Several European countries and Canada have issued "travel advisories" for coming to the U.S. as Donald Trump tightens border crossings.
Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, and Canada have urged their citizens traveling to the U.S. to follow entry rules or risk detention. ICE detained one UK tourist for two weeks for what one report calls an "incorrect visa." Her parents claim she was "chained like Hannibal Lecter." She was released on Thursday and sent home.
A State Department spokesperson said: "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."
Finland and Denmark directed their warnings to transgender and nonbinary travelers, whose passports may be questioned.
A Danish foreign ministry notice reads, “If your passport has the gender designation X or you have changed gender, it is recommended to contact the U.S. embassy prior to travel for guidance on how to proceed."
So America has decided to enforce its visa rules and regulations strictly, and the world gets the vapors. The Europeans last issued travel advisories to America to make a political statement about gun violence.
Australia advised travelers to the U.S in 2023: “Violent crime is more common than in Australia. Gun crime is also prevalent...There's a persistent and heightened threat of terrorist attacks and mass casualty violence in the US. Be alert, particularly in public places and at events.”
Was it really necessary to go to the trouble of advising Australians coming to the U.S. to "be alert"? You can say the same thing about any big city in the world you might visit.
By the same token, how necessary is it to remind travelers to make sure their visa is in order and that all rules and regulations regarding entry into the U.S. are followed? Why the drama of issuing a "travel advisory"?
Probably because left wing partisans are celebrating the singling out of America and trying to make their own political points.
"The Trump administration’s 'America First' approach to the rest of the world is now creating real costs for Americans. We’re paying in dollars and cents, and in the long-revered reputation of this country as a marvelous place to visit where freedom is revered," writes New York Magazine's Ed Kilgore. The writer tried to compare the European travel advisories with U.S. travel advisories to dangerous countries.
More from New York Magazine:
American tourists planning trips overseas are probably familiar with U.S. State Department “travel advisories,” which warn about the risks of visits to war-torn or totalitarian countries as well as those experiencing high crime or suffering from poor infrastructure. These up-to-date looks at local conditions abroad are meant to help Americans avoid not only bodily harm but also extreme unpleasantness or drastic interruptions in derailed vacations or business trips. Here’s a current example, for Israel:
Do Not Travel To:
• Gaza due to terrorism and armed conflict
• Northern Israel within 4 kilometers/2.4 miles of the Lebanese and Syrian borders due to Israel’s continued military presence and activity
Reconsider Travel To:
• Israel due to terrorism and civil unrest
• West Bank due to terrorism and civil unrest
That’s all entirely understandable considering the ongoing crisis in that country. It’s also understandable that European countries have now begun warning their citizens about the risks of travel to the United States of America.
No, it's not "understandable." It's idiotic. Niney-nine point nine percent of travelers from EU countries enter and leave the U.S. with no trouble at all. Only political calculus here and in Europe attempts to gin up hysteria about U.S. ports of entry and ICE.
We should issue some travel warnings of our own about the peril of entering nations with so many stupid people.
