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A German Thru-Hiker Has Been Detained, Deported, and Banned From the US Without a Hearing: Here’s What You Need To Know
This article is based on firsthand accounts and available documentation. The full disclaimer, including information on sourcing and legal context, can be found at the end of this article.
It’s every international thru-hiker’s worst nightmare: training for a long hike, saving enough money for the trip, and clearing your calendar, only to be stopped at the border and turned back before ever setting foot on US soil — let alone the trail.
Seasoned German thru-hiker and Trek blogger Annika “Ravenclaw” Ananias says that nightmare came true for her — and escalated to a horrifying degree when she attempted to enter the US to hike the Arizona Trail (AZT) last month.
Ananias had expected the journey to be routine, having previously come to the US on a B2 tourist visa in 2022 and 2024 to thru-hike the PCT and CDT, respectively. But upon reaching US passport control this time, she found herself detained, interrogated, and accused of intending to work illegally in the US.
Ananias says she was separated from her American boyfriend, shouted at and mocked by US border officials, and detained overnight in a cold, shared holding cell without access to medication. After 22 hours of incarceration, the hammer fell: despite having broken no laws and holding the same valid B2 visa under which she previously hiked the PCT and CDT, she was deported back to Germany and handed a five-year ban on re-entering the United States.
And all that on her birthday.
From Adventure Fairy Tale to Nightmare
This return to the States should have been a celebratory sojourn for a veteran of the long trails. In 2022, Ananias hiked the PCT and got to know her now-boyfriend on trail. In 2024, they hiked the CDT together. He spent the past three months with her in Germany, the maximum length of time a US tourist can stay in the country without a visa. Having run out the clock for him in Germany, the pair planned to spend a few months stateside, starting with a road trip to see a NASA rocket launch — a childhood dream for her — and then heading to the Arizona Trail. But it all fell apart at customs.
“We were separated without being able to say goodbye,” Ananias said. Now she’s wrestling with visa logistics for him to potentially rejoin her in Germany for a longer period of time. “The idea of entering the USA is dead for me, for the next few years.”
Documents viewed by The Trek indicate that Ananias was deported and banned from entering the US for five years on February 25, despite having a valid visa. US Customs and Border Patrol declined a request to comment for this story, citing privacy concerns.
Annika and her boyfriend Ryan upon finishing their SOBO CDT hike in 2024. Copyright: Annika Ananias
“She threatened me, insisting to ‘tell the truth,’ as they would find out everything anyway.”
On Monday, February 24, 2025, Ananias arrived in Miami on a flight from Germany. She held the same valid B2 visa under which she had entered the US without issue in the past. The B2 visa allows non-US citizens to visit the US as tourists for up to 180 days per entry and remains valid for up to 10 years. “Border inspections were taking an unusually long time and numerous travelers of various nationalities were being pulled aside,” she recalled.
When it was her turn, after answering the standard questions, she was asked to step aside and taken to a secure waiting and interrogation area. Others so selected included “a distressed young Spanish woman, two young Italian men, and several Germans, including an elderly couple and two men who were merely transiting to South America,” Ananias recounted.
Ananias said she had only ever visited the US for tourism and recreation, with no history or intent of working illegally or settling. But once in the interrogation room with a female officer, Ananias’ attempts to disprove any wrongdoing were brushed aside.
Ed. note: Trek bloggers, including Ananias, are not paid to post their blogs on The Trek.
The officer asked how she had financed her previous stays in the United States; Ananias explained about her freelance work in Germany and additional financial support from her father and offered to show bank statements. “She refused to look at them and accused me of either being a millionaire or having worked illegally. She spoke in an aggressive tone, frequently interrupted me, and repeatedly raised her voice,” said Ananias.
The officer also allegedly disbelieved Ananias’ account of her long hikes in 2022 and 2024 and demanded proof, yet refused to review photos, blog updates or Instagram posts when offered as evidence. “Instead, she claimed that six-month stays were only permitted in emergencies, even though my visa allowed it. She threatened me, insisting to ‘tell the truth,’ as they would find out everything anyway.”
Ananias was escorted to retrieve her checked baggage for search, brought back to the waiting room, and re-interrogated by a second officer, who asked the same questions and accused her of overstaying her visa in the past — an allegation Ananias vehemently disputes.
Shortly after this second interrogation, “I was informed that I would be deported,” Ananias said.
With no details on how long she would be held or when her return flight would leave, she was permitted one quick call to her boyfriend before her phone was confiscated. “When I asked if I could at least send my boyfriend a quick message to let him know I would no longer be reachable, I was yelled at: ‘He already knows!'”
Ananias maintained her outward composure, suppressing any visible signs of stress and remaining polite. However, she later recalled overhearing officers in the background making dismissive remarks about her, allegedly saying: ‘She doesn’t give a shit,’ according to Ananias.
The interrogating officer demanded proof of past hikes yet paradoxically refused to look at photos or blogs of Ananias’ trail adventures. Copyright: Annika Ananias
Held Without Basic Necessities
“At this point, I was utterly exhausted,” said Ananias. The water fountain in the waiting area was out of order, so she purchased a bottle of water from a vending machine. She was interrogated a third time, fingerprinted, photographed, and asked about her health status and medications. The officer then delivered the verdict: Her visa had been annulled and she was banned from entering the United States for five years.
“I was then taken to another room where my entire baggage was searched. The officers mocked my medications, saying, ‘It’s like a hospital!’, and tossed my belongings around,” she recalled. “All of my personal items were confiscated, including my shoelaces, glasses, watch, and hoodie because it had drawstrings. I was allowed to keep my down jacket and the small blanket I had taken from my Lufthansa flight.” She was searched against the wall and placed in a holding cell with the young Spanish traveler. Though not a hiker, she told Ananias that she had encountered similar accusations during interrogation.
Her experience in holding is etched into Ananias’ memory. “The cell was freezing. There were only four stone benches, an open toilet, and two thin mattresses that barely insulated against the cold floor. Only one thin blanket was available,” she said. “We tried to sleep but repeatedly woke up shivering.”
“Degrading, arbitrary, and deeply concerning.”
Despite previous assurances, Ananias has said her prescribed medication was never provided, leading to increasing discomfort and stress. “After hours, we were finally given water and a pre-packaged, microwaved meal. The air conditioning was briefly turned off, allowing us to sleep for a short period, before it was switched back on.”
Throughout the detention, Ananias says she and her cellmate were not informed of the time or of how long they had been held. Finally, almost 24 hours into the ordeal, she was escorted to the gate by a Homeland Security officer, given back her belongings, and accompanied onto the plane.
Now back in Germany, Ananias is working through the trauma of the experience, which she described as “degrading, arbitrary, and deeply concerning.” She summarized: “My right to a fair entry assessment was violated, I was detained without evidence, deprived of my freedom of movement, and treated inhumanely. The confiscation of my personal belongings and medications, along with the disregard for my medical needs, represents a severe violation of my fundamental rights. I was falsely accused of working illegally, subjected to humiliating treatment, and ultimately deported without any justified reason.”
She wanted to be in the desert again — instead she found herself shivering in a holding cell. Copyright: Annika Ananias
Expedited Removal: Capricious, Opaque, Almost Impossible To Overturn
The legal mechanism behind Ananias’ harrowing experience is known as “expedited removal.” Created in 1996, the statute grants broad powers to low-level border officials to unilaterally remove non-citizens from the United States without a hearing in front of an immigration judge. Both the scope of its application and the incidence of its use have increased in recent times.
On January 21, 2025, the Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated expedited removal to apply “to the fullest extent authorized by Congress.” When an individual is deported from the United States under expedited removal, the government typically also imposes a ban on re-entry, which can last anywhere from five years to life.
Expedited removal cannot be appealed under the independent judiciary, but can be contested within the department by an individual or their lawyer through the DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program. As Ananias’ evidence was not properly reviewed in interrogation and her medical needs were ignored in holding, in theory she has strong grounds for review of the decision. However, it is a lengthy, complicated process, with the burden of proof on the individual.
In light of her traumatizing experience, Ananias said she would likely not attempt to contest the ban and would steer clear of the US as long as the current climate on border security holds, for fear of going through the same thing again. “I had entered the United States multiple times without issue in the past, yet this time I was treated as a criminal,” she emphasized.
A conclusive pattern of arbitrary detention and deportation is difficult to prove, but Ananias’ case is by no means an isolated incident. Current immigration policies have increasingly made themselves felt, not only for immigrants actually hoping to build a life in the US, but also for tourists.
Ananias points to the case of Jessica Brösche, a German tourist and tattoo artist accused of wanting to work illegally in the US because she attempted to enter with her tools. Brösche maintains that she merely wanted to give her friend a tattoo. At time of publication of this article, Brösche has been in detention since January 25.
“Like me and the Spanish woman I was incarcerated with, she was a European citizen and held valid travel documents,” Ananias said. She suspects that travelers’ freelance or self-employed work in their home countries may be seen as a red flag, leading to accusations of criminal intent without evidence of wrongdoing.
Shock and Fear in the International Hiking Community
As thru-hiking season begins, countless hopefuls from abroad are about to attempt to enter the US to hike long trails. Many have given up their jobs and housing, completely rearranging their lives for this dream.
In the PCT Germany Facebook group, where Ananias shared an abbreviated account of her ordeal, hikers reacted with horror. Many expressed trepidation about their imminent hikes, while others planning hikes in subsequent years second-guessed their US plans altogether. In a general discussion in another Facebook hiking group, Ladies of the JMT, international hikers reported feeling conflicted about visiting the US under the current administration, or making plans to hike elsewhere.
Ananias emphasized the importance of having all documentation about personal finances, the hike itself, ties to the home country and ideally a return ticket on hand and ready to show border officers, but also cautioned that these things may not be enough, as the officers wield practically unlimited discretionary power over the process and may not be inclined to consider evidence.
International hikers help keep trail town businesses afloat. Pictured: the Mountain Healing Spa in Etna, California. Copyright: Caitlin Hardee
Foreign Hikers Bring Money and Fresh Perspectives to Trail Towns
If Ananias’ experience is echoed by others, the uncertainty may lead hikers towards long trails like New Zealand’s Te Araroa, Canada’s Great Divide Trail or France’s HexaTrek, rather than risk the disappointment and discomfort of a dust-up with Homeland Security. This represents a loss not only for the hiking community, but also for local economies.
The reality is that relatively affluent international hikers bring an infusion of foreign-earned, saved-up income to small trail towns in the US, each spending thousands of dollars in American businesses, many of which desperately depend on the thru-hiking economy.
A huge part of that thru-hiking economy comes from overseas. Germany alone, with the exception of the core pandemic years, reliably represents the largest national contingent of hikers on the western US Triple Crown trails each year, after US citizens. In the most recent editions of Halfway Anywhere’s representative PCT and CDT surveys, Germans made up 6.6% and 6.5% of respondents, respectively. This author remembers days on her 2022 PCT thru-hike when every single hiker encountered spoke German.
Collectively, non-US hikers in 2024 made up 37.8% of respondents for the PCT, and 33.5% of respondents for the CDT. On The Trek’s most recent AT survey, German and foreign hikers in general made up a much smaller contingent, but then, the AT is a particularly American brand of sufferfest.
It Is the People
Without those foreign hikers, trail towns and the US economy in general would only take a hit. Nor can the enrichment provided by a diverse international hiking community be quantified solely in terms of dollars spent. “It is the people,” filmmaker Elina Osborne famously said, summarizing the magic of thru-hiking.
Who among us has not known and cherished hikers from another culture, in our bubbles and trail families? Who has not learned a foreign phrase, had their eyes opened by tales from another country, and perhaps visited those hikers in their home countries afterwards? If international hikers stay away — or are forced away — we are all poorer for it.
Jaime Tarne, trail angel and former mayor of Etna, California, emphasized that the town welcomes all hikers. “Everyone I know enjoys talking to hikers and exchanging stories with them, and hikers from across the world bring a part of their world with them to share,” she said. “Hikers are our biggest tourists in our rural mountain town, and do help our businesses — restaurants, coffee shops, grocery store, hardware store, hamburger stands.”
Tarne has hosted and given rides to hikers from Australia, New Zealand, England, Norway, Germany, South Africa, Peru, and other countries. “International hikers are part of the PCT experience,” she said. “It would be a much dimmer experience as a trail angel if they were not allowed to walk this world class and famous trail.”
The PCTA and other prominent trail organizations recently visited Washington, DC, to raise awareness of conservation and trail maintenance issues in conversation with representatives. While public lands and funding for conservation are under assault, perhaps the hiking community needs to add border policy through the lens of thru-hiking to the laundry list of topics for that next email or phone call to our elected officials. To address mismanagement and injustice, it must first be brought to light.
Disclaimer: The events described in this article are based on firsthand accounts provided by Annika Ananias, a German hiker who was denied entry into the United States and subject to an expedited removal process. The Trek has reviewed official documents related to the incident. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency has declined to offer an official response regarding this specific case. Immigration policies and enforcement actions vary based on individual circumstances, and readers should be aware that this account represents one hiker’s personal experience.
This article was updated on March 13, 2025 to clarify that Trek bloggers are not paid.
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Comments 116
It is only a matter of time before the shoe drops on Americans traveling abroad in retaliation. Camino hikers beware. (Just my opinion…)
I think that is more truth than fiction now. If Trump puts tariffs on Spain and Portugal and does the same to their citizens as they did to Ms. Ananias then it’ll be Katy bar the door, because the hammer WILL fall on Americans wanting to hike the Camino.
It’s only a matter of time when US citizens will need a license, similar to a drivers license, just to hike the beautiful trails in this country and if you get stopped without it that person gets the same treatment as this German tourist.
I’m ashamed of this country and hope all international visitors know we value them, even when out government acts like pigs.
You are not alone. This makes me sick.
Mad King Biff has set expectations and standards for LE across our country allowing low-level meatheads to indulge their inner fascist. The cult don’t care.
I believe it’s wise to record be prepared to record every encounter with LE and bureaucracy now as our rights as individuals get stripped away. This goes for travellers as well as citizens.
Annika’s American experience is toxic in everything imaginable way – we Americans are screwing ourselves as well as visitors.
Somebody wake me from this fkn nightmare. 2029 can’t come soon enough…if we can even get there.
I am so ashamed to have been born in this country. To all the people from countries other than the US coming to the US to hike, I am sorry. I voted in opposition and am doing everything I can to reverse this horrible trend, but again, I am SO SO sorry.
I hope you will still come, and I think basically everyone would treat you wonderfully, but definitely understand hesitance.
Well it’s too late for being sorry.
Ashamed to be born here. Then move and see what other countries are like!
Oh that’s easy. It’s better elsewhere. Under no circumstance would I even consider moving to the US. I’m not stupid.
For the record, I love goodness. There are good things about the US and I love them. I am grateful for them. I pay taxes and vote and believe that is important. But just because I do that does not mean that I give the US a pass when it does not live up to its own ideals. History is littered with the destruction wrought by complacent citizens who drank their own countries koolaid – and I will not be one of those people.
Shame is something I feel when I could and should have been better. I will not refuse to feel shame because I could not have done worse. I apply the same standard to my citizenship as I do to myself.
Actually, I *HAVE* been to many other countries, and find them superior to the US in quite a few ways. How many other countries have you been to? I feel like the idea of American exceptionalism is something that exposure to other countries quickly crushes.
Honestly, as an American, I think we are approaching a very rude awakening – one in which we learn that just as in nature, even those who appear to be at the top of a food chain are still part of, and dependent upon, the ecosystem that food chain represents. We may learn that American is not so great on its own, without its allies, as some imagine it to be.
Dear Anna,
thank you for this well-written, wonderful comment you wrote in reply to someone spewing nasty, narrow-minded opinions on the internet.
Please accept my virtual hug and thanks.
Please stay the way you are.
– Another Anna
This means a lot. Virtual hug and thanks accepted, and returned 🙂
There’s always a few jerk personnel in every department. Don’t blame it on everyone. My German friends arrived with a similar itinerary and had no problem at all.
I don’t think this is a matter of writing off the incident to “a few jerk personnel”. DHS has designated expedited removal to apply “to the fullest extent authorized by Congress.” In other words, this is an issue at a systematic level not a personnel level. When the agency itself takes a hardline approach on these issues, the personnel tend to follow suite.
You’re the sort to travel and complain, “well, it’s not like that in America.” But we all know it’s just white America that you’re talking about.
That must be the worst nightmare for every foreign thruhiker.i am one of the first german triple crowners.i thought i make a long vacation next year to see old friends in Colorado. Maybe i better wait 4 years.
What makes you think that this will be over in 4 years? I don’t expect that the Trump Junta will leave voluntarily.
These are sad narrow minded times we are living in. I enjoyed following Annika’s previous travels. Unfortunately, we all lose when we cannot share experiences from all cultures.
I think The Trek needs to clarify if blogging for them while on the trail would be considered work for the case of a B2 tourist visa. What happened here was truly awful, but I think for everyone’s safety this should be made very clear.
I had worked at LAX for a few years and yes they may consider vlogging working if making anything from it. I know the rooms that she was in I know the process. I wasn’t a customs officer but I worked for an airline and I’ve seen this happen so many times even before Trump. I would definitely appeal it with all the evidence that wouldn’t sit right with me having that on my record when I know I wasn’t doing anything wrong.
This makes me livid. The US has become more and more unbecoming. And more hateful, which the mango mussolini has given rise to. I’m so very sorry Annika.
@Andrea – Trek bloggers write for free, so no, it would not be relevant in a visa context.
I planned to hike the PCT in 2021, but Covid had other plans and we were in lockdown here in Australia. After a couple of years I decided to hike NZ instead, it is closer and I didn’t need a visa for the 5 month hike. Getting a B2 visa is a lengthy and expensive process for me here. I have just completed a thru hike of Te Araroa in New Zealand, most hikers were not from NZ – mainly Europeans, a few Americans. The experience was amazing and I enjoyed the company of hikers from so many different places. The PCT is still on my radar, but I guess I will wait another 4 years before I consider the PCT again. So sad 🙁
The US hikers that voted for Trump and these extreme border policies weren’t thinking about the white German woman entering the country for tourism … they wanted to go after the undocumented deplorables.
Unfortunately, Ravenclaw got caught up in the fish net of misery. She was poorly treated while detained. I’m so sorry that you received a 5 year ban too.
My country sucks bad right now. It won’t suddenly get better after the orange man leaves the US presidency. The same political and moral issues will continue to divide the US. We’re watching the decline of a modern empire in real-time.
If you’re a foreigner, don’t come … don’t risk it. Don’t risk the money for a flight and trip funding. It’s not worth it.
Rudeness by our immigration officials has been a problem for a long time. Back in the early 1980s I took a Portuguese class at Portland State University taught by a visiting female professor from Brazil, which at that time was a rather prestigious job for a woman in Brazil. She had proof that she was entering the U.S. for an arranged teaching position, but an immigration official asked her if she had ever been a prostitute.
Oh wow – I’m so sorry this happened. How embarrassing as a US citizen.
There is obviously one very loud, very orange reason for this. (Seems like someone should hit a trail and calm tf down already.)
I’m hitting the AT in 3 years – and I’d be very disappointed to NOT run into people from other countries. That’s what the US is SUPPOSED to be.
We’re with you. I’m so, so sorry. ❤️
not changing anytime soon. the xenophobe divisionists own every major branch and with each day gradually get more powerful in crucial low and mid level judiciary systems. “it will change in 4 years”… no it wont. that ship has sailed because the less evil team doesnt understand how to play the game.
I’m a US citizen and after re-entering the US through Miami with my wife (a green card holder), I’m never going to re-enter through there again because I’m worried about immigration officials accusing us of something. Miami immigration people are mean and obnoxious to everybody. There’snnothing like being treated like a criminal on your way home from the wedding of a friend who lives abroad…
In our experience, on the East coast Dulles, JFK, and even Newark are better.
I am an legal immigrant and I really understand you. I love living here but I am terrified. I am scared of being kicked out of the country for no reason.
Yet another cautionary tale. Is this MAGA? Come on, people!
Sadly, this appears to be a case of federal officials and malicious compliance. That is, they’re technically within the law but doing their jobs in a manner to deliberately incite maximum outrage. There’s a lot of this happening all over the place at various agencies of the federal government. I’m reading the fednews sub-reddit and seeing quite a bit there.
That is the most sensible comment yet on this story. I was suspecting the same thing, the more so the further I read into the story. “Malicious compliance” sums it up aptly.
Dear Leader is insane, and so are his sycophants.
Only 3.8 years to go.
Why would anybody want to come to the US in this year of turmoil. I’m ashamed to be an American. No longer a democracy
This administration will not be happy until the entire free world hates us and wants nothing to do with visiting this country. I am so ashamed.
I do not think it is unreasonable for someone on a visitors visa to be expected have a return ticket in hand.
Yes, it is unreasonable. Thruhikes are unpredictable by definition, meaning hikers need to keep their options open and not waste money on a ticket for a flight that could end up being way earlier or later than their hike ended.
Obviously this situation sucks, but the rules are very clear. With this type of visa you must have a return ticket before entering the US. Most of the time this rule is not enforced, so hikers just assume everything would be OK.
As a thru-hiker who travels all around the world, I always make sure I follow the local rules. And honestly, I think this is the basic required from a tourist in any country.
The requirement is obviously unreasonable, since it is entirely pointless- it provides zero evidence the person will leave the country and zero incentive to do so. Nobody decides not to overstay their visa and become an illegal immigrant because they have an airline ticket they bought (for some reason) without cancellation or rescheduling options or trip insurance. And nobody coming here intending to break our immigration laws is going to fail to buy a return ticket and then cancel it. The requirement accomplishes nothing other than being a burden for the sake of being a burden.
She did have a return flight. They never even asked her if she had one.
How horrifying! Being held by DHS can get worse than this story however. I know a local person who was traveling through Washington State and was seized and held in a similar cold cell for 3 weeks. Homeland Security personnel are trained to be mean and nasty, and they left the lights on 24/7 making it hard to sleep. They played head games with this person, regular interrogations throughout the day and night at unpredictable times. This person had a dog team here in Alaska and because he didn’t get home as expected, the person caring for his dogs left. Several of the dogs died before a neighbor noticed the continual barking and that no one was there to feed them. He was finally released, and allowed to return home. He was never charged with a crime, never allowed to contact anyone including a lawyer. You would think there are basic human rights that must be respected, but not here in America. And this was all well before Trump! It can only have gotten worse since his installment.
Ravenclaw, I want to apologize to you for the way our government has mistreated you and others. I am truly ashamed by what has transpired. Not only are we as average citizens getting screwed, everyone in the world is now a potential target. I wish things were different but for now, this is our new reality. I have a sinking feeling that things will be getting worse before they get better.
Thank you for posting. We have degenerated in such a short time. This is how fascism starts.
Caitlin — very well-researched and written article. It’s such a disturbing story, but thank you for helping to tell it. The Arizona Trail Association would like to help amplify this story to media throughout the state. Can you contact me with your and Annika’s contact information?
Ravenclaw, As a US Citizen whose Grandfather was a first generation German immigrant as well as having thru hiked the AT/24, and from the depth of my heart, I sincerely apologize for the way you have been treated.
From my understanding of the US Constitution as well as the checks and balances of our 3 tier government system, your civil liberties were clearly violated with no opportunity for due process.
I Pray your situation gets the attention it deserves, systems are improved, and somehow, if possible, this is made right for you.
Best wishes and Pray one day your US hike becomes a reality full of Awesome Memories. Passing on much Love and Respect.
Tom Quirk Jenkins
The only reason this article is even telling her story is because she is a white European woman. This is happening to brown people every day.
No wonder so many black & brown people are hesitant to enter hiking and other outdoor activities. It’s all so wildy unjust.
yep. Hopefully those commenting here will support those who are detained and treated poorly but who are not ‘thru hikers’.
Let’s all remember, there are two sides to every story. What we have here is a long-winded tome from a disgruntled tourist. No comment from the border patrol does not exclude that there was a reason for everything that happened. I apologize for anyone reading the the leftist comments “apologizing” for the USA. They are not indicative of the majority of Americans and only represent the angry amerikan left.
Some people apologizing for it atleast shows there is a little bit of decency and dignity left in your country.
What should the other side of the story be then? What did she do to deserve this unjust treatment?
I tell you there is no other side of the story but there is a rogue and inhumane administration in charge.
I mean the record of her hiking twice before in the US with no problem speaks volumes.
The article mentions veryfing the story with relevant documents – that’s not just a “disgruntled tourist”. You have nothing to apologize for, people are right to be empathetic.
Wait, what? What about basic human rights? You are obviously a small example of what this country is becoming..or has already become. Disgusting
There was nothing “long winded” about the article and no evidence that any of those commenting were “leftists.” You have no basis to claim that most Americans share your view.
Better check your spell check .. “Amerikan” Left!
You don’t speak for the normal majority. The plurality of normal Americans that voted for Trump just didn’t like inflation and the state of the economy, they wanted no part of your culture war, let alone its mission creep to spill over onto hapless German tourists. You are so out of touch with reality you don’t even know what normal looks like.
And the facts aren’t really in dispute here. Standard dishonest debating tactic: when the facts aren’t against you, pretend there may be an alternative set of facts out there which would exonerate your side which you can’t be bothered to produce.
Agree. There’s another side of this story that hasn’t been heard, yet people assume the worst.
If this article was written about an American having this experience in Germany though, all the sudden it would be unacceptable right?
This is no country and no humanity I recognize. But then again, my cousin is married to a correctional officer who works at the Sonoma County jail who recounted to me his enjoyment of going to work that evening in order to get the opportunity to rough up the incoming prisoners, and routinely sped dangerously knowing that his fellow officers would never give him a speeding ticket. American citizen or foreign visitor, we’re all one angry bully with a little authority away from being detained, incarcerated and imprisoned and yet we do nothing to weed out these people from these occupations, nothing to ensure that anyone who is detained by police is treated with the utmost respect, dignity and comfort until proven guilty in a court of law, and that law enforcement officers are held to the highest standards and exposed to personal loss from abusing their privilege.
I am very much saddened by this terrible and increasingly common story of “the others” being targeted by TRE4ZON and his scumlords. No one is safe from the metastatic cancer that is centered around the table used by the Cabinet.
Sounds like low life power tripping employees being so unnecessarily rude to legal tourists. They don’t represent the people of this country. But right now this country is in bad shape because of last 20+ years of corruption & now doing a turnaround for the better, we hope but still in transition so still dealing with a lot of corruption. It’s very sad to see this happen. Those stupid employees just caused a lot of unnecessary fear for those legally wanting to visit this country.
There’s more to this story. There always is, and the fact that so many believe it at face value without any other information just shows how gullible we are.
I don’t know the whole story but won’t make any judgement without it.
What more information do you want there to be? If she had truly done something illegal, she would have been detained and not just deported. I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but people do get treated inhumanely like this, despite being innocent, and pretending that she “probably did something” does not make the injustice go away.
The cruelty is the worst of this. There may, I repeat may, have been good reason to refuse her entry but the process was needlessly cruel. How sad to see a few on here unsympathetic to her. Trump’s worst effect is not betraying America, but persuading so many Americans to betray themselves as human beings.
I’ve experienced having a friend placed for hours in handcuffs under armed guard in Miami. We were merely in transit on a work trip from Europe to Latin America. His crime? He once applied for a residence visa, then withdrew it when his circumstances changed. I’ve been reluctant to transit or visit the USA ever since, and this story does not surprise me.
I was once detained under armed guard for many hours in an African airport before deportation. An issue with my visa. The difference is that the two guards were deeply apologetic and invited me to come stay with them when I ever came back so they could show me a better side of their country. I was left with some lovely memories. No handcuffs required either.
That actually sounds lovely, in spite of the circumstances. Thank you for your comment, it’s nice to see people persist and keep being empathetic.
Big thank you to Caitlin and Annika for sharing this story. I know it’s not easy with all the aggressive commenters trying to justify injustice, but I’m glad you did it anyway. It’s so important that people know that they risk their health not only on the trails, but also with utterly inhumane treatment by authorities, that should be protecting us all.
Relax, it has nothing to do with Trump and his administration. The same officers were interrogating travellers during Bidens presidency. People were deported like that before thousands of times since 1996.
Great! That makes it so much better for law abiding hikers that pay hundreds of dollars for visas and us embassy interviews to then get arrested at the border?!
As horrifying a story as this is, when this becomes a regular occurrence for US citizens, then it will be more than horrifying. In recent years, I have experienced the rudeness and abusive comments when returning to the US (as a native born citizen). This is not going to get any better on this country’s journey toward full on fascism.
She should talk to government officials in Germany and see if she can get the German consulate to file a complaint. The more pushback against actions like this, the less likely they will occur.
The reason is clear; Trump inspired quotas. Legal or not, these border folks have to meet quotas, even if it means treating innocent people despicably. Reading her story made me feel sick. Once they saw her B2 Visa and identification she should have been immediately released. I hope her hideous experience is picked up by the media. I apologize to Ravenclaw. I recognized her name is having been mentioned by other hikers on Trek ♥️♥️.
Sound like she probably actually had overstayed her visa previously on a trip… They have the dates of your entry and exit……… they have computerized records of this they don’t have to make stuff up……….. Everything else, well… Imagine the entitlement attitude to be in a foreign country to you………. Being granted access to a foreign country, including the us, is a privilege.. not a right that anybody has
so they said there would be evidence to back this up at the bottom. where is it? I’ve got 4 friends from France here now hiking and no issues. the only reason she would have had a serious issue like this is her trying to come in with an expired B2. it’s very easy to fix at the embassy in thier country. so I’m a little confused by this article. it’s kinda like a sideways way of saying that our borders are broken. but the girl also said she’s gotta work with Germany to get her BF into the country via it’s customs and so it’s also a process.
“Dan : Mar 11th Sadly, this appears to be a case of federal officials and malicious compliance. That is, they’re technically within the law but doing their jobs in a manner to deliberately incite maximum outrage. There’s a lot of this happening all over the place at various agencies of the federal government. I’m reading the fednews sub-reddit and seeing quite a bit there.”
Oh, stuff it, already. There is no such thing as “malicious compliance,” it’s another one of those MAGAt buzzwords that’s being passed around among the cult members.
If anyone is in touch with Annika Ananias, let her know that Canada would be happy to host her. My wife and I Hike, Camp and Kayak a ton during the summer. She would be welcome to join us anytime.
This is very complicated to write about in a non legal manner, so kudos to the author of the article.
For those submitting political comments, Its important to differentiate between immigration/refugee law compared to standard foreign visitor access thru an approved visa . Individuals with valid visas cannot be removed via expedited removal (however she was never permitted entry, and therefore was not deported in the legal sense). The article says her visa was annulled while being denied entry.
It’s clear the US government misused its authority by not believing her visa was valid and coming to the unproven conclusion she was guilty of immigration misrepresentation/fraud.
The odds are probably against her but the best options at this point would be to reach out the German Embassy in DC and have the Arizona Trail Association reach out to the two (2) Arizona Senators.
If she doe not want to deal with it many great treks are available in Europe, Britain, New Zealand, South America and Canada for the two of them and can be done without going thru visa hell.
The article above states this happened on February 25, 2024. From a previous Trek post the lady in question was in the US on the trail on December 15, 2024. Their hike had been 142 days at that point. Likely that means there were days where she was in the country before the 142 days. It appears there were additional days after this post was made. Tourist visas permit 180 days at a time.
This post is an attempt not to pass judgement on the hiker or border patrol, but to try to establish facts as they are able to be known. In a previous comment that I made, in which I shared a blog post from an immigration law firm, this type of authority has been given to the agents since at least 2009.
DEC 15, 2024 : ANNIKA ANANIAS / “RAVENCLAW”
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL
Day #:
142
Miles Since Last Update:
82 mi.
Total Miles Hiked:
2,592 mi.
Miles Remaining:
-18 mi.
CDT: The Last Steps
After 5.5 months of challenges, triumphs, and the inevitable hardships of a long-distance trail, the final stretch of the CDT is in sight. Our walk to the Mexican border is nearly complete, w
I found this blog post from Klasko immigration law partnersfrom written June 2, 2009. Perhaps, it will be of value to the discussion. It seems that customs and immigration officials have been given the power to decide these things for a long time.
VISITORS: HOW OFTEN IS TOO OFTEN?
Blog > Blog
Deborah from the UK just submitted a wonderful question to the blog, which gets at a very important set of concepts one must understand about the rules for visiting the US. While the question is about entering on the Waiver Program (for nationals of countries that do not need a B-2 visa to visit the US), the answer applies equally to visitors who have obtained B-2 visas in their countries.
The question, how often can one come to the US as a visitor, and how long can one stay, plus the answer, after the jump.
Deborah’s question is:
Hi. I am a UK citizen and regular visitor to the US for vacation purposes. I am about to have more free time (wonderful!) and would like to spend more time in the States – say 3 months at a time twice a year. Can I do this under the Visa Waiver program? Noting the VWP is OK for trips up to a max of 90 i days, is this a limit per trip or a cumulative number over a period of, say, a year?
There is no one answer to this question, but it does illustrate the tension between two principles that apply to visitor entry applications.
The first principle is that the United States wants to encourage tourism and visits from other countries, so there is no hard-and-fast or bright-line rule for how many times a person may use the Visa Waiver Program, or a visitor’s visa, in a single year. Depending on the person’s situation, two trips in a year may be “too many,” or seven trips in a year may be fine.
The second principle is that each time a person comes to the United States as a visitor, the Immigration Inspector must be able to determine that the person is, indeed, “just visiting” — that is, that the person maintains their residence (their “principal place of abode,” as we say) in another country, and that the purpose, duration and frequency of trips to the United States is consistent with the fact that the person lives abroad.
What kinds of facts will determine how often is “too often”? Well, for example, if a person has few personal or career ties to the home country, then the chances are higher that entry as a visitor will be denied. So, for example, a university student who has two long vacation periods in her school terms and comes to the US during those breaks would have a lower chance of refusal than an unemployed recent graduate (who has plenty of time to visit, but no particular reason to return home). Similarly, a person who came twice in one year and stayed one month each time, with six months between them, is much less likely to have a problem than someone who came twice in one year, but stayed for three months, left for one week and is now returning the second time after almost no time at home.
At the end of the day, the Immigration Inspector is assessing each visitor’s honesty and reliability when interviewing him or her, as well as looking at any evidence they have brought with them of the purpose of their trip, and the immigration service’s own records of the person’s travels in and out. Whatever the reason for a person’s trips, therefore, honesty is always the best policy.
Visitor’s entries are the most common kind of entries to the United States, and can often be quick and easy. There are important limits, though, as I’ve discussed in this post, and so prospective visitors should be sure that they are not entering so often that they have abandoned their residence overseas.
From their about us page:
Mission and Values
Klasko Immigration Law Partners (KILP) is a law firm dedicated solely to providing industry-leading employment-based, investment-based, and litigation immigration services to its clients. We help our clients achieve their goals by providing high-quality comprehensive immigration legal services.
We aspire to be an extension of our clients by offering seamless immigration advice and representation all over the world. We have earned a reputation for finding creative and comprehensive solutions to difficult immigration problems through cutting-edge and industry-leading strategies.
What do our clients value the most? Our extreme responsiveness and our innovative, practical, and effective immigration strategies
In the article it states she was denied for “But upon reaching US passport control this time, she found herself detained, interrogated, and accused of intending to work illegally in the US.”
Is being paid for what you do considered work? On her Facebook page from her previous 6 month trip she states sponsors are paying her to hike.
Are movie critics who get paid to watch movies considered to be people with jobs? We all watch movies, but not all of us make our living from it.
Are restaurant, reviewers, who go to restaurants and eat, like many of us do, and they get paid for their work considered to be people who make their living eating? There may be people reading this post who have never watched a movie. There is not a single person reading this post who has never consumed food. There is a difference between the regular and general consumption of food to stay alive. Versus people who make their living, writing restaurant and recipe reviews.
I would argue that if you have sponsors paying you to hike and you primarily make your money to live on from the review of products and documenting your hiking that that would be considered your job. A wonderful amazing job that most of us would love to have, and that most of us would gladly trade our 9 to 5 to do.
So the question is if One makes their living from sponsors to perform a certain activity is that a job? Race car drivers make their money from driving cars at events that are sponsored by companies. Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon got paid to drive cars and people watched them drive cars . Companies sponsored those cars. Are those people engaged in work when they drive cars for the pleasure of other people watching and hearing about their sponsors or even just seeing a sponsor name on their car or race suit?
From her Facebook page:
and looking for sub-tenants for my apartment in Ismaning near Munich. It’s about 6 months from the 1st. June to 30. November. Let me know or feel free to share my listing if you know anyone looking. Thank you very much!
As l’m preparing for my next big adventure on the
CDT I’m looking for subtenants for my apartment in Ismaning by Munich for six months, from June 1st to Nov 30th. It’s really close to the airport by the way 🙂 If you are looking for an apartment or know someone who is looking for one, please let me know, or feel free to share. Thank you!
In addition, she was still in the US in mid December—more than 180 days.
June 30 days
July 31 days
August 31
September 30 days
October 31 days
November 30 days
I am countering 183 days
December 15 makes 196 days with more days on the trail.
She was earning money by the activity she was doing and she stayed longer than 180 as documented by her own posts.
Was this a case of an immigrations and customs officer capriciously, deciding that she could not enter? Or was this a case of the officer determining that she was working i.e. earning money for her activities in the United States and did she overstay her previous Visa just a couple of months before? Should officers have the discretion to ignore the law as written because they like a person and think what they’re doing as fun or should they enforce the law as written because it’s their job to enforce the law that duly elected officials have passed?
For all the would-be sleuths trying to prove that actually, this ordeal was Annika’s fault: For your edification, she received an extension to the standard 6-month stay on her B2 visa. She had already applied for one before the 6 months ran out. Here are the legal regulations of applying for an extension:
“As long as you apply for an extension before the 1-94 expires, you will be considered in status (present legally) until you receive the decision from USCIS or for 240 days, whichever comes first.”
She left before the 240 days were up, and the extension also came later (once she was already out), so she was in legal status by all measures.
She was not paid for her Trek blogging and did not violate work rules.
We have verified the documentation related to her visa stays.
Not sure where people get off accusing someone they don’t know of legal violations, but some of you would apparently rather construct elaborate fantasies than recognize the ways that unilateral power with no oversight can, in fact, be applied unjustly to folks who have done nothing wrong.
Hi,
my theory: By leaving the US after I-94 expiration, but before the extension of stay decision came, she was flagged as an overstayer in the moment she left the US last year. And then when she wanted to visit the US again in February, the CBP officer saw the overstayer flag and pulled her aside.
Not that this would justify how she was treated, but this would explain to me, why this happened…
I did some more research about this. The USCIS website states the following about this situation:
“If you have been admitted as a nonimmigrant and have filed Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, to change to a different nonimmigrant status, we generally will consider your Form I-539 abandoned if you leave the United States before we make a decision on your application, though there are some exceptions. Having an advance parole document does not prevent abandonment of the change of status application. WHEN YOU RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES, YOU ARE LIKELY TO BE DENIED ADMISSION IF YOUR CURRENT STATUS HAS EXPIRED.”
Tobi, that’s a trap for folks to be aware of in general, but I don’t think it applies here. If the extension had never come, that would suggest the application had indeed been considered abandoned, but seeing as the approval for extension came through, there’s no legal basis for designating this an overstay.
Maybe not a legal basis, but when you leave the country after I-94 expiry and without an approved extension of stay I think in this moment you automatically get an i-94 exit entry with an overstay. If the i-539 approval comes after this it probably does not remove the overstay state anymore.
I have no insight in the US border control systems, but it seems plausible to me that this is what happened.
Even if the extension is processed in time, the visitors visa is meant for short term visits, not for someone who stays over seven months in a year in the US and wants to return within three months.
In many countries this is considered visa abuse – A term that implies that a person is trying to stay semi-permanently in a country by using a short term visa.
As I mentioned in my standalone comment below, as an immigrant, I had family visit me, they made sure to never stay more than six months every two years or three months every year to be very clear that there was no intention of visa abuse.
The sad part is the lot of Europeans and of course North Americans are not aware of what visa abuse is because their countries are more privileged.
For example, when my birth country brought in a visa parity law that forbade tourists from doing a “visa run” – that is stay for 6 months, leave the country for 10 days and come back to get another 6month stamp, Europe/NA tourists were fuming – some actually said that my birth country should be grateful to even get such rich tourists. So I can understand if they didn’t take the due precautions to make sure they were not abusing a US visitors visa
We live in a sick and evil country. Best for foreigners to spend their money in places like Canada and Mexico which welcome tourists
Caitlin,
After thinking about this more while sleeping, the issue is not that she received an extension on her 2024 SOBO CDT thru hike, it is she came back to the States too quickly in 2025 .
We don’t know the exact dates she left in 2024 but you mentioned her partner was only allowed to stay in Germany for 3 months and she tried to reenter the States in February – that is just too short of a timeframe between a long stay and a reentry even with a valid B2 visa. in the past mixed country couples went to Croatia (now a Schengen country) now they need to go Great Britain, Asia etc.
The short time difference between leaving after a long stay and reentering triggered the Miami agents – it almost always will. Their does not seem to be a hard law about how long you must stay out of the USA before reentry, so she did not do anything illegal but the rule of thumb is you need to stay out of the country for the same amount of time you are in the country while on a valid B2 visa.
Also to a custom agent they will not see any difference in their determination of living in the States whether you are walking for the whole year, RVing across America or living at a fixed location.
Therefore I do not see it as current US politics and would tell potential European thru hikers not to worry even if they are competing their second or third leg of the Triple Crown in successive years.
Bottomline, It’s important to stay out the States for the same timeframe you are in the States. Same goes for US/Canada citizens traveling to Europe.
It’s sad that Annika had to endure this, even though that is not unexpected, and the cruelty she suffered may very well be the point.
For everyone outside the US it’s better to avoid the US entirely for the time being. That includes not doing business with US-based companies, divestment from US assets, and opting for other products, services, platforms and destinations instead. When enough people in the US realise that you can’t be great in isolation, we can help them pick up the pieces and start on the long road towards gaining the trust of other nations again.
Yes I fully agree that this was handled wrong and she is owed a big apology.
What is the real cause that drove this harsh of a response ?
There are so many things when it comes to immigration that has been handled wrong for a long time.
Our politicians have been disagreeing on solution for years on both sides.
In addition to that, look what was done to our hiking and other outdoor activities during 2020 that I didn’t see much uproar when we were told to mask up social distance , etc.
I have supported the trail community and volunteer trail work for more then 40 years.
I cross the Canada/US border several times a year for my job, hiking, camping, etc. just returned from 2 weeks in Arizona. I never have any issues. My parents were born in two different countries and I was born in Germany so not like it is a shoe in as a naturally born Canadian.
Anyways, I have never had an issue. Yes, interrogated but always prepared with full documentation and aware of expectations. Never any rudeness by US Authorities in 40 years…even when I looked like a scruffy hippy. They are firm but that is their job.
My guess is that this individual set up red flags. A few of which I see and, however, I don’t know how she answered. I empathize with her but would need to hear the ‘other side’. My quibble is her talking about ‘rights’…as a Canadian I don’t have rights at the US border only rights in my treatment at my on border when Reeeentering.
This has been going on for ages (as was pointed out in the comments already).
It might have become worse now, but immigration procedures have been abysmal in the last century even. I endured it once (being young, and not knowing in advance) and never again since.
Also when a country makes rules like this, they really aren’t interested in tourists, so why not respect their will and not travel there? When they want tourists again, they can change the rules to be less random and treat the tourists less unfriendly. Until then – there are plenty of other nice countries around the globe, who actually appreciate tourists.
I find to many hikers are hanging towns ! Stay on the trail and hind within Nature and stay off the internet! If you disappear into nature than no one will find you ! Many of us on school Thru Hikers did so ! Today hikers post all their information on social media! There’s no surprise they found her !!
it’s a shame that when i started reading this, i had wondered if this articule was about a completely different german woman coming to the US. i didn’t think the original story i had read was about a hiker, but i was just curious since at the time of reading that article, she had been detained for over a month. turns out, if you can’t already tell, that i read two separate articles of two separate women experiencing the same horrifying thing at the hands of the US.
i am so sorry to anyone who has experienced this, is experiencing this, and will experience this. i hope that one day, the fear mongering we see and hear all over will no longer cloud ours and our neighbors minds. and that we can travel freely, hike where ever we want to, tell our tales and share our culture, without fearing some drawn-up imaginary lines and the soul sucking guards that stand at its posts.
and i truly wish that this woman, who this article was written about, is surrounded by the love and support she needs right now to heal from the trauma she experienced.
I hate to say this, but her experience is not that unusual for an unmarried young woman entering the US on a nonimmigrant visa that is in a relationship with a US citizen. I guarantee the two main reasons are how she answered questions about this relationship, and that the border officer questioning her was an ahole stickler for the rules. They often won’t give you a specific reason for denial, but the relationship was the reason. All the other questions were more or less procedural. Most EU citizens don’t run in to this because they enter using the visa waiver program, however they still could be stopped and sent back for the same reason, but much less likely.
Don’t go to the US till the time they come to their senses. There are many other beautiful places to hike.
No doubt this is a byproduct of Trump and the 49% of the voters who delivered this dubious “mandate” of neo-fascism and xenophobia. Trump’s brownshirts have been empowered and like bullies everywhere they will make people’s lives miserable if they can. America is lurching toward fascism and half of Trump’s MAGA world can’t wait and the other half don’t realize what they are supporting.
But – reality check – the unfortunate fact is that any international traveler at any border crossing is largely without rights. You do not have a “right” to enter a foreign country and legally one you have entered you are generally considered to be a “guest” who can be thrown out for any reason if your host country tires of you e.g. the USA and Mahmoud Khalil (although as a green card holder he will have certain rights a tourist does not or Bali who has begun to deport unruly tourists). So, that is something to keep in mind always while traveling. As someone who once traveled to both the USSR and East Germany at the height of the cold war, we were always warned that we could be denied entry at the border or ejected at any time for any reason or no reason at all. Today, due to corruption and arbitrary enforcement for entry requirements, it is well known that entering Nigeria, Russia, Egypt, Democratic Republic of Congo, and similar countries can be a “hit or miss” experience. Maybe time to add the USA to this list?
Anyway, apologies to Annika “Ravenclaw” Ananias on behalf of my (hopefully temporarily deranged) country. Hopefully when the orange tyrant is gone things will return to normal.
Who the hells working at that border control office?
I’m very sorry that this happened to you Anna. You are not the first and won’t be the last. I have had similar experiences (not jailed overnight tho) with “Security Agents” at Airports. TSA and US Customs. I’m quite certain this has nothing to do with Trump because it was also happening during prior administrations. However, the heightened focus on immigration and travel of foreign citizens into and through the US means that the bureaucrats and rank and file employees of our security forces are not likely as flexible as we would like. I believe that those personnel will be very aggressive in the prosecution of their duties. As a US citizen, we get the same sort of “guilty” assessment from all of the government agencies. HUD, Social Security, the Vet Adm, IRS….you name the federal or state agency. We’re abused by it.
Just remember, 60 days ago we were letting everyone in unvetted. Your country did the same thing. Now the pendulum swings and nice people like you get caught up in it. Should not have happened. With the consequences of their decisions being so great, those government security personnel should have looked at your proof to assess your risk. They didn’t. That’s flat out not right. I’m sure rules were broken in your situation.
So, many apologies from me for my government treating you so badly. Very sad. I hope you can appeal this “decision” and get back to what you love. We love seeing you come over here and enjoy our resources. Wishing you all the best. I am confident we will see you again (auf wiedersehn) on this side of the big pond.
Best regards. Ron
I sincerely want to apologize for what my country has done to all foreigners who only wish to visit this country. I think what the current administration is doing is horrible most all Americans don’t agree with it.
I am deeply ashamed of what is happening in the US right now, I grew up being taught that we were the good guys, that we did not detain people without due process, violate people human right, and had a set of checks and balances to keep things like this from happening. It is just bewildered to see an authoritarian , fascist regime destroying my country and how it will be perceived by the rest of the world. This NOT the America I grew up in.
Very sorry this happened. Living in and flying internationally from Miami for the past 20 years, I suspect this is a problem particularly inherant to this locale. Some of the CBP have been the rudest I’ve ever encountered and I always hold my breath when I have to go through the experience…and I’m an American citizen without even a speeding ticket to my name. At the very least, I would suggest foreign travellers avoid this point of entry at all costs. Go through a smaller airport with CBP that aren’t so jaded. Miami is a cesspool of corruption and disgruntled aholes. My partner even works at the airport and tells me as much. Ironic that it’s also such a melting pot of cultures… you’d think that would bring sympathy to cultural exchange but saddly no. Avoid the 305!
I am very much inclined to believe that a Customs agent really wanted to create this incident. I worked LE for the feds and this all reads like somebody doing payback against the current administration. Writing the President and copying DHS and ask others here to do the same. I’ve backpacked long distance trails in many countries and never heard of anybody ever having issues like this.
I think this abusive low level customs thug and her supervisors need to be doxxed and held accountable for their atrocious behavior
Sadly, I can only recommend that foreign hikers stay far away until we dislodge the current regime, and restore order and sanity to the United States. I’m hoping we don’t wind up in the 2nd American Civil War at this point. No, I am not joking.
Go hike Canada 🇨🇦, they’ve always been nice.
Anna. Breaks my heart to see U.S. become Germany of 1936. Best of trail luck any where else in the world.
Well, the behavior of the CBP agents was very harsh, but you really cannot re-enter US on a B2 visa 3 months after you overstayed your 6 month visit. At the very least before coming to the US she should’ve contacted the US Embassy in Germany and checked with them if the extension was actually processed and it was OK to re-enter the country after such a short time and if ok, get some documentation which would’ve made sure that she wasn’t stopped.
The visitor’s visa was designed to be more for someone who regularly visit the country to meet some family. As a non European immigrant myself, my parents used to visit once every two years for 6m or once a year just staying for 3m. Any more than that and you give the impression that you are actually living in US and just spending some time in another country.
Growing up in a country with a less powerful passport, I never wanted to abuse any of the visa rules of the US. I have seen a lot of Europeans, Canadians and Americans, of course not care too much about rules because they always were in a position of privilege
Sadly, a lot of people do not have comprehension of immigration law and directly go to political statements to explain this situation.
I too am seriously ashamed of being an American, and cannot wait until my long-term visa in Ecuador is approved. (Which means I can stay forever.)
I am old and broken now, and even when I was young I couldn’t do thru hikes, but I spent a lot of time in the Sierra Nevada; the mountains and desert all along the CDT; and even hiked small parts of the AT. What that means is I am very in awe of you people who can do that.
And for more than 20 years, I was a couch surfing host (as well as a host for many long-term visitor programs) and if I was in the US right now, I would expect very few, if any, international guests.
And that’s sad.
You are right to not want to come here.
There was a point in time where I served my country, and honestly would have given my life for it without a second thought/ Now, I’m ashamed I ever felt that way.
New York would probably be a batter point of entry than Miami.
It is a real shame that this type of situation is even possible. The possibility of being treated like someone who is trying to live in the US illegally, even if you carry a valid visa and have proof of your travel plans, makes anyone think about visiting the US twice. Who in their right mind would risk being put through such a humiliation?
In countries like Mexico, affluent travelers are ditching plans to visit the US this year following the administration’s arbitrary tariffs on Mexico. The economic impact could be significant. In 2023, Mexican tourists spent approximately 21.4 billion dollars in the US. The average has been estimated at about 20 billion a year for the last few years.
Honestly, the only thing that would slow the craziness of the measures put in place by the current administration is if the US economy is affected. In the same way that I would not purchase a product if it is produced by child labor or travel to countries where human rights are violated openly, why would I want to travel to a country that is mistreating tourists and deporting them arbitrarily?