I haven’t read any of the thread except first OP post. I admit I am kind of worried about international travel right now. We have a bike trip planned for France and Switzerland in the fall (planned many months ago), and to Grand Cayman early next year (paid for last December). I don’t know that I will plan more international travel in the near future. We are “squeaky clean” and have nothing we should have to worry about, but things just feel too volatile right now.
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@1214mom - are you me? 
I have my bike tour in July (booked months and months ago) and a trip through the Grenadine’s in Feb 2026, also booked months ago.
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I think that planning and preparing for my fall overseas trip is one of the things getting me through. By a thread, it’s one of the things that is giving me joy. That ill be in Italy and Greece this fall
I don’t plan on giving it up
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I think what tripped up the Brown nephrologist was not her views- it was being photographed at a Hamas leader’s funeral.
Your relative will likely be fine.
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We will be in Europe for 21 days in October - only worry I have at the moment is how we will be received as Americans - we are pretty quiet and let a lot run off our backs without taking offese. Hopefully all the ruckus will have smoothed out before then.
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But is border control sitting there with a list ? Or are we running every attendee through a screen to see who is American or has a visa to identify and note ? That’s zillions of people they’d have to screen.
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Interesting regarding Facebook app…I was told many years ago (can’t remember if it was one of my kids or husband) to remove the app from my phone and just use the browser on the phone and go to Facebook.com…this was due to viruses coming through the FB app at the time, now I just never reloaded it but do type in the website and look at it on the phone.
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With Facebook, what if you just log out and say you have no idea what the password is. Or if you don’t have the app, how could they even know? None of anyone’s business anyways.
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Just returned from Europe. People were lovely, no one brought up politics until I did (in context with other conversation). I agree with others that everyone was perfectly able to separate us as individual Americans from the actions of the current administration. A lot of concern and fear out there though in general. It would be easy to just stay quiet about it if your politics don’t mesh with the general mood in Europe right now - everyone was way too polite to bring it up first (though a bit relieved when I brought it up!). I left and came back with no issues at all but I hold a US passport and I am a white middle-aged woman with no accent. However no one seemed to be paying much attention to be honest - I’ve been questioned more in the past than I was this time - no one even asked where I’d been or the purpose of my trip.
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This is my fear. Will they be extra annoying or hassling because its an older white man with a young Latina (daughter traveling with her dad)? Will they flag as suspicious?
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Of course they have a “list” of people to be refused entry, subject to extra screening, etc. (the “no fly” and “selectee” lists). And they also have discretion to question people if things don’t seem quite right. But it’s unclear if people have now been added to those lists or if this is all at the discretion of CBP and they just now feel emboldened.
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We have an international trip planned for early 2026. I’m actually not worried about that.
I’m more worried about getting on a plane here when I fly to AZ at the beginning of April. Not worried about being detained. Worried about air safety flying into a very busy airport! But that’s off topic to this thread…I’m just commenting about what I’m concerned about.
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Just returned from a trip to Spain (transfer planes in Germany both ways) with no problems. I do have global entry for return to the US. I was born in the US (even on the 4th of July) but my daughter was not and only has a US passport (with global entry) but had no issues, although I reentered in Denver and she at Dullas.
The only issue I had was the (very very cute) dog in the baggage area alerted on my backpack. The only food I had in it was some goldfish crackers (not banned) but in talking to the agent we figured out it was probably because I had had an apple in it when I left the US, and it was in there for a few days. Agent said the smell can remain for a week or more. No other places seem to be as strict about food as the US, so make sure you read the signs that say No fruit, meat, plants…I read an article a few years ago about a person who had put the apple she received ON THE PLANE and she was busted in customs. She lost her global entry privileges and couldn’t reapply for 5 years!
Remember that there will be a new visa requirement for the EU starting this May. It is only like $15-20, and I think you can buy it when you arrive, but I’m sure it will be less hassle to get it in advance.
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Are you going into Phoenix? That’s not overly crowded airspace. A little annoying if you’re the one flying into there because of constant last minute runway changes, but I never have felt uncomfortable by the number of airplanes aloft.
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Postponed (again) until end of 2026 What is ETIAS - European Union
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Also if you’re flying out of Dublin you actually go through immigration there and land as a domestic passenger in the US. So at least you don’t have to worry while you’re flying (and it’s much faster depending on your final destination). Just allow an extra 1/2 hour when getting to the airport.
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I was in the Caribbean a couple of years ago, and took an apple to eat on the plane. I forgot to eat it, so had to go to the “bad people place” at the airport. It was really no big deal, and they just kind of laughed at me, but I was nervous.
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I had no idea - thanks for that info!
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This happened to my wife several years ago. She returned to the US from an international trip forgetting that she had an apple in her handbag. They searched through all her luggage, tossed the apple, and let her go. But now every time she returns from a trip abroad she’s flagged for secondary screening. It’s a huge hassle because they’ll search her bags and ask her questions, and it takes up quite a bit of time. Last year she asked the customs officer why she was being pulled aside every time and he said “you’re flagged in the system”. She was incredulous – she had only brought in an apple, not plastic explosives or anything like that!
I’m not sure if she can do anything to have the “flag” cleared 
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