An Australian woman has ignited discussion on social media after voicing hesitation about her upcoming trip to the United States, citing alarming reports of mistreatment toward tourists.
Remi Meli shared her concerns in a TikTok video, revealing she is considering canceling her planned December vacation to New York City after hearing about incidents where foreign travelers were allegedly detained.
Her remarks came in the wake of reports involving two German teenagers, Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, who were reportedly subjected to invasive searches at Honolulu Airport.
According to a German news outlet, the teens underwent full-body scans and strip searches, were held overnight in a detention cell, and then deported to Germany.
The reason? Authorities flagged their incomplete accommodation plans as suspicious.
Meli’s TikTok video, captioned ‘manifesting NYC Christmas magic, not an interrogation room,’ quickly gained traction.
Many Australian users echoed her concerns, with several stating they had already scrapped their own U.S. travel plans.
One commenter said: “Was meant to be going to NYC in December too, we have cancelled. Safety is a concern, but also the dollar is declining, it will be crazy expensive.”
Another remarked bluntly: “Not going to lie, you couldn’t pay me to travel to the US anytime soon.”
Some users even referenced harsh deportation policies, including those involving transfers to maximum-security facilities abroad.
One person questioned: “Is it truly worth the risk of an El Salvador situation?”
However, not all reactions were negative. Several users downplayed the concerns, emphasizing that they had visited the U.S. recently without issues.
“Nope, I’m still going. You gotta stop listening to social media,” wrote one user.
Another added: “I’m an Australian and I just travelled to NY and LA a few weeks ago and was fine.”
“I made the video just to share some real concerns I had about visiting New York as an Australian,” she said. “I never imagined it would get so much attention. I wasn’t trying to spread fear or misinformation—just to be honest about what I was feeling.”
Tourism data appears to reflect this unease.
From March 2024 to March 2025, the number of Australian visitors to the U.S. dropped by 8%, the steepest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic. German tourism fell by 28%, while visitors from the UK declined by 14%.
Jared Mondschein, from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, warned that the trend could have economic consequences.
“A drop in both tourists and international students poses an economic challenge for the U.S.,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Australian Government’s SmartTraveller website advises caution, reminding citizens that “U.S. authorities have broad powers to determine entry eligibility,” and may deny entry for a range of reasons.
