Several countries, including Canada, Germany, Denmark, Finland, and the United Kingdom, have issued travel warnings for their citizens visiting the United States following a surge in detentions, deportations, and visa-related crackdowns under the Trump administration.
These advisories highlight the growing risk of arbitrary detention, prolonged imprisonment, and mistreatment in immigration facilities, raising diplomatic concerns about human rights violations. Reports of tourists, students, and professionals being held in ICE detention centers without due process have prompted foreign governments to caution their citizens about the risks of traveling to the U.S.
Charlie Angus, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, condemned the detentions:
“We have seen too many stories of citizens being pulled out of airport lines, and being fingerprinted and deported, as if they were criminals. Citizens being kidnapped to illegal detention by ICE…this is not the actions of a Democratic nation.”
Several European and Canadian travelers have reported being detained under harsh and inhumane conditions while attempting to visit the United States.
• German tourist Lucas Sielaff was detained for 16 days upon returning from Mexico, despite holding a valid 90-day U.S. tourist permit and being engaged to an American citizen.
• “Nobody is safe there anymore to come to America as a tourist,” Sielaff said.
• Jessica Brösche, another German traveler, was held for over six weeks, including eight days in solitary confinement.
• Her friend described the conditions: “They were screaming in all different rooms. After nine days, she said she went so insane that she started punching the walls and then she’s got blood on her knuckles.”
• A British woman was detained for three weeks due to a visa technicality, with her family describing her confinement as “horrendous.”
• Canadian actor Jasmine Mooney was detained for two weeks when attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border with incomplete visa documentation.
• Mooney recounted her experience: “The next [thing I knew], I was told to put my hands against the wall, and patted down like a criminal before being sent to an ICE detention center without the chance to talk to a lawyer.”
• She was placed in a concrete cell with no natural light, constant fluorescent lighting, no blankets, and restricted bathroom access.
The arbitrary nature of these detentions has led European and Canadian officials to warn travelers that even those with valid visas or ESTA approvals may still be denied entry or arrested at the border.
The Trump administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, increasing detentions of foreign visitors and revoking visa policies that previously protected certain travelers.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson defended the policies:
“We will enforce visa rules and other conditions of entry… Prohibiting travel into the United States by those who might pose a threat or violate conditions of their visa is key to protecting the American people.”
Immigration experts warn that travelers who do not have a clear return plan, lack sufficient documentation, or fail to meet changing entry criteria may be detained or deported without due process.
Governments across Europe and Canada have updated their travel guidelines, advising caution for those planning to visit the U.S.
• Germany: The German Foreign Office warned that U.S. border officials have ultimate discretion over entry, even if travelers hold valid visas or ESTA approvals.
• A German official confirmed that consulates are aware of cases of detained citizens and are “in contact with their families and U.S. officials.”
• United Kingdom: British authorities advised travelers that failing to comply with U.S. immigration policies could lead to arrest or detention.
• Canada: The Canadian government stated that visitors staying longer than 30 days must register with the U.S. government, warning that non-compliance could result in fines, penalties, and even misdemeanor prosecution.
• Denmark and Finland:
• Both countries issued specific warnings to transgender and nonbinary travelers following new Trump administration policies restricting passport gender markers.
• Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that if the gender listed on a traveler’s passport does not match their gender assigned at birth, their visa or travel permit can be denied.
• Denmark advised travelers with an X gender marker or discrepancies in gender documentation to contact the U.S. embassy before departure.
Concerns over political targeting at U.S. entry points have also grown, as activists, students, and academics have reported being detained for criticizing US foreign policy.
• A French scientist was detained and deported after U.S. border officials discovered anti-Trump messages on his electronic devices.
• Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian green card holder married to a U.S. citizen, was detained despite holding legal residency.
• Georgetown University fellow Badar Khan Suri was arrested and deported after publicly condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.
• Multiple U.S. universities, including UC Berkeley, Brown, Columbia, and Cornell, have advised students against leaving the country, fearing they may be detained for their activism.
• UC Berkeley student Cole Stanton warned: “There is a strong chance that upon trying to reenter the country, [student protesters] are stopped in the airport and detained for their activism.”
The travel warnings and growing diplomatic tensions could have major economic repercussions for U.S. tourism and international relations.
• More than 13 million visitors from Western Europe travel to the U.S. each year.
• A Tourism Economics report predicts a 12.3 percent decline in international visitor spending, translating to $22 billion in annual losses.
• The US’s perceived hostility toward foreign travelers could deter international business, weaken diplomatic ties, and reduce student enrollment in U.S. universities.
This is not the first time foreign governments have issued warnings about traveling to the U.S.
• 2019: Multiple countries issued advisories warning citizens about gun violence in the United States following a string of mass shootings.
• Uruguay cautioned against “growing indiscriminate violence, mostly for hate crimes, including racism and discrimination.”
• Venezuela advised citizens to postpone U.S. travel due to “acts of violence and crimes of indiscriminate hatred.”
• Japan warned travelers about the ‘potential for gunfire incidents everywhere’ in the US.
The current wave of advisories marks a shift from concerns over gun violence to human rights abuses, immigration crackdowns, and the targeting of marginalized groups.
The detainment of tourists, students, and activists under the Trump administration has led to a diplomatic crisis between the U.S. and its closest allies.
• Foreign governments are warning that even travelers with valid documentation may be detained.
• Immigration authorities have broadened enforcement, leading to reports of inhumane conditions in ICE detention centers.
• The targeting of transgender travelers and activists raises human rights concerns.
• International tourism to the U.S. could decline, further straining diplomatic and economic ties.
As Charlie Angus emphasized:
“We have seen too many stories of citizens being pulled out of airport lines, and being fingerprinted and deported, as if they were criminals. Citizens being kidnapped to illegal detention by ICE…this is not the actions of a Democratic nation.”
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