"Then there is the case of a Canadian, Jasmine Mooney, who was detained by ICE for two weeks"

 

This week, the impact of what it means to be America under Trump 2.0 will continue to hit hard. One important indicator: Tourism to the U.S. is on the decline.

Foreign countries including Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, and the U.K. have issued traveling warnings to their citizens who are considering trips to the United States. The United Kingdom warned of arrest or detention for those who violate the rules for entering the U.S., noting authorities “set and enforce” entry rules strictly. Finland and Denmark warned that trans people may encounter special difficulties, since the U.S. no longer recognizes their existence.

I can remember checking carefully before we traveled to destinations in Central America or ahead of a trip to Jordan. When I was doing that, it never occurred to me that the United States of America might be on a list of countries people are warned about. It’s a shock. It’s an embarrassment. And strangest of all, despite the reporting, Trump seems to be getting off scot-free, despite the economic ripples a downswing in tourism is certain to cause, let alone the additional hit our global reputation takes.

The thing is, these countries know. They understand what everything Trump is doing adds up to, even if the frogs here at home are letting themselves get boiled before they realize how hot the water is. Will Republicans in Congress ever wake up?

A French scientist was blocked from entering the country because he had criticized Trump in private messages. It’s important to note that at the border, before entry into the United States, there are far fewer restrictions on searches the government can conduct, including of your electronic devices.

Then there is the case of a Canadian, Jasmine Mooney, who was detained by ICE for two weeks. She wrote in an opinion piece for the Guardian, “There was no explanation, no warning. One minute, I was in an immigration office talking to an officer about my work visa, which had been approved months before and allowed me, a Canadian, to work in the US. The next, I was told to put my hands against the wall and patted down like a criminal before being sent to an Ice detention center without the chance to talk to a lawyer.”

Her situation seems unprecedented, and her courage in speaking out, which likely means she’ll be unable to reenter the U.S. to work as she had hoped, really matters. Democracy does die in darkness; it’s important that we understand just how far the excesses in this administration go.

Moody said no one would answer her questions about what was going on while she was held in a cell for two weeks—someone with a visa, who instead of being returned to Canada because customs had questions about the validity of her documentation, was held in custody in what she characterized as a freezing cell where she was given an aluminum blanket to cover herself. 

This sort of treatment of people who enter the country without documentation is appalling. Now, even people who believe they have a legal right to enter are at risk. Moody told me over the weekend, “I choose to use my voice — because remaining silent will never bring progress to this world. Change begins when we dare to speak the truths others are too afraid to say, especially when they challenge the system.” […]

-Joyce Vance