ᴮᵉⁿ ᴿᵒʸᶜᵉVOTE IN THE PRIMARIESMar 13, 2025

It hurts me to say this, as an #American, but people need to avoid the #USA for 2 years, at least, 2027, when the #Democrats can get a majority in #Congress and stonewall #Trump

If that doesn't happen (which would be a serious tragedy), then 4 years. And if we get a #MAGA/ Trump president in 2029, write off this country for a generation at least

"A #German Thru-Hiker Has Been Detained, Deported, and Banned From the #US Without a Hearing: Here’s What You Need To Know"

https://thetrek.co/a-german-thru-hiker-has-been-detained-deported-and-banned-from-the-us-without-a-hearing-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

German Thru-Hiker Detained, Deported, and Banned From US - The Trek

An experienced thru-hiker traveling to the US to hike the AZT last month says she was treated inhumanely and deported without justification.

The Trek
Show threadJuho Mäntysalo

@benroyce

Sounds like basic problem was that the border officer wasn't familiar on what sort of lifestyle a normal middle class salary might entitle when you don't have to put money away for health insurance, university (your own loans, for your kids), and the rents are controlled.

Accepting that she was speaking the truth would also mean accepting that her worldview was erroneous. Turning her back home was easier.

Mar 13, 2025 at 1:44pmWeb
Show threadᴮᵉⁿ ᴿᵒʸᶜᵉVOTE IN THE PRIMARIESMar 13, 2025

@iju

"border officer wasn't familiar on what sort of lifestyle"

not quite

the "thought process" of the border agent is more like

"as a xenophobic reactionary bigot empowered by trump: fuck you, foreigner"

this is the new reality for travel to the usa

Show threadAlex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UKMar 13, 2025

@benroyce @iju exactly, the feds aren't daft and they can read Instagram and view European media same as everyone else. They know about these lifestyles, and think they are "too free and decadent".

Folk who join border control (whether in USA or Europe) tend to be nationalistic anyway and have been *waiting* for a leader that allows them to act out their prejudices (it seems to be a /certain/ type of middle class white foreign tourist who is now getting nicked by ICE)

Show threadsu_liamMar 13, 2025
@benroyce @iju I do think that there’s an ideological threat to those middle class Inferior Furriners being wealthy enough to travel internationally. It sets up a cognitive dissonance between reality and their comfortable ideology-driven willful ignorance that has to be violently suppressed. Plus, authoritarians love exercising authority, and nothing says “I’m in charge” quite like violating other’s rights with impunity.
Show threadsu_liamMar 13, 2025
@benroyce @iju If bottom-level enforcers don’t have someone beneath them, then the oligarchs on top lose their capacity for violence. If Trump is reduced to his own capacity for violence, he won’t last long.
Show threadSilvertipGrizzMar 13, 2025
@iju @benroyce I witnessed an American border control agent in New York State getting so aggressive to a Canadian (with a green card) his supervisor had to intervene and send him off.
Show threadParanoid FactoidMar 13, 2025
@iju @benroyce This presumes good faith by the border officer.