of life.

Try to not get caught up in the drama of Canadian hate politics in the online gripe factory. :factory:

Have you even said where you’re headed in Taiwan?

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You’re absolutely right. I’ve visited the U.S. at least 200 times throughout my life, if not more, so I really shouldn’t worry too much. Living right next to the border, there was a time when I would go every week. I think I get too nervous from watching CBC—they make it sound like tourists are being rounded up by ICE or something.

I’m curious—what makes United $300 cheaper than EVA? Have any of you connected through SFO recently? I did about 10 years ago on my way back from Turkey, and the lineup was so long that United/Air Canada actually bumped me. I missed my connection, but at least they put me up in a hotel.

Probably due to long “inexpensive” flight paths. Your wife is taiwanese and you’re pinching pennies? Yeesh. Good lucky. :four_leaf_clover:

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