US President Joe Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, sparked concern among tourists after his re-election in November. Reports of detained and interrogated travelers, people with work permits sent to detention centers, and even a US citizen being told to leave the country have emerged from US border points.
According to the US National Travel and Tourism Office, overseas visits to the US decreased by 11.6% in March compared to the same month last year. A British couple, Jenny and her husband, initially planned a trip to Boston for June 2025 but canceled due to their concerns about traveling under Trump’s policies.
However, some travelers reported no issues at the border. Sarah, a financial services worker from Hertfordshire, took her seven-year-old daughter to Miami without problems, despite being nervous about recent coverage of border incidents.
In contrast, Paul, a 44-year-old French citizen in a long-distance relationship with his US-based fiancée, is anxious about traveling due to the risk of detention or denial of entry. He plans to fly from Paris to Chicago in June and hopes that increased attention on the US border will expose longstanding unsavory practices.
The heightened attention has led some to reflect on how border authorities have treated certain groups, including those from developing countries. Alex, a Dutch civil servant with Peruvian background, recalled being subjected to an angry interrogation during his 2017 layover in Miami.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/18/america-tourists-fears-us-travel-trump