German teens imprisoned and kicked out of Hawaii prompts fears among foreign nationals

KITV

By Kristen Consillio

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    HONOLULU, Hawaii (KITV) — After German teens trying to visit Hawaii were imprisoned and kicked out of the state, foreign nationals living in the islands are worried about their future.

“You just aren’t sure if you made some tiny mistake in your paperwork and then all of a sudden they put you in jail and send you back to Germany,” said a German businessman living here on a work visa. “This sounds crazy, but this is the fear people have.”

The businessman asked not to be identified, but he too is fearful about facing the same fate as the teens who were deported.

The teens were reportedly in federal detention for several days after being flagged by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection—the latest case of the immigration crackdown under the Trump administration.

“All immigrant detainees are put at federal detention, which is an awful experience for especially someone at 18 or 19,” said immigration attorney Melissa Vincenty of Worldwide Migration Partners.

In a statement, the agency said the travelers were denied entry after attempting to enter under false pretenses.

“One used a visitor visa, the other the Visa Waiver Program. Both claimed they were touring California but later admitted they intended to work—something strictly prohibited under U.S. immigration laws for these visas.”

But it’s not just his future the German businessman is worried about. He’s also concerned this situation could make people think twice about visiting Hawaii.

“This is not good for tourism, everybody knows it,” he said. “We all here in the state of Hawaii are living off tourism and paying our tax off that. We want to be aloha and open and welcome to any visitor.”

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