Germany has updated its travel advice for citizens heading to the United States after three Germans faced detention and deportation during attempted US entry, as reported by Euronews. The cases included allegations of mistreatment and unexpectedly long detention periods.
The German foreign ministry's revised guidance now explicitly warns that even minor visa infractions or criminal convictions can lead to arrest and detention. One case involved Fabian Schmidt, a 34-year-old legal US permanent resident, who according to his mother was "violently interrogated" at Boston airport before being stripped and forced into a cold shower by officials.
In another case, Berlin tattoo artist Jessica Brösche spent over six weeks at the Otay Mesa Detention Center after attempting to enter from Mexico. Her friends claim she endured nine days in solitary confinement, though the facility's owner CoreCivic denied these allegations. A third German citizen, Lucas Sielaff, was detained for two weeks after a brief trip to Mexico despite holding a valid tourist visa.
While maintaining this isn't an official travel warning, the ministry emphasized that even having proper documentation doesn't guarantee entry. As a ministry spokesperson told Der Spiegel: "The final decision on whether a person can enter the United States rests with the American border authorities. But this is no surprise; it is the same in Germany."
Previously:
• British tourist discovers exciting new way to get jailed in hellworld America: walking a dog
