Land of the Free now the nightmare destination for US tourists
Planning a trip to the NRL or World Cup Soccer in Las Vegas? That old social media post sabotaging Donald Trump might just make it a ride from hell. Andrew Gardiner It explores the USA’s tourism nightmare.
Never one to shy away from the odd hype, the NRL events team stayed true to form in dubbing February’s two-game Las Vegas rugby league showcase the “quintessential bucket list event”. “Join the excitement as the NRL comes to the fore (and) stay in a central 4-star hotel in the City of Lights for just $4,499 twin sharing, spruikers continued.
A word of warning before you part with all that hard-earned loot: check each of your emails, texts or social media posts from the last five to 10 years to see if there’s anything considered “unacceptable” by those currently running things in the Land of the Free.
You could probably be too. sent directly home on the next available flight, or worse, detained If you have sent anything that is critical of Donald Trump or his administration, is ‘anti-Semitic’ or otherwise prohibited (the latter list varies from month to month in these turbulent times) you will be held in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility for months.
Ten years of emails for tourist visa
The Trump administration has increased efforts to pre-screen and monitor sports fans, tourists, students, researchers, and business travelers; over the past decade has orchestrated a series of “intrusive” requests for every email address (for those seeking a 90-day visa waiver) and all phone numbers, names/contact details of family members, dates of birth, home and IP addresses, and metadata from photos submitted if they were applying for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
Image: Andrew Gardiner
The Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) says the new review regime “raises the question of how (visitor’s) information is used.” “The (Trump) administration has gone after people who espouse views it doesn’t like (so you can imagine there might be some similar issues you might encounter with emails in social media reviews”), said Jeramie Scott, EPIC’s general counsel. in question.
Anyone who thinks they can evade the system through anonymous social media accounts or scorching email accounts would be advised to assume the worst rather than hoping for the best.
Palantir AI will target Israeli critics
ICE is using automated artificial intelligence (AI) to target those who speak out about Gaza or other taboos.
Software such as Palantir’s Immigration Operating System enables continuous mass monitoring, surveillance and evaluation of visitors. Another tool, Babel RoboDebt scheme.
Fans of next year’s Las Vegas NRL warriors (Dragons, Bulldogs, Knights and Cowboys) may consider a trip to Sinatra’s second home the trip of a lifetime, but it’ll be thousands of dollars down the drain if they’re caught calling Trump a clown in 2020.
The same goes for Socceroos fans, whose team qualified for the 2026 World Cup in June-July. Australia, co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, are scheduled to play two of their three group stage fixtures in the American cities of Seattle and Santa Clara.
World Cup Football fans face strict controls
“This policy represents the ‘fine line’ regarding civil liberties and fans’ rights,” Football Fans’ Association Australia president Patrick Clancy said. in question.”“Australian (football) fans face strict controls, while fans from countries such as Iran or Haiti are completely denied entry.”
Iran has qualified for the 2026b World Cup.
Fans of Senegal and Ivory Coast participating in World Cup qualifiers may also be locked out after Trump imposed a partial travel ban on both last week. Fans from Haiti and Iran, as well as visitors from those countries (plus visitors from other countries) 36 mostly third world countries subject to travel ban) mostly racial or religion Amnesty International accused the Trump administration of active abuse.
Image: X
of Australia 5,000 odd Similarly, students in the United States, especially those sympathetic to the plight of Palestinians, are advised to monitor their PS and Q. Palantir and Babel’s AI specifically aims to express such sympathy; you’re probably more likely to encounter Australians at Harvard or Cornell than their rugby league-loving compatriots in Las Vegas.
Palantir’s curse
Washington’s AI-powered ‘Seize and Destroy’ plan plays central role in deportation more than 8,000 through social media monitoring for international students, visa status monitoring, and automated threat assessments for international students.
Erika Guevara-Rosas of Amnesty International said: “These technologies allow authorities to rapidly track and target international students and other marginalized immigrant groups on an unprecedented scale and scope… creating a climate of fear for international students in schools and campuses.” in question.
The exact number is The International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) has reported that Australian students deported from the United States have not publicly reported that Australians were certainly among those deported, while others felt they were being targeted and were considering leaving of their own accord.
“There is definitely momentum to explore other options outside of America,” IEAA CEO Phil Honeywood told News Corp.
Trump Factor
“It’s a combination of the Donald Trump factor, concern about how other nations are being treated, and real concerns about privacy and information being disclosed to people outside of their family and friends.”
MWM He approached the US Embassy in Canberra for a “catch and cancel” approach but did not hear back by the time of publication. But Washington’s defense of the plan is perhaps most succinctly summed up by Australian Nick Adams, Trump’s ambassador to nearby Malaysia: “If they (foreign students) are going to support Hamas, they shouldn’t be here. Studying in the US is a privilege, not a constitutional right,” he wrote, quoting Republican political strategist Shermichael Singleton.
Adams: “Absolutely true! The American people support the deportation of pro-Hamas student visa holders.” we agreed. Readers may remember Nick Adams as a former Ashfield (Sydney) councilor who rarely attended council meetings. harassed a reporter ” who asked him before turning his hand to a lucrative Trump-empowering role based in Florida.alpha male”.
US tourism in free fall
If you’re considering a trip to the United States and any of the above concerns you, you’re not alone. Visits to the United States fell for the seventh consecutive month in November, down from the previous year.
Australian visitors decreased 13 percent According to the US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), only 57,478 people ventured across the pond in November each year. This compares with an equivalent drop in visitors from Europe of just five per cent, marking a trend where Australians are avoiding the US in favor of other destinations in greater numbers than visitors from all other continents (except Africa, which has been hit by the travel ban).
Oddly, the NTTO does not expect a full recovery to pre-Covid inbound tourism levels until 2029, when Trump’s second term ends. Rugby league fans may want to put their travel plans on the backburner until then.
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An Adelaide-based Media Studies graduate with an MA in Social Policy, I was an editor covering current affairs, local government and sport for a variety of publications before deciding to change careers in 2002.
