Why These Hawai'i Travelers from Germany Were Jailed, Strip-Searched And Deported

[essentialsaltes]

Why These Hawaii Travelers Were Jailed And Deported​

Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, arrived in Honolulu from Auckland with plans to explore Hawaii before continuing to California and Costa Rica. However, their flexible travel style — including a lack of pre-booked lodging for their planned five-week Hawaii stay — raised red flags for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Despite having ESTA travel authorization, the two were accused of potential illegal work intentions, a common concern for border officials screening young travelers without fixed plans.

The German Foreign Office later reminded travelers that ESTA approval does not guarantee entry to the U.S. — a decision always left to border officials at the point of arrival.

The ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) allows citizens of certain countries to travel to the U.S. for short stays without a visa. However, ESTA approval permits travel to a U.S. port of entry, where border officials have the final say on whether to grant entry.

[They were cuffed and removed to a deportation detention facility] There, they reported being subjected to full-body scans, strip searches, and issued green prison uniforms.

 

[durangodawood]

Serves them right for trying to enter our country now that its been restored to greatness.

(BTW have we come to an agreement that Hawaii is in fact the USA? I recall there was some dispute about this during one of our elections.)

 

[essentialsaltes]

(BTW have we come to an agreement that Hawaii is in fact the USA? I recall theres was some dispute about this during one of our elections.)

We overthrew their monarchy and annexed the islands fair and square.

 

[durangodawood]

We overthrew their monarchy and annexed the islands fair and square.

Some people viewed the islands as more like floating asterixes (asterisks?) in the list of the various states when considering certain politicians who were from there.

 

[Nithavela]

It's common knowledge in germany that the USA is not entirely advisable as a travel destination under the current administration.

Germany updates travel advice for US after citizens held at border

Germany has updated its travel advice for the US, warning that a visa or entry waiver doesn't guarantee entry, after German citizens were held at the border...

www.iamexpat.de

 

[Laodicean60]

Why These Hawaii Travelers Were Jailed And Deported

This is where I'm confused, is it only in Hawaii or all of the USA?

 

[essentialsaltes]

This is where I'm confused, is it only in Hawaii or all of the USA?

The potential is there at any US port of entry.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

The money America make from people , from other countries. That travel to America, or go to college in America will be less. That's America's loss .

 

[Laodicean60]

The potential is there at any US port of entry.

I believe it's too extreme, but I don't understand remote work and travel rules, and like someone said on another thread, it makes me wonder if there is a quota system.

 

[durangodawood]

I think of when I bike tour overseas. I have the first few days booked but after that I book only one day ahead. Cant know how the legs will feel and be stuck with a huge day on the bike when youd rather just spend another night where you are, or closer by.

 

[MyOwnSockPuppet]

Why These Hawaii Travelers Were Jailed And Deported​

Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, arrived in Honolulu from Auckland with plans to explore Hawaii before continuing to California and Costa Rica. However, their flexible travel style — including a lack of pre-booked lodging for their planned five-week Hawaii stay — raised red flags for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Despite having ESTA travel authorization, the two were accused of potential illegal work intentions, a common concern for border officials screening young travelers without fixed plans.

The German Foreign Office later reminded travelers that ESTA approval does not guarantee entry to the U.S. — a decision always left to border officials at the point of arrival.

The ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) allows citizens of certain countries to travel to the U.S. for short stays without a visa. However, ESTA approval permits travel to a U.S. port of entry, where border officials have the final say on whether to grant entry.

[They were cuffed and removed to a deportation detention facility] There, they reported being subjected to full-body scans, strip searches, and issued green prison uniforms.

There are two really obvious points, and two real consequences here:

1) My wife and I backpacked our way round Cuba about seven years ago. We went for two weeks and only had the accommodation for our first couple of nights in Havana booked when we arrived. By all accounts the authoritarian dictatorship appears to be more welcoming than the "bastion of freedom".

2) Look at the two victims - reasonably attractive teenage girls, who were arbitrarily detained in conditions charitably described as barely fit for human habitation, restrained, strip searched, and eventually deported. If they'd been American teenagers in Germany then we'd be bombarded by a stream of bile and tarriffs from the orange monkey, hundreds of retweets from the rocket man organ grinder and no doubt both from everyone's (least) favourite jumped-up Corporal.

And the consequences:

1) I wouldn't want to risk US Immigration as a tourist (and I'm overweight, heavily bearded and stopped being a teenager more decades ago than I'll willingly admit). It would appear that I am very far from alone.

2) It does start to raise issues about things like the Olympics in 2028 - aside from the hundreds of young perfect physical specimens who will be competing (if they don't get stopped, detained, strip-searched etc) it'll look ruinously bad for the IOC if the international supporter base is as absent as it was in Tokyo (only without the pandemic). Pretty soon they're going to start asking if they can afford for the games to happen in the US

 

[Belk]

There are two really obvious points, and two real consequences here:

1) My wife and I backpacked our way round Cuba about seven years ago. We went for two weeks and only had the accommodation for our first couple of nights in Havana booked when we arrived. By all accounts the authoritarian dictatorship appears to be more welcoming than the "bastion of freedom".

2) Look at the two victims - reasonably attractive teenage girls, who were arbitrarily detained in conditions charitably described as barely fit for human habitation, restrained, strip searched, and eventually deported. If they'd been American teenagers in Germany then we'd be bombarded by a stream of bile and tarriffs from the orange monkey, hundreds of retweets from the rocket man organ grinder and no doubt both from everyone's (least) favourite jumped-up Corporal.

And the consequences:

1) I wouldn't want to risk US Immigration as a tourist (and I'm overweight, heavily bearded and stopped being a teenager more decades ago than I'll willingly admit). It would appear that I am very far from alone.

2) It does start to raise issues about things like the Olympics in 2028 - aside from the hundreds of young perfect physical specimens who will be competing (if they don't get stopped, detained, strip-searched etc) it'll look ruinously bad for the IOC if the international supporter base is as absent as it was in Tokyo (only without the pandemic). Pretty soon they're going to start asking if they can afford for the games to happen in the US

The Olympics? The world cup is next year and America is one of the host countries. Wonder how that is going to work out?

https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/usa

 

[DaisyDay]

I believe it's too extreme, but I don't understand remote work and travel rules, and like someone said on another thread, it makes me wonder if there is a quota system.

That seems very likely.

 

[johansen]

We overthrew their monarchy and annexed the islands fair and square.

No... We had a sham election where they all voted to join the usa.

Certain countries still have treaties on their books with the Hawaiian kingdom, and the descendants and others associated are still regularly meeting.

A certain captain in the army resigned his commission and has spent years researching the matter. I forget his name but he wrote a book about it about 10 years ago.

If a us state is going to succeed from the usa.. i would bet hawaii will be the first.

 

[MyOwnSockPuppet]

The Olympics? The world cup is next year and America is one of the host countries. Wonder how that is going to work out?

https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/usa

True, especially as one of the few teams to have qualified so far is Iran

 

[Malleeboy]

OK this shouldn't grate me, English is a descriptive language, and Americans have their own conventions. I have no problem with color over colour, or ax over axe but "traveler" for "traveller" just looks really odd.

 

[essentialsaltes]

OK this shouldn't grate me, English is a descriptive language, and Americans have their own conventions. I have no problem with color over colour, or ax over axe but "traveler" for "traveller" just looks really odd.

In my USAnian mind, this cemented it. Along with many other doubled consonants.

 

[Bradskii]

I think of when I bike tour overseas. I have the first few days booked but after that I book only one day ahead. Cant know how the legs will feel and be stuck with a huge day on the bike when youd rather just spend another night where you are, or closer by.

Same here. My wife and I will often book the first night and the last on any given trip and then wing it.

 

[Trogdor the Burninator]

Easy solution - don't go to the US. Why waste your money on a country that doesn't want you there.

 

[mindlight]

True, especially as one of the few teams to have qualified so far is Iran

Oh that sounds like fun.