US Tourism Industry Faces Uncertainty as Border Enforcement Tightens
The United States tourism industry is facing a growing concern as the country’s border enforcement becomes increasingly restrictive. Recent cases of detention and deportation have raised questions about the treatment of visitors, with some countries issuing travel warnings to their citizens.
According to immigration lawyers, non-citizens arriving in the US can expect more questioning than they were previously accustomed to. While no official rules have changed for most visitors, border officers’ discretion is being applied differently. The American Civil Liberties Union has noted a pattern of “more aggressive enforcement” at the border since the start of President Trump’s second presidency in January.
Recent Cases Raise Concerns
Several recent cases have made headlines, including that of German tourist Lucas Sielaff, who was detained for incorrectly stating his residence in Las Vegas. Welsh backpacker Becky Burke was taken to the airport for deportation “in leg chains, waist chains and handcuffs” after being denied entry. Canadian Jasmine Mooney spent 12 days in US detention after trying to renew an expired work visa at a border.
These cases have led to accusations that US authorities are acting with more sinister motives. The French government claimed an academic was denied entry to the US for expressing critical views about Trump, while the US interior department rejected this suggestion.
Travel Warnings Issued
Multiple countries have responded to the shift by updating their travel advisories. The UK warned travelers that US border authorities “set and enforce entry rules strictly” and may be liable to arrest or detention if they break the rules. Some European countries issued specific warnings for transgender tourists amid concerns about Trump’s executive order requiring federal agencies to only recognize two sexes.
Germany and Denmark advised travelers whose gender on their passport does not match that assigned at birth, or who use the gender marker “X”, to contact their local US embassy ahead of travel.
Tourism Industry Concerns
The uptick in travel warnings could damage the US tourism and hospitality sector, which accounted for about 11% of US jobs and contributed $2.36 trillion to the economy last year. Experts warn that travelers are already in a stressful situation and don’t want anything to make their journey tougher.
“People are seriously questioning whether they should travel to the US, and that’s a huge concern for the industry,” said Marta Soligo, an expert on the tourism industry at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Expats Reconsidering Life in the US
Some expats are also reconsidering their decision to live across the Atlantic. A recent survey found that about 19% of French expats in North America were having doubts.
“The home of the free and the brave is turning into something very different,” said Roland Lescure, a French member of parliament who represents French citizens living in North America.
Keywords: US tourism, border enforcement, travel warnings, immigration, Trump administration.