Tourists heading to the United States are being warned of stricter and more aggressive border checks that have already led to several detainments and deportations under former President

Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

According to a New York Times report, US border officials have adopted what the Trump administration termed “enhanced vetting,” targeting both holidaymakers and legal visitors. In response, the UK Foreign Office updated its travel guidance to caution citizens that anyone violating entry rules could face arrest or detention—a significant change from previous, softer wording.

There are growing concerns that some travelers may have been denied entry based on political views, particularly anti-Trump sentiments. One French scientist was reportedly barred from entering the US after officials discovered critical messages about Trump on his phone. The FBI later opened and then dropped an investigation, but the scientist had already been deported.

British artist Becky Burke, 28, was detained in Tacoma, Washington, after trying to cross into Canada with what officials said was an incorrect visa. US authorities claimed she violated her tourist visa waiver by working in exchange for accommodation—something prohibited under visa rules.

Similarly, German tattoo artist Jessica Brösche, 26, was arrested at the US-Mexico border in January while traveling under the ESTA visa waiver. Accused of previously working without proper documentation, she was held in ICE custody for over a month, including eight days in solitary confinement.

Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney, best known for her role in American Pie: The Book of Love, was also detained for nearly two weeks after being denied entry at the San Ysidro border crossing. Her work visa had been revoked months earlier, and she described being chained and transported in a prison van before being held in harsh conditions at a detention center in Arizona.

These incidents highlight the intensified enforcement of immigration laws introduced through Trump’s “Securing Our Borders” executive order, signed shortly after his inauguration. The Department of Homeland Security maintains that actions taken are in line with US immigration laws and are not politically motivated.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stated: “All persons arriving at a US port of entry are subject to inspection. If individuals violate immigration terms, appropriate actions are taken. CBP does not base inspections on political beliefs.”

Nonetheless, European governments, including Germany and France, are now actively supporting affected citizens, with Germany’s foreign office warning travelers that even minor infractions or past travel issues could result in detention or deportation. Photo by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Wikimedia commons.