Travelore News: Germany Issues Formal Travel Advisory For US

Germany has issued a travel advisory to its citizens travelling to the United States, citing risks linked to immigration enforcement and public-order situations.

Germany’s Federal Foreign Office said on Tuesday that German citizens should be aware of demonstrations and clashes with American migration and security authorities.

The advisory is not a political statement about the U.S. but aims to give impartial information for German citizens travelling to the country at a time of increased tensions during President Donald Trump's aggressive deportation drive.

Protests have been held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and other cities against the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol officers enforcing Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Federal agents deployed to the city under the Trump administration's "Operation Metro Surge" shot and killed U.S. citizen Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.on Saturday and fellow American Renée Good on Jnauary 7.

The statement said, according to a translation, that in Minneapolis and other cities, demonstrations sometimes lead to violent clashes with the migration and security authorities and warns people to be vigilant and stay away from crowds where violence might occur.

The advisory asks people to check out local media, stay away from crowds of people in which violence could possibly occur and note existing ID requirement in several states. "Keep calm and follow the instructions of the authorities and local security forces," added the statement.

Last March, Germany updated its travel advisory for the U.S. to emphasize that a visa or waiver allowing entry does not guarantee citizens to enter the U.S. after several of its citizens were detained at the border.

What People Are Saying

Germany’s Federal Foreign Office on its website: “In Minneapolis and other cities, demonstrations sometimes lead to violent clashes with the migration and security authorities.”

Journalist Olga Nesterova posted on X: “The update follows recent incident in which reporters from RAI, Italy’s state broadcaster, reported being threatened by ICE while working.”

By Brendan Cole

Tourists From 42 Countries Will Have To Submit 5 Years Of Social Media History To Enter U.S. Under Trump Plan

The Trump administration is proposing to ask visitors from several dozen nations that enjoy visa-free travel to the U.S. to submit additional personal information before entering the country, including five years of their social media history, the Department of Homeland Security said in a notice this week.

Citizens of 42 countries enrolled in the visa waiver program can generally come to the U.S. for up to 90 days for tourism or business travel, without needing to apply for a visa at an American embassy or consulate, a process that can take months or even years.

The list of countries in the visa waiver program includes many European nations like the United Kingdom, Germany and France, as well as some U.S. allies around the world, including Australia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.

While citizens of these nations typically don't need visas to travel to the U.S., they still have to submit an application online using a process known as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, before entering the country. That system is designed to ensure applicants are eligible for visa-free travel to the U.S., and that they don't pose security concerns.

The Trump administration is proposing to overhaul the ESTA system, mainly to transform it into a mobile-only process. The plan would require applicants to share additional information about themselves and their relatives, according to a notice posted in the federal government's journal of regulations by Customs and Border Protection, a branch of DHS.

The notice said CBP plans to ask visa waiver travelers to share their social media history for the past five years, emails they have used for the past 10 years and the personal information of immediate family members, including phone numbers and residences. The submission of social media history from the last five years will be a mandatory requirement under the proposal, according to the notice.

CBP said the changes, which still have to be reviewed by the White House's budget office, are designed to enforce an executive order President Trump issued earlier this year with the stated objective of denying entry to foreigners who may pose a threat to national security or public safety.

But critics of the proposed changes said they could scare prospective travelers and negatively impact tourism, especially months before the U.S. hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside Canada and Mexico, next summer.

Over the past year, the Trump administration has mounted an aggressive effort to increase vetting and screening procedures across the U.S. immigration system.

While the State Department has moved to scrutinize visa applicants overseas more heavily, some of the changes affect people already in the U.S. who are applying to stay in the country legally through applications for asylum, green cards or American citizenship.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has instructed officials to investigate the social media history of several classes of immigrants, including for views and activities deemed to be "anti-American." It has also directed adjudicators to more intensely probe the "good moral character" of legal immigrants requesting U.S. citizenship.

By Camilo Montoya-Galvez