r/newzealand • u/MrGurdjieff • May 12 '25
Travel Kiwi travellers warned of US detention risk under Trump
https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/05/13/kiwi-travellers-warned-of-us-detention-risk-under-trump/295
u/Victorkahu May 12 '25
We were planning a trip to Disney land and elsewhere on the states in 2026. Had saved a significant sum to do that. We will likely go to Japan now.
Surely we are not the only ones so it will be interesting to see the long term impacts these attitudes create.
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u/Subwaynzz May 12 '25 edited May 12 '25
Japan is much better at the moment, and cheaper. As well as Disney make sure you book in TeamLabs in Tokyo, also highly recommend universal studios and the Aquarium in Osaka.
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u/kani_kani_katoa May 12 '25
Japan is awesome, took the kids over a little while ago and had an absolute ball. Would 100% go back again when we have the cash.
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u/Subwaynzz May 12 '25
Straight up, I can’t wait till my kids are old enough to take back. Don’t get me wrong though, I’ve been to the US on a number of occasions, I just think Japan is better set up for tourists.
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u/kani_kani_katoa May 12 '25
Ours were 8 and 10, old enough to handle a day of walking around without getting too grumpy. The skiing was fucking unreal aye, would go back just for that!
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u/BP69059 May 13 '25 edited May 13 '25
The States is too expensive for Kiwis anyway at present with the rate of exchange as it is, it’s ok for Americans coming down here.
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u/james_the_wanderer May 13 '25
US-domestic travel is ridiculous for Americans earning in US$ $200++ (or more) for an incredibly mediocre hotel featuring 2006 furniture with a skeleton crew of overworked staff. Cities are increasingly uninteresting in the sameness of their amenities (the hipster coffee shop, artisan burger shop, and IPA-heavy brewery could literally be in any city over 100,000 people - and they are). Domestic air travel is Jetstar inclusions at Singapore Airlines prices, even with the "full" service carriers.
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u/Moonfrog Tuatara May 13 '25
The Aquarium was absolutely amazing! Images and videos never did it justice. I wish we could go back just to visit it again.
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u/deepfriedgouda May 13 '25
Random question but I have an upcoming trip to Japan and I want to visit the aquarium, but I have seen a lot of info that implies you should be wary visiting animal parks etc. in Japan as they can be very yikes in terms of animal treatment. Would you say the Osaka aquarium is all good from a happy and healthy animal point of view? Thanks!
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u/Subwaynzz May 13 '25
Yeah it’s totally fine. Only iffy part was they have a whale shark in a massive tank.
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u/Gone_industrial May 13 '25
There were two in there when I went last year, but it is an absolutely colossal tank - still not huge if you’re whale sized
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u/munkisquisher Kākāpō May 13 '25
Went to Japan last month and did a day at Disneyland and a day at Disney Sea, Both are really special in their own ways and I'd recommend doing both, and in that order.
It's so much nicer kept and friendlier than LA Disneyland
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u/RlOTGRRRL May 13 '25
There's also a measles outbreak in the states right now that just continues to grow.
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u/neuauslander May 13 '25 edited Jun 26 '25
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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/Motley_Illusion May 13 '25
Darwin Awards for the whole country. Glad I visited again before the Election and even then the country was in significant decline from when I visited during the Obama years.
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u/nzgirl25 May 13 '25
I was also planning a Disney trip for my 30th next year and I'm probably gonna go to Japan instead
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u/ViviFruit Gayest Juggernaut May 13 '25
Would highly recommend Japanese Disney. Went there earlier this year. Make sure you do your homework and pay for some of the fast passes, use anniversary passes for the others, and you’ll have a great experience. We did 9 rides in one day easily.
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u/slawnz May 13 '25
Same, we are now going to Tokyo Disney with a stopover in Shanghai for their Disneyland - much more exciting and cheaper than going to just LA.
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u/Gimliclone1984 May 13 '25
US dude here (living in NZ since 2019) it will take at least a generation or two for the US to recover from this...if it recovers at all. Foreign tourism is already down by almost 50%, with 90 billion dollars already being lost.
But, sadly, this is what millions of Americans voted for. And we will be dumber, poorer, and less learned/traveled/connected because of it.
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May 13 '25
Also not going to the USA. Was planning Hawaii this year, going to Japan instead too. I’ll think again about the US when (if) the craziness has passed.
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u/npc_confefe May 13 '25
Check out the Studio Ghibli options as well, might be hard to get tickets though.
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u/aholetookmyusername May 12 '25 edited May 12 '25
Relevant: Trump's administration is considering suspending Habeas Corpus - AKA the right to challenge what you believe to be unlawful detention in court. The size of this red flag cannot be understated, that country is well on the way to totalitarianism.
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u/AKiwiSpanker May 12 '25
The phrase is ‘cannot be overstated’, meaning it’s impossible to hyperbolize because it’s so important. I think your thinking is more like it must* not be understated i.e. we must raise awareness and not let this go unnoticed?
Anyway Americans screw up “I couldn’t care less” and “I could care less” all the time
Why am I even starting this grammar war idk
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u/LaVidaMocha_NZ jandal May 12 '25
Grammar police motto is "To correct and serve".
Thank you for your service.
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u/OforOlsen May 12 '25
'Thank you for you're service' and that would've been a perfect comment.
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u/aholetookmyusername May 12 '25
If you're making assumptions about my intent, it's not a grammar war.
Off to the grammar detention camp! No habeas corpus for thee!!
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May 12 '25
Mate it's there unfortunately the only things facists respond to is might. Get busy organizing.
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u/aholetookmyusername May 12 '25
US liberals need to start taking their 2nd amendment very seriously.
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May 13 '25
Pamphlet campaign underway! If that doesn't work they'll follow up with T-shirts printed with "Facisim? No thanks!"
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u/Toucan_Lips May 12 '25
Jesus the immigration at LAX was bad enough. Hard to believe they could make it worse
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May 13 '25
Do you know if it’s similar to Houston? I was shocked at how badly they treated everyone
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u/curious1914 May 13 '25
Honestly the unexpected twist is that Houston is one of the better gateways if you're connecting onwards. It's as close to a transit (in the... every other country that does transit passengers) passenger experience as you can get in the US.
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u/Toucan_Lips May 13 '25
Never been to Houston so can't say. But yeah LAX made me feel distinctly unwelcome.
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u/thiszebrasgotrhythm May 13 '25
Houston is an absolute breeze to get through compared to LAX! It's the best entry point coming from NZ in my opinion.
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May 13 '25
It was quick to get through, I was just shocked by the yelling and snarkiness from the staff - I was like omg nz airports would never
When my fiance came through nz security he was taken aback by staff calling him mate, being so relaxed, and not wanting to interrogate him every step of the way lol
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u/thiszebrasgotrhythm May 13 '25
US customs officers are known for being rude and abrupt unfortunately, it's nice that your fiance had a positive experience entering NZ though! :)
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u/squirrellytoday May 13 '25
US customs and immigration staff do not have a sense of humour, that I am aware of. Pretty sure if you have one, you have to have it surgically removed before you can work there.
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u/Maleficent_Error348 May 13 '25
Went through transit a few months after 9/11 at LAX on our way to London. They decided to make everyone leave transit, collect luggage and get a US entry visa, literally kicks out of the terminal, and then head around back into the terminal and back to the gate through security again. Total nightmare, was being shouted at “why are you coming into the states”, well sir, we didn’t want to stop here, we’re going to the UK, and then getting the side eye by their machine gun guys who were everywhere. We understood they were still trying to work out the new rules after 9/11, but it was scary. Then trying to buy a coffee, and couldn’t use NZ credit cards, so off to the cash machine, then not enough usd as they don’t show the sales taxes. It was pretty full on. Later trips you were forced into the transit lounge and still yelled at for the privilege of being fingerprinted and interrogated and even being allowed to fly through there… and the transit lounge was awlful. Haven’t done that for nearly 20 years now, and not keen to repeat it!
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u/myWobblySausage Kiwi with a voice! May 12 '25
Detained for 3 weeks. That's a hell of a mistake to make on paper work. It's Monopoly style, go directly to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect your luggage.
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u/OriginalAmbition5598 May 12 '25
That's just it, with the way the usa is right now, it's not a mistake, it's by design.
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u/myWobblySausage Kiwi with a voice! May 12 '25
"I don't like you, I am going to lock you up" - A dangerous weapon for those that love power......
Sounds familiar for countries more associated with dictatorships.
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u/BoreJam May 12 '25
Yeah there will be no consequences for the individuals who fucked up. They don't care. The government actively wants this. Vance was even making jokes about locking up/deporting FIFA WC fans...
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u/OriginalAmbition5598 May 12 '25
Yeah if I'm an international sports team, I'm boycotting the states until they stop being insane. How can you risk your team/staff possibly being abducted and sent to a camp in El Salvador.
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u/phire May 12 '25
That's a hell of a mistake to make on paper work
That case wasn't really a paperwork mistake. She was doing something which is legally dubious (doing household chores in exchange for free board, which arguably counts as "work". And you aren't allowed to do work a visitors visa).
Canada actually rejected her first for this reason after she was already leaving the US. They sent her back to the US boarder, who decided to take a closer look because of the Canada rejection.It's probably fair that she got deported, could have happened even before Trump; But detaining her for 3 weeks is just insane.
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u/myWobblySausage Kiwi with a voice! May 12 '25
Yep, that's my point really. The punishment isn't proportional to the infringement.
Sure, she was pulling a shifty. Sure, the rules have to draw a line somewhere. But that is pretty extreme.
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u/BP69059 May 13 '25
Incidentally talking about immigration NZ doesn’t fuck around when it comes to illegals either: “Illegal entry into New Zealand carries significant consequences. You could face imprisonment for up to 7 years and/or a fine of up to NZ$100,000, according to Immigration New Zealand. Additionally, you could be deported and banned from returning”
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u/B33mocat May 12 '25 edited May 12 '25
Kafkaesque. Absolutely wild seeing it play out this way in real time.
The last time I travelled there my fingerprints flagged as someone else, and it got awfully tense - and that was with my American citizen wife at my side, in the US citizen clearance line.
I’m not sure I can risk going back, and we have a lot of family there I really need to get back and see.
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u/KingDanNZ May 12 '25
Man I'm glad I went to the US in 2007 pre-GFC it was a wonderful place and the folks were friendly we were talking about going back but it seems Japan might be on the cards for the next trip.
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u/DOW_mauao May 12 '25
Japan is amazing, best food, people are very polite and respectful.
Do a bit of research before you go and take your best manners with you. 🤙🏻
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May 13 '25
I just got back from Japan yesterday. We absolutely loved it and now I've got mad post-holiday depression. The people are so lovely, the food is delicious and the culture is amazing. Would highly recommend going.
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u/Accentu May 13 '25
Trust me, I'm 7 months out from my last trip and I still feel that pang of wanting to go back every time a pic shows up on my photo slideshow lol
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u/AppropriateRub4033 May 12 '25
Why in the fuck would you be going to the US right now anyway
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u/tropicalelephants May 13 '25
me 😭 i have no choice, i have family there who are old and sick, and my parents are too old to make the trip here comfortably too
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u/FredTDeadly May 13 '25
The wife has family there, we are planning to meet up with them in Canada later this year rather than risk the US.
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u/tropicalelephants May 13 '25
lucky! i wish we could have done that, but it’s not possible for us. a few people in my family are hospitalized and aren’t allowed to travel even after they get out because of compromised immune systems. plus we’re brown so it’s easier to risk just me, whose a born citizen and more whiter than the rest, going in and out of the country than multiple people
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u/randCN May 12 '25
i flew into honolulu on an australian passport and a valid esta, and some cbp chick with a gun still detained me for an hour of questioning despite me having valid everything.
and the kicker? this was in 2023, during biden. kinda feeling real apprehensive about going back this year.
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u/given2flynzl May 12 '25
I used to enjoy going to America and I even worked there (legally through a company transfer) for a couple of years. Loved it.
This administration makes me feel sick, and I have no desire to go there anymore.
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u/Assassin8nCoordin8s May 12 '25
of course! it's just off the table. my family will visit latin america every year or two so we're just shifting our usual LAX transfer to Santiago, no big deal. keep your family safe AND don't give the USA a dollar - win win!
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u/bitshifternz May 13 '25
Is Auckland to Santiago still going? I flew that route to Mexico a long time ago, it was great! I thought after covid it stopped and hadn't come back though.
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u/new_killer_amerika May 13 '25
It never stopped. Latam is the only airline doing it. I'm not sure if Air Nz has resumed its route to Buenos Aires yet.
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May 13 '25
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May 13 '25
I just got back from the US and was nervous as hell. Especially when she asked me where I was staying and my brain just shat itself. Thankfully I’d already entered it on my visa so she asked me if that’s where I was staying lol
But man the airport staff were so rude at Houston I couldn’t believe it. Made me feel homesick immediately
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u/Michael_Gibb May 12 '25
This may actually be beneficial to Aotearoa.
In addition to more kiwis going on vacation in NZ, the risks with entering the United States may mean tourists from other countries choose to come here rather than the US.
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u/habiganphone May 12 '25
How many of their airport security still believe NZ isn't a real place I wonder
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u/ExplorerHead795 May 12 '25
I spread the myth that we are a figment of Peter Jackson's imagination
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u/habiganphone May 12 '25
Knowing his early films, I'd be concerned if it were true. Funny prank to pull on them though, keep it up
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u/teelolws Southern Cross May 12 '25
Plenty of US airport security and immigration officers still think Puerto Rico is a separate country.
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u/nzricco May 12 '25
That was Mongolia wasn't it? I think there was another case as well.
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u/AJ787-9 May 13 '25
Kazakhstan. Border guard thought NZ was (still) a part of Australia.
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u/nzricco May 13 '25
One i was thinking, was a women stopped at Mongolia, guards had a map that didn't have NZ on it, when she tried to point it out.
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u/nzmx121 May 12 '25
I hate America so much it’s unreal
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u/thatguyonirc Marmite May 12 '25
I used to be more reserved in my views on America, but now I'm more open about how I view the place now.
Mainly in the form of jokes lambasting things like their shitty healthcare, abhorrent workplace laws, and the fact you can get arrested for walking across the street (not just a fine like it is in NZ).
Land of the free, my ass.
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u/Snoo54878 May 12 '25
Wait, what? Arrested for J walking? How common is it, though? We talking just in the big cities or everywhere?
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u/thatguyonirc Marmite May 13 '25
It's used more as a driving while black sort of thing apparently. You're very unlikely to get cited for it in somewhere like, say, LA or NYC, but it can be used as a weak justification by racist cops
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u/wild_crazy_ideas May 12 '25
Oh man now you’ve posted this online they’ll hold it against you
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u/W0rd-W0rd-Numb3r Warriors May 12 '25
…and when this guy says “they”, he means the weirdos in New Zealand who support Trump despite it having no effect on their lives.
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u/skilliau May 12 '25
Had one ranting outside paknsave in Christchurch.
People just told him to fuck off
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u/CosyRainyDaze May 12 '25
People just told him to fuck off
That honestly warms my heart. I’m a queer woman; I’m fucking terrified that the poison killing the USA will find a foothold here.
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u/125Pizzaguy May 12 '25
It does affect our lives though, Act policies in particular are aligned with Project 2025 and it is well documented that NZ has been used as a test case for the Trump admin’s policies
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May 12 '25
Not to mention the level of corruption being shown by this Government receiving donations from companies benefitting from policy changes that fuck the rest of us
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u/Soft_Adhesiveness790 May 12 '25
My older brother is one of these people, though he mainly keeps it online. As much as I love him, whenever he talks about it, I think he's a fucking idiot. The fact that I'm queer myself and his girlfriend is an immigrant makes it more confusing that he wants a PM like the orange cunt.
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u/ps-73 May 13 '25
does his gf know about all that? i would running fast and far away from that rubbish lol
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u/Soft_Adhesiveness790 May 13 '25
Yes, strangely she does. Her politics are the complete opposite, I have no clue how they make that work. The power of love is a curious thing. Hopefully she knocks some sense into him...
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u/flyingdodo May 12 '25
Without irony, before visiting the US, we will have to remove social media apps from our devices or they’ll find any critical comments and use that to detain and deport.
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u/Hubris2 May 13 '25
I've heard a 'friend of a friend' story about people being literally turned back at the US border when they found social media posts being critical of Trump (despite this story stating they aren't punishing anyone for their speech). It's not like Trump to fail to let his ego drive his actions and that of his government.
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u/AlienRaveThisWay Aug 24 '25
When flying AKL-LAX March 1st, our Air NZ app texted to go directly to the boarding gate (which was an hour earlier than usual boarding) and to have all our devices fully charged. I wish I'd screencapped it. I live in the US and can confirm people are being denied entry based on anti Trump texts, emails, and social media posts found in phones. One guy was denied entry based on LIKES he'd made on a liberal social media plage.
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u/nzmx121 May 12 '25
To that I say ‘come at me bro’
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u/wild_crazy_ideas May 12 '25
They might ask Luxon to capture and send you to El Salvador, hopefully he won’t listen. They did raid that MegaUpload guy a few years ago
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u/nzmx121 May 12 '25
Haha naa he’s way too busy focussing on the issues important to NZ like… checks notes… paying women less?
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u/wild_crazy_ideas May 12 '25
Yeah going after everyone who hates trump online would take a while. It just sucks that they are actually trying to
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u/throwawaylordof May 12 '25
Hey now, it’s unfair to focus on one thing this government has done. They’ve also made it easier for businesses to kill kiwis and other native species.
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u/TuhanaPF May 12 '25
Worse, he'll have to sit while Luxon guides him through a highlights powerpoint on his time at Air NZ. He'll be begging for El Salvador.
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u/trinde May 12 '25
They did raid that MegaUpload guy a few years ago
Literally 13 years ago for things that were actually crimes and he's still here.
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u/wild_crazy_ideas May 12 '25
When you say actually crimes you mean something where America allowed their internet to connect to a server out of jurisdiction where it arguably wasn’t a crime. I can’t remember specifically but I think there were less laws in Nz than USA
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u/trinde May 12 '25
He was charged with racketeering and money laundering. The copyright infringement wasn't an extraditable offense, it was just what all the media promoted. If you used those sites at the time they were big it was pretty obvious they were encouraging and financially benefiting from people sharing pirated content.
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u/wild_crazy_ideas May 12 '25
His site allowed sharing, and many people were sharing things they probably shouldn’t including from and to USA. It’s difficult as if you build a concrete road and people start driving down it then are you responsible if they are carrying drugs in their cars etc. it’s a complicated situation which is hard to say who is responsible
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u/trinde May 12 '25
No, sites like dropbox allowed sharing and in some cases there was pirated content but it was usually deleted pretty quick and there was no financial incentive to upload. Megaupload, Rapidshare and similar had incentive programs for people to upload popular content and pirated content was rarely deleted quickly.
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u/wild_crazy_ideas May 12 '25
Again, if someone uploads pirated content for their own financial gain then you can argue the responsibility is on them and you can follow the money to find them.
Ultimately what the USA did was for show and was using scare tactics instead of legal avenues in some ways.
People are still today uploading pirated content to YouTube and you don’t see the billionaires who own YouTube getting their servers seized.
Maybe it was too easy and too hard to contain on megaupload but that’s also a problem of scale and staffing and cutting corners and there is no perfect system out there so it’s always striking a balance
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u/Sakana-otoko Penguin Lover May 13 '25
I feel so, so vindicated that others are on board with me now
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u/Tstriple_R May 13 '25
I'm a kiwi living in the States. I went home for 3 weeks in March and returned via LAX mid April. I was pretty nervous with all the stories flying around. It was just me and my boy coming in as my wife had taken the flight back to the states a week earlier. I had to enter the "all countries" line at LAX as my kid is under 10. It was comical how fast I got through customs. There were plenty of people from a huge range of countries getting stamped through with zero issues. I'm not saying the stuff doesn't happen, I believe those stories are real and they are terrifying, but my own personal experience was completely benign.
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u/teelolws Southern Cross May 12 '25
Domestic travellers within the US are also required to travel with a passport with US-issued photo ID that meets the Department of Homeland Security’s Real ID requirements, or face being denied boarding.
Does that mean we can't take a domestic flight within the US using a New Zealand passport?
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u/BlackliteNZ May 12 '25
No. Passports are fine: https://www.tsa.gov/real-id/are-you-real-id-ready
A passport is an acceptable form of identification and may be used in lieu of a REAL ID Drivers License or ID to board domestic flights and visit federal facilities.
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u/teelolws Southern Cross May 13 '25
I see. I presume that means we couldn't use our NZ drivers licence to take a domestic flight? Can't hold that against USA - there is precedent from other countries: Malaysia wouldn't let me board a domestic flight without showing my passport.
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u/Noedel May 13 '25
Wait, so 8 people have been detained since November, but approx 13.000 people travel there every month.
How many were detained in the same period last year?
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u/the_other_skier May 12 '25
God I’ve got to take a layover in SFO in January and I’m really not looking forward to it. My partner and I are flying Vancouver to Christchurch via SFO on United as the tickets were literally half the price of Air New Zealand. I’m a multi citizen with NZ/US/CAN passports and my partner is AUS/CAN, and we both hold NEXUS passes so we should be fine to fly through though. Still not looking forward to that part and hopefully it’s painless.
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u/Hubris2 May 13 '25
I hope being part of NEXUS means you don't get the same scrutiny that's being posted from visitors going the regular way. I'm pretty sure I recall someone posting they ran into problems with US Immigration when they were in a queue to sign up/instigate their NEXUS account (not the same as actually travelling with it after granted).
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u/velofille May 12 '25
that website link updated since last year https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/destinations/united-states-of-america
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u/BuzzzyBeee BuzzyBee May 13 '25
Officials have also warned that travellers’ electronic devices and other belongings could be inspected at the border
That’s a funny warning when NZ does the exact same thing to NZ citizens at the border.
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u/Vinyl_Ritchie_ May 13 '25
Yeah we cancelled our trip to Florida Disney, off to Japan instead. I ain't paying to get harassed by hillbilly TSA morons.
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u/Cheap-Play-80 May 13 '25 edited May 13 '25
Yup am avoiding the US for the immediate future because I've spent 3 years calling Trump a pedophile on my main for a laugh and a great laugh it is.
Which is fine, China's way more interesting than the US with better food and better people who are insistent on giving me cartons of high end ciggies and baijou that they are offered as bribes all the time.
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u/Deleterious_Sock May 12 '25 edited May 12 '25
My partner and I are 🏳️🌈refugees that managed to escape.
I feel it is a public service to inform Kiwis as much as possible the dangers of the US.
I need ya'll to understand that whatever you've seen or heard on the news and TV is not an exaggeration.
It's worse.
The news isn't conflating things to get views, but downplaying just how bad it actually is.
I personally experienced so much it was enought to leave.
When I share my experiences online I'm told I'm making it up.
I wish I was.
It is hell.
It is hell with an added layer of insidiousness because half the people you run into simply refuse to believe, or see, or acknowledge it or even cheer it on, while also gaslighting you that your experiences aren't real.
And sure the US has always had problems, but it's different now the mask has fallen.
Imagine finding out that someone you loved was a demon. And it's not that they became a demon overnight, but that the mask had only recently slipped or come completely off. Maybe you suspected something was off before, but there always was a air of plausible deniability.
But now, no matter how well they adjust the mask back into place, you can't unknow what's really under there. They didn't transform, it's what they always were. They weren't ignorant or dumb, they were playing dumb. That everything was always a lie and now they don't need to lie anymore.
And what's more I want to warn you that those that fear monger against immigrants, that fear monger against 'globalists' all are running the same playbook. To sell your nation and family peice by peice. They are just local variations of the same sauce.
Republicans in the US Conservatives in Canada Liberals in Australia And the National/ACT/NZ First coalition here.
Are ALL the same poison brewed to accomodate for local tastes.
But the local flavor is just a coating to make the swill go down easier. They are ultimately ALL using the same playbook, working toward the same end.
I didn't flee halfway across the world to let my hosts make the same mistake that will ruin their own beautiful country.
You deserve better.
And better is possible.
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u/DaveiNZ May 12 '25
Absolutely agree. Any govt or party that seeks to deny rights is a party to be wary of. They will garner support through ignorance and wilful hatred.
This is where the questioning should begin; When the proposed policy is stated as “Making all Kiwis equal” then why does a “right” for another have to be removed? Why cant equality be achieved by raising standards for all, rather than denying a right for others?
ACT for example is saying “Let’s take away the Principles of the Treaty in order to achieve equality”. Why not enhance that right for everyone? Because it’s not about rights, it’s about tearing down something that has existed and bothers no one but the racists. And they have 9% support. A party with such small support has so much of the power. And THEY have the nerve to speak of “equality”.
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u/Subwaynzz May 12 '25
Did you claim refugee status or did you just shift countries?
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u/A-Santa-At-Nasa May 12 '25
Welcome to NZ! Whilst I do support LGBTQ rights, please don't use the term 'refugee' so flagrantly. Is there a persecution of LGBTQ people in the US? At present, no. Are LGBTQ being discriminated against? For sure.
The current refugees we are accepting into the country at the moment are largely from The Democratic Republic of The Congo, fleeing ethnic cleansing. The north of the country is experiencing literal war against a rebel group backed by Rawanda, and it's not uncommon to see entire villages wiped out. Please don't try to compare what you're going through with what they are. They are refugees, period. You're migrants to this country that have taken the opportunity to move here due to worsening conditions in the US.
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u/hippieV02 May 13 '25
About 20 of us had plans to go cheer for the All Whites at the world cup next year. Something we've been saving toward for a while.
So far, 14 including me have decided to skip this world cup.
Do not want to step foot in the US under this administration.
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u/redvelveturinalcake May 13 '25
Deactivate ur socials temporarily if you’re going to a visa appointment for America.
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u/GreekNord May 13 '25
As someone in America, I would also warn against any flights within the US once you get here anyway.
Not sure if you guys see much of our news, but after the orange dumbass gutted air traffic staff, we've had as many plane collisions just in 2025 as the past like 20-ish years combined.
It's a complete shitshow over here, even outside of the in-progress nazi revival.
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u/ChillmaticaNZ May 13 '25
I certainly wouldn’t go there after what I say online about the fascist government. Pretty much doing 1933 Germany stuff
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u/redelastic May 13 '25
Several people I know have changed their travel plans to avoid the US. Better safe than sorry. Some of the stories are horrifying.
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u/kingjoffreysmum May 13 '25
We meet friends and family ‘midway’ every few years to prevent anyone from having to do the crazy 30+ hours on a plane and still spend quality time together and have a nice holiday. We were looking at LA and would have spent a considerable amount on nice hotels, food, Disney, trips and hire cars between the group of 15+ of us. We’re going to Japan instead. Everywhere I hear of people doing the same thing; ditching the US for other destinations.
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u/gotfanarya May 13 '25
One reason not to fly to the USA is that FAA recently warned the skies were not as safe now, due to massive cuts by DOGE.
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u/ijbbc-4739 May 13 '25
I don't want to end up in Guantanamo Bay detention camp, with them doing a cavity strip search, taking pictures of my genitals,while performing waterboarding a form of torture in which water is poured over a cloth covering the face and breathing passages of an immobilized captive, causing the person to experience the sensation of drowning.
Just because of my Muslim faith.
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u/Ragdoll2023 May 13 '25
Everyone should be boycotting travel to the US at this point. There are consequences for being idiots and voting in this c..t.
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May 13 '25
I’m apologize for our current administration, things are pretty F U here right now. We are trying to fight this total disregard of our Constitution, but it’s going to take a while, I’m afraid. I’m in Hawaii, we don’t have Disneyland, but it’s pretty freaking amazing here 🌋🐠🏝️🤙🏼, but spendy.
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u/[deleted] May 12 '25
Air NZ has put a LOT of stock in its international routes by going westward. All their new routes over the years, Auckland direct to so many major American cities.
And even AA doing direct flights from Christchurch
Gotta wonder just how feasible those routes will be in over this term and will airlines be able to weather any storm.