Two young German travelers expected their Hawaii trip to be the highlight of a months-long world adventure. Instead, their visit ended in handcuffs, jail time, and deportation — a stark reminder of the risks some international visitors face at U.S. borders.
This story was first reported in Germany’s Ostsee-Zeitung newspaper, a major regional daily that has been published for over seventy years. The German Foreign Office confirmed its involvement in the case, providing consular support after the travelers were detained in Honolulu.
Why U.S. border officials flagged their travel plans.
Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, arrived in Honolulu from Auckland with plans to explore Hawaii before continuing to California and Costa Rica. However, their flexible travel style — including a lack of pre-booked lodging for their planned five-week Hawaii stay — raised red flags for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Despite having ESTA travel authorization, the two were accused of potential illegal work intentions, a common concern for border officials screening young travelers without fixed plans.
The German Foreign Office later reminded travelers that ESTA approval does not guarantee entry to the U.S. — a decision always left to border officials at the point of arrival.
What happens when travelers get detained in Hawaii.
The travelers described their detention experience as shocking and surreal.
After hours of questioning at Honolulu Airport, they said they were placed in handcuffs, loaded into a transport vehicle, and brought to what they later learned was a deportation detention facility.
There, they reported being subjected to full-body scans, strip searches, and issued green prison uniforms. They were placed in a holding cell overnight alongside long-term detainees, including individuals accused of serious crimes.
Conditions described included sleeping on thin, moldy mattresses, using rudimentary toilets, and being warned by guards to avoid expired food.
The following morning, the travelers were escorted back to Honolulu Airport in handcuffs and deported — not to Germany, but to Japan, at their request, avoiding a longer return trip to New Zealand.
Recent reports suggest growing travel hesitation on both sides of the Atlantic.
Some U.S. travelers are expressing uncertainty about how they’ll be received in parts of Europe. At the same time, European visitors are raising concerns about stricter U.S. border enforcement, with fears of detention or deportation now influencing travel plans.
United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has tried to ease concerns of European travelers wanting to visit the USA by saying, “If you’re not coming to the United States to join a Hamas protest, or to come here and tell us about how right Hamas is, or…stir up conflict on our campuses and create riots in our streets and vandalize our universities, then you have nothing to worry about.”
Why ESTA approval doesn’t guarantee entry to Hawaii.
The ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) allows citizens of certain countries to travel to the U.S. for short stays without a visa. However, ESTA approval permits travel to a U.S. port of entry, where border officials have the final say on whether to grant entry.
In many cases, travelers without clear lodging plans, a well-defined itinerary, or proof of sufficient funds may be denied entry. U.S. officials may also raise concerns if they suspect a visitor could be planning to work illegally or stay beyond their permitted time. Even honest answers about working remotely or being flexible with travel plans can raise additional questions that may not end well for some visitors.
In this case, the travelers said their spontaneous, flexible travel style — common in places like New Zealand and Thailand — did not translate well when entering the U.S., where stricter documentation is often expected.
Germany’s updated travel advisory now explicitly warns that “entry to the United States is at the sole discretion of U.S. border authorities.”
What Hawaii visitors should know now.
This case highlights the importance of preparation and documentation for anyone planning a trip to Hawaii from abroad. Travelers should expect to clearly explain their travel plans, show proof of accommodations for their entire stay, and provide evidence of onward or return travel.
Visitors must also have proof of sufficient funds to support themselves while in Hawaii and be ready to answer detailed questions from U.S. border officials. A vague or incomplete explanation of travel plans could lead to delays, further questioning, or even denial of entry.
While most international visitors experience no issues entering Hawaii, this case serves as a cautionary reminder that what works in other countries may not work when dealing with U.S. immigration authorities.
Broader concerns for Hawaii tourism.
Stories like this could impact Hawaii’s image, particularly among international visitors facing high costs and growing overtourism concerns.
With global media coverage of this case and broader concerns spreading through Germany and Europe, some travelers may reconsider their Hawaii plans or choose destinations perceived as more welcoming.
Hawaii’s reputation as a dream destination depends not only on its natural beauty but also on the overall visitor experience. That includes what happens when travelers step off the plane and enter immigration and customs.
The bottom line for Hawaii visitors.
Whether arriving from Germany, Canada, Australia, or anywhere else, international visitors to Hawaii must be fully prepared for the possibility of detailed questioning at the border. As these young visitors learned, ESTA is a travel authorization, not a guaranteed ticket into Hawaii.
Understanding the process and preparing accordingly can help avoid the risk of detention or deportation, and ensure Hawaii remains the dream trip it was always intended to be.
Hawaii became unforgettable for these two young visitors for all the wrong reasons. Their story is a cautionary tale for future visitors from abroad.
We welcome your comments.
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I can see why these obvious Terroristen were promptly whisked away to confinement and strip searched w/o due process (I think that term is considered a pesky annoyance by current ICE and should be ignored). All this to make sure they didn’t have any weapons, drugs, etc. taped to their bodies, etc. and encrypted plots to light another Lahaina type fire… I wonder who did the strip searches?? No aloha spirit for sure. Not to mention the US Constitution and, what shall I call it, human decency…??
Pre-booking is stupid. Much better to find deals on arrival.
FACT:
Everytime you prebook, you’ll see a better offer at reception or a cheaper price next door.
I caught up with the response to this article and I’d say I’m encouraged by the general sense of outrage. Very few commenters insisted that this was just business as usual. Most were disturbed and have planned alternate travel. Hawaii might have to make alternate economic plans. I heard trump wants to open a MAGA Tower:) for select gold card holders flocking there.
As a German I will not leave my hard earned vacation money in a dictatorial uncivilized State where arbitrary rule and contempt for human dignity are the norm.
Sadly I’ not talking about North Korea, China or Russia
You should leave Germany as just recently they announced the following: (such contempt for human beings):
When it comes to immigration policy, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has already set the tone for the new year. In an interview with the news magazine Der Spiegel in December, he came out in favor of “large-scale” deportations for rejected asylum applicants.
In the first half of 2023, government figures show that 7,861 people were deported. A reform, dubbed the Repatriation Improvement Act, hopes to increase that number. Changes include an end to announcing deportations in advance and extending asylum detention to 28 days. Police will also have extended powers to search for those ordered to leave, and access their property, such as phones.
Maybe you are a little confused.
We fly out rejected asylum seekers who have completed a proper asylum procedure before a German court according to the rule of law and who have lived in Germany until then without being detained or even handcuffed.
1. They aren’t tourists.
2. Is this determined, as is usual in a civilized country, by a court and not by some quota fulfiller
Some of them have gone into hiding because they are Not in any kind of detention facility.
So don’t even try to defend the Gestapo of your Trump regime. I recognize fascists and their inhumane methods.
You can’t compare tourists who spend a few thousand on a flight and then another few grand on a hotel with guys on dinghies who cross the border illegally. I would be pissed if I was handcuffed, groped and thrown in jail just because they didn’t like my face.. in exchange for a few thousand that went to waste…no, no no….
They should just not come. I am telling all my friends around the world not to come here. A lot of mean people and a very toxic place!!
There are mean people everywhere; why should it be any difference in Hawaii? Rules are rules to protect us from potential US enemy’s intention. Border Patrols need to be controlled pro-active. I didn’t like how the 2 women were strip-searched or detained, but we don’t have the ‘whole story’. So, let’s calm down until we really know what happened.
I was planning Hawaii.. but I don’t want to fork out a couple of thousand just to be deported right back after 18h flight…
I got married in Hawaii and was actually planning to go back there with my family for a vacation. But as long as Trump and this administration are in power, I’ll avoid the US and prefer to vacation in Canada or Mexico.
I travelled to the US 10 years ago and it was already exactly like this. The arrogance and rudeness of US Border staff always stunned me. Coming from Europe and looking obviously like a tourist doesn’t change anything.
As Americans we came here on scurvy filled boats and flew back on 747’s with chilled wine. We became rich by inventing modern medicine, semiconductors and computers. And we did that by attracting and welcoming the smartest people in the world to places like MIT and Stanford.
As we deport literally thousands of college students on F-1 visas, China and Europe are welcoming them with open arms realizing we are handing over our future on a silver platter.
It’s heartbreaking to see the damage that the current US administration is doing to tourism to one of our favourite places to visit – Hawaii. We have cancelled our annual month long visit this year – mostly out of protest against the whole wanting to annex Canada, but also having to register and carry a paper at all times to avoid fines and prosecution. It’s definitely not the Aloha spirit that envelops Hawaii in normal times.
I saw this on LinkedIn and didn’t believe it was real. I see this story on many publications, and now wish it wasn’t real.
I am an American citizen, living in the US. In 2005, I flew from Seoul to Honolulu as part of a multi-destination trip. I was questioned a little more than I recall any other place. But lately, before this happened in Hawaii, I have wondered if I travel abroad, will Trump let me back in?
Canadian here…The current US administration isn’t doing the job it was elected to do. Protests across the nation I hope included Hawaii. Paul Revere and the War of Independence were commemorated this last weekend and the church bells of Boston pealed and loudly rang. “No taxation without representation” was cried in the streets…The Red Coats marched on the civilian population…If tourists avoid your state, you can do something about it, no? A couple of young kids being detained like this is shameful.
Would this have happened pre-Trump era? I don’t know, but I’d venture to say that the majority of the rest of the world will attribute this incident with America’s “Bigotry First” policy. Whether, as an American, you believe Trumps policies are racially driven or not, the rest of the world thinks so, and this may very well lead to long term negative affects toward and for America.
These rules have been in place for decades, under Obama, Clinton etc. Now it seems that every case is picked up by trolls who wish to harm us economic interests. The young travelers lacked accomodations, return flights and they had scant travel history to the USA couipled with no steady employment or study at home. If this was 1998 or 2005 the same thing would have happened. I am from the EU, only a few weeks ago a visiting friend was detained and deported from a Schengen point of entry. I visited NYC last month on ESTA/VWP on Swedish passport and was asked some questions by a polite CBP officer and no issues becuase I have work, return flight and had my accomodation and itienary catered for. I wasn’t planning anything nefarious either.
I did not notice anyone else in the lines having any issues and recognized several passengers in the arrivals hall.
That’s bot true, they already had flights booked back from the US California, which would have been the next stop in the US after 5 weeks Hawai.
You have written very wrong assumptions here.
1. They had hotel bookings for the first time in Hawaii.
2. They had money in their accounts and showed this to the officials (bank statements)
3. They worked after graduation to have the money for their complete trip. And they also had their parents as a backup.
4. They finished school and were already enrolled at university for the winter semester.
5. They had tickets for their next destination. That was California to visit family members.
You don’t have to be a troll to criticize the procedure. Especially not when in the transcript of the interrogation the answer: “Travel and to visit my family in California” is changed at the end so that it says: “Work for accommodation and additional pocket money”
Source: Interview by Stern with Maria & Charlotte
These girls lost their money for the trip and their holiday. So if they don’t want them to enter Hawaii/USA why the detention? Just let them stay in the airport until next flight. I don’t thing any other nation would detain tourist.
All these comments indicating fear of coming to the USA. I am sure there has never been one person mistreated by the police, immigration, etc in Canada, Germany, or other countries. How many other incidents in USA are like this – show me your proof. Your are more likely to be hurt in Spain, France, Argentina, etc. at one of their demonstrations than have this type of incident when entering the USA. If it were rampant, don’t you think you would have heard more? If you don’t like Trump and don’t want to visit, that is fine. Guess none of you have been to St. Petersburg?
Yes, we have heard and read more. This is just one case of many in the past months.
If you don’t want visitors just stop them at the airport and force them out with the next flight. Why detain people? They came legally to the airport, they didn’t enter USA because they stopped them at immigration; whats your motive of detaining and harassing them? Whats the point?
Two young German girls were questioned, detained, jailed and deported. This when businesses are screaming with “help wanted” signs out front and cannot find enough workers to keep their doors open. Do the Trumpians think that they were going to steal jobs from citizens? We are losing our working class. Hold your hats, Hawaii. We all rely on tourist dollars whether you think so or not. 100 days in and we are losing our tourists and our savings and most of our federal $ assistance. We are aiming for a future when only the rich can come and everyone else will just serve them. It is a recipe for turmoil and disaster. When will the MAGA Republicans come to their senses and join the effort to impeach the wanna-be dictator?
That’s horrible. What has happened to aloha?
Here’s another perspective. I just had a European couple visit me in Hawai’i for a few weeks. They had a time of their life and fell in love with the natural beauties, climate, culture, people, exquisite dining and shopping. The also visited parts of the Mainland and had wonderful time and great memories. The only difference between them and many others talking about the “fascist regime” and other nonsense is that they don’t suffer from TDS and are not poisoned by the lunatics in the legacy media.
So because 2 tourists where not detained it is fine to detain other tourists who hasn’t even entered the country? It is a gamble to visit Hawaii?
You have two that had been detained for whatever reason, and tens of millions that have not been detained. So, what’s your point? No, it is not a gamble to come to Hawaii. Ask millions of those who visited in the recent past.
You’re right, there are probably millions of tourists over the years who had a good experience of your country but as any marketing expert will tell you, it only takes one bad experience for the news to go viral and put everyone else off. That’s the point.
It also reinforces the perception that everyone has had for the last while, that America is no longer the “land of the free” or indeed very welcoming of anyone visiting its shores. Where has common decency or respect gone?
Unfortunately, it’s incidences like these that scare people away. Your loss, I’m afraid.
This is an isolated incident, a kind that happens in many Western countries every day, and you never hear about them in the legacy media. And why not? Maybe because their so called journalist are not happy that the current US administration has reduced the illegal entries by over 95% in just a few months. Yes, the enforcement of the immigration laws may get too aggressive at times but thank the previous administration for the pendulum that went too far.
In the long run none of this will have a significant impact on the industry as a whole. If the demand for Hawai’i continues to suffer, it won’t be because of the immigration enforcement, but because of the actions of the incompetent local politicians and we all know their party affiliation and their track record.
One thing is for sure, if these were two travelers from Russia they would have been welcomed with open arms and a signed photo of the what’s his name…
As a Canadian who has visited the US every summer for probably the last 20 years, I won’t be coming this year. I’m not terribly worried about being shipped off to a Salvadorean gulag (although it’s crazy that there’s a non-zero chance of that happening) but I simply refuse to spend my money in a country that would allow this kind of stuff to happen. A country whose leader has shown no respect for my country whatsoever, including veiled (and not-so-veiled) threats of annexation. I’d love to see Hawaii someday; I’ve never been. But things are going to have to change quite a bit before I consider crossing that border again.
One of many reasons why tourist numbers are down across the US.
Duly noted. Never travel to this paranoid authoritarian police state. What kind of dark minds think young girls like this were some sort of dire threat? What shameful treatment. The US needs to take a long hard look at itself and what it has become.
Who on Earth goes to a foreign country that doesn’t speak your native language without booking hotels? I always prebook everything and have been asked in Europe and the Cook Islands to show proof of accomodations. Seems like a pretty standard thing to check for if you ask me
There are quite some people with a rather spontaneous travelling style. In my opinion that should be considered acceptable as long as the travellers can show proof of a pre booked flight back home and sufficient funds for the time until then.
Who on Earth assumes young backpacking Germans don’t speak English fluently?
You don’t get around that much, do you?
“I always prebook everything…”
Well, La-De-Da!!
And if you happen to slip up once do you expect to be arrested, detained, degraded, strip-searched and deported?
It’s difficult to imagine what national security threat was perceived by CBP from these two young women, or why they were subjected to such indignities and refused entry.
Many nations on every continent require some sort of itinerary for foreign visitors. Lodging info is often required whether you are staying with friends, family or at a hotel.
do many nations also handcuff and jail foreign visitors for their lack of careful planning?
As a Canadian who has obviously travelled to at least 30 more countries than you have, I can assure you, the USA is unique in its Trumpian-fascist treatment of visitors. I never book more than one or two hotel nights in advance even though I stay in a country for 3-5 weeks at a time. I travel based on the people I meet travelling and where we decide to go. I don’t want to pay for un-used accommodation – so I don’t book in advance. Your defense of USA border protocols indicates that you need to get out more.
These women could and should have been given the opportunity to book lodging for a few days and provide documentation of financial resources, which no doubt they could do. Trump doesn’t care about the U.S. having and keeping allies, but we need them, and this kind of cruel behavior is going to backfire in ways he cannot begin to fathom, to the country’s great detriment.
I suppose that locking up backpacking Americans who travel through Europe when they do not have a clear itinerary is the logical response. People travel like this all the time in the free world, well except in the USA nowadays.
That might be the case for a 1-way arrival from Lagos to NY with no money or accommodation.
Very different for 2 German girls flying in from NZ to Hawaii, with money and a flexible itinerary for onward travel.
Other countries don’t arrest and detain tourists. They where stopped at immigration, they never entered the country. If you don’t want tourists just let them take the next flight, no point to detain them. It was done to humiliate and show power. Next time they might come for you.
The last 3 times I went to Denmark I had a stopover in Iceland, then flew in to Denmark and went through no immigration and Denmark had no idea I was in their country. Then I drove through the tunnel / bridge to Sweden 3 times and Sweden had no idea I was in their country.
I have told immigration people more than once that I didn’t have a hotel and was going to find one and was never stripped searched and deported. If everyone arriving at airports had hotel reservations there wouldn’t be a hotel desk!
A deeply disturbing story.
Refusing someone entry is one thing but strip searching a tourist and having them wear a prison uniform is simply disgusting.
The US administration has the right to refuse whoever it wants but treating people with contempt and disrespect is a choice.
I also find it sad that Beat of Hawaii found no words of criticism for how these women were treated. Saying a visa doesn’t guarantee entry is saying too little. Realistically, a visa doesn’t even guarantee you will be treated with basic human dignity.
The US will soon have no friends in the world anymore. In Germany students learn what happened from 1933 to 1945 and that nationalism and racism ruined their country. Maybe That made them dangerous illegal aliens for the MAGA border guard? Jan from Germany