Aral Balkan

Look, seriously, do not visit the US. They’re going full fascist.

The EU should be releasing travel warnings at this point.

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/british-comic-creator-r-e-burke-detained-by-ice-after-crossing-border/

#USA #US #America #travelWarning #ICE #fascism #travel

British Comic Creator R.E. Burke Detained By ICE After Crossing Border

Becky Burke is known in the British comics scene as writer/artist creator R.E. Burke. I know her from Thought Bubble and you can see her work profiled on Broken Frontier. This was her last sketch diary comic posted on Instagram during her travels. She had been taking a four-month backpacking trip across North America until she was […]

Bleeding Cool News
Mar 10, 2025 at 12:50pmWeb
Show threadMatt HallMar 10, 2025

@aral

It can't be overstated how untrustworthy the mechanisms of government are here.

Show threadDeborah Preuss, pcc 🇨🇦Mar 10, 2025
@aral @runsmooth https://mastodon.world/@BrianJopek/114137792626836722
Brian Jopek (@[email protected])

Well, THAT’S somethin’ to shoot for! “The United States has been added to the Civicus Monitor Watchlist, which identifies countries that the global civil rights watchdog believes are currently experiencing a rapid decline in civic freedoms. “ - Anna Betts https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/09/watchlist-decline-civic-freedoms-civicus

Mastodon
Show threadKevin Karhan Mar 10, 2025

@aral the facz that @AuswaertigesAmt and @Bundesregierung are silent amidst the illegal imprisonment of a #German citizen in #SanDiego seems to be rather cowardly.

  • I'd understand that they don't d0x said person, but at least saying: "We're aware of it and out diplomatic staff is providing support" would've been the bare minimum.
Show threadlevampyreMar 11, 2025

@kkarhan Yeah, exactly. A similar thing happened to a German tatoo artist recently. She was also travelling as a tourist and detained at the border while crossing from Mexico for suspicion of working in the US despite 0 proof of such intent.

@aral @AuswaertigesAmt @Bundesregierung

Show threadKevin Karhan Mar 11, 2025

@levampyre @aral @AuswaertigesAmt @Bundesregierung I've seen stories of people being denied entry based off #NSAbook chats that say someone would be aboe to look after someone, thus making CPB claim they seeked illegal employment as babysitter...

  • But that artist thing is even more absurd, because there is not even something one could interpret that way.
Show threadgavinisdie Mar 10, 2025
@aral reasonable governments should list the US as DO NOT TRAVEL
Show threadEQMar 10, 2025

@gavinisdie @aral

There is a problem with classifying like that. At least in some countries you can't get any insurance if the state has classified a country as do-not-travel.

Show threadRoel Griffioen - #antifaMar 10, 2025
@eq @gavinisdie @aral Of course you can't. The US government, which has abandoned the rule of law, can do anything to you right now. Not being insured would count as a minor problem compared to most of it. You should not travel into the US until this shitshow is over.
Show threadUnredacted Epstein files nowMar 10, 2025
@aral At this stage, it’s frankly irresponsible of any government not to issue travel advisories for travel to the US. How are these governments going to help their disappeared citizens?
Show threadTechsorcistMar 10, 2025

@aral I think Norway at one time did release a travel advisory.

At the moment I think the EU will keep things as is for as long possible. As much as I'd like us to burn the bridges and flip off the fascists there the timing just isnt there. I think that when Trump implements some tarrifs that would provide enough cover for @EUCommission

Show threadRichard W. Woodley ELBOWS UP 🇨🇦🌹🚴‍♂️📷 🗺️Mar 10, 2025
@aral
One of the first things the new #Carney government in Canada needs to do is reassess the previous assumption that #Canada can turn back people at the US border and expect them to be treated fairly by the #American #Regime.
Show thread@ NovaNaturalist HAS ALSO MOVEDMar 10, 2025
@the5thColumnist @aral the US is not a safe third country.
Show threadlp0 on fire Mar 10, 2025

@the5thColumnist, you're banking on that? 😛

But yes, this is an absurd situation, to say the least.

Show threadsandywb14Mar 10, 2025
@aral 😡
Show threadMx. Alba Mar 10, 2025
@aral Germany has already issued an official travel warning for trans and non-binary people... And in practice, trans people are already unable to travel to the US because they simply won't get a visa, especially if you have an "X" gender marker. Congratulations, USA, you've joined the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Show threadGumberculese 86 47Mar 10, 2025

@aral

#America is doing a great job of isolating themselves, hopefully that will accelerate the pace of its self destruction.

Show threadCian O'ConnorMar 10, 2025

@aral Not to defend the Trump administration, but immigration on the border has been like this for a long time.

Maybe things are getting worse currently (not sure where you'd get the metrics - but it wouldn't surprise me), but things were already pretty bad under Biden/Obama.

Show threadAdrian EggerMar 10, 2025
@aral I've been to multiple conflict- and crisis-zones in my life and the US scares the living shit out of me.
Show threadFear and Tooting in Las VegasMar 10, 2025

@aral If only we had elected a Democrat instead things would be *so* different......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holder_v._Humanitarian_Law_Project

Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project - Wikipedia

Show thread [Sága]$ Mar 10, 2025
@aral Germany has to their queer community, but it’s time for that to expand to everyone and for more EU members to issue it
www.advocate.com/news/germany-warns-transgender-travelers-us
Germany warns trans & nonbinary people about travel to U.S.

A German official confirmed the government’s alert to The Advocate.

Advocate.com
Show threadMausmaki 🇧🇷🇻🇪Mar 10, 2025
@lancercryptid @aral Thank you for that 😃 The U.S. is toxic to all of us. WE need to emancipate. And we need to reach out to the nice people in the U.S.A. No borders, no nations, no queerphobia - everywhere!!!
Show threadbernardo_olafsonMar 10, 2025
@aral so all couchsurfing and volunteering in the USA is now illegal for non-citizens over there apparently. disturbing how institutions can violate the most basic human rights if they have the power without having to be put on trial for this.
Show threadHelgaMar 10, 2025
@aral I wouldn't go to America if you gave me free tickets.
Show threadAral BalkanMar 10, 2025
@bluetea Same. You couldn’t pay me enough to go.
Show threadDon MartiMar 10, 2025

@aral I am in the USA and I agree. I'm not inviting anyone from outside the country for the foreseeable future unfortunately.

(I have a rough idea what to do if a visitor has trouble with local law enforcement here, but you could be sent to a Federal or private location out of state where it would be hard for any host or their lawyer to communicate with you)

Show threadmasukomiMar 10, 2025
@dmarti @aral I’m in the US and I’m afraid to leave because there is a fair chance, they will arrest me because of the gender on my passport when I try to come back.
Show threadDon MartiMar 10, 2025
@masukomi @aral yes, that's a huge issue (and one that on its own should rule out having events here—conference organizers need to pay attention and not just assume that no attendee is affected)
Show threadAral BalkanMar 10, 2025
@masukomi @dmarti I’m so sorry you have to go through this :(
Show threadmasukomiMar 10, 2025

@aral @dmarti at least i’m not in texas *shudder*

Being trans in the US right now is bringing up a lot of homosexual / jew in 1937-1938 Germany vibes. I’m more scared with every passing month

Show threadi. celeste aurora    [witchzard]Mar 10, 2025
@masukomi @berniethewordsmith @aral @dmarti 🫂
Show threada fish named dog ✡️♾️Mar 11, 2025

@masukomi @aral @dmarti You're thinking 1932-33, that was a bit before they got power. By 37/38 the camps were well in operation. Death camps hadn't been built yet because they didn't have Poland but in late 1938 there was the November Pogrom, Kristallnacht. The Night of Broken Glass.

Also don't forget Roma & the disabled. While Jews/Roma were the primary targets disabled & queer people were also attacked under the theory Roma/Jews caused queerness, & killing disabled people is just eugenics.

Show threadBilly SmithMar 10, 2025

@masukomi @dmarti @aral

@hacks4pancakes moved to Australia.

Show threadLesley Carhart Mar 10, 2025
@BillySmith @masukomi @dmarti @aral yes, for these reasons, but be aware it has cost me about everything. And may not be permanent if they won’t let me stay.
Show threadmasukomiMar 10, 2025
@BillySmith @dmarti @aral @hacks4pancakes assuming one can afford leaving, not many countries are happy to take random people & moving means resetting surgical hopes back years and in some countries maybe a decade or more to restart the process. If i went to the UK (an option for me) I’d have to stop HRT for like 6 years if I’m lucky. Surgery? I’d prolly be 70 if they even approved me. I’m not getting bottom surgery at 70 even if i was willing to wait that long
Show threadBilly SmithMar 11, 2025

@masukomi @dmarti @aral @hacks4pancakes

I'm having to stay in the UK right now, as it's the only way i can afford the medical care that i need.

Walk with beauty, :D

Show threadWallOffTrumpMar 10, 2025

@aral
...And in Canada...
Who knew that tightening our border would mean screening out members of the American fascist administration?

We have the world's longest undefended border between ourselves and the world's most heavily armed fascist state.

Show threadDaleus, Curmudgeon-at-LargeMar 10, 2025

@aral It's time for former allies of the U.S. to start rounding up and detaining Americans as they cross our borders.

After all, we're going to need material for hostage exchanges.

Show threadTed LemonMar 10, 2025

@Dale_Poole That's right, feed the positive feedback loop. Gotta keep the torment nexus going.

Dude, seriously.

Show threadDaleus, Curmudgeon-at-LargeMar 10, 2025
@abhayakara So what do you suggest Ted?
Show threadTed LemonMar 10, 2025

@Dale_Poole I would definitely prefer not to be arrested in retaliation for something I have no control over. Collective punishment is a war crime.

What should we do? Work together, build community independent of broken leadership. Not stab each other in the back. Solidarity worked before. Why not now?

Show threaddibi58Mar 10, 2025

@aral

is time europe puts aside the politically correct and imposes a four years travel ban to the us ...

there is nothing here to see for the next four yers unless one wants to look at 1933 germany v2.0 ...

Show threadSayuMar 10, 2025
@aral just plain scary. They just randomly hurt people without getting any consequences
#USA #USpol #fascism
Show threadJochen FrommMar 10, 2025
@aral even before the 2nd Trump administration it wasn't a safe place to travel given all the guns, firearms and regular mass shootings. Now it is really not a good idea to travel to the MAGA country. I would go to #Canada 🇨🇦 instead for holidays and vacations.
Show threadHarald WagenerMar 11, 2025
@aral In Germany, travel recommendations already include telling people to check with authorities before travel if they have papers diverging from gender assigned at birth, warns that you may not get appropriate medical care on pregnancy complications, and mentions a risk of politically charged violence.... (Ref https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/reiseundsicherheit/usavereinigtestaatensicherheit-201382)
@hacks4pancakes
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