As President Donald Trump embarks on his second term, strict immigration enforcement is raising alarms about its potential impact on international tourism and the U.S. economy. Analysts predict that the tightening of border controls could lead to a significant decline in foreign visitors, with estimates suggesting a loss of up to $9 billion in tourism revenue.
Just days after Trump’s inauguration, a German woman traveling through Mexico was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for over a month. Similarly, a Canadian actress faced a 12-day detention due to visa issues, while a French scientist was arrested at Houston airport for a day before being deported. These incidents have drawn attention to the unusual severity and duration of detentions at the border, especially as they coincide with Trump’s renewed focus on immigration.
International diplomats have expressed that such controversies are not uncommon, particularly regarding documentation. However, the current climate of heightened scrutiny and prolonged detentions has raised concerns among travelers, especially those from allied nations. Reports of unfriendly border interactions have surfaced in global media, potentially discouraging international tourists from visiting the U.S.
According to OAG Aviation Worldwide, flight bookings from Canada to the U.S. plummeted by 70% in September 2025 compared to the same time in 2024. This decline may reflect a Canadian boycott against the U.S. amid fears of tariffs and Trump’s comments suggesting that Canada should become the 51st state.
Sebastian Bazin, CEO of Accor Hotels, noted a 25% drop in hotel bookings from European travelers during the summer, attributing this to reports of traveler detentions at the border. Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics, had previously forecasted a return to normalcy for U.S. tourism this year, but now he warns that the situation may not stabilize until 2029. This uncertainty threatens major upcoming events, including the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
With predictions of a 20% decrease in Canadian visitors and an overall decline of 9.4% in international tourists in 2025 compared to 2024, the U.S. could see a staggering loss of approximately $9 billion in tourism revenue. Sacks remarked, “The irony is that the tariffs are meant to help address the U.S. deficit, but the impact of tourism directly affects the trade balance.”
In 2019, tourists spent more than $20 billion in the U.S., significantly more than Americans spent abroad. This indicates that tourism plays a crucial role in supporting a positive trade balance. The U.S. Travel Association emphasized the importance of foreign tourists, noting that the travel and tourism sector generated $2.3 trillion for the U.S. economy in 2022, supporting approximately 9.5 million jobs.
Jacob Szabolcsnik, an immigration attorney in San Diego, highlighted that travelers with previous records in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) system are often the most vulnerable to detention. He explained, “In the past, those individuals were simply turned away, but now officials will state that you are not authorized to enter and will send you back. Even if not verbally stated, you should know that you will be detained or deported.”
Jessica Brosche, a tattoo artist from Berlin, was detained for several weeks while attempting to visit an art event in Los Angeles. Authorities cited her previous unauthorized work during a prior visit as the reason for her detention. A French scientist detained for a day in Houston had sensitive information on his phone related to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which was considered a breach of non-disclosure agreements.
Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian actress, experienced a harrowing ordeal at the Otay Mesa border crossing in California. After applying for a work visa in March 2024, her application faced issues due to missing a cover letter from her hiring company. Despite rectifying this, she was denied entry months later for unrelated reasons. “I had no idea that once a problem arose, it would remain on record and escalate,” she shared.
In March 2025, her attorney advised her to reapply for her work visa at Otay Mesa, but officials informed her that she could no longer apply. Mooney described her experience: “I was taken to a room, searched, handcuffed, and had my belongings confiscated. I felt like I was kidnapped.” After three days in detention, she was transferred to a real jail, the Otay Mesa detention center, and later moved to an ICE facility in Arizona, where she spent nearly two weeks.
Mooney expressed her distrust towards the private companies managing ICE and CBP detention centers, claiming that both GEO Group Inc. and CoreCivic Inc. receive federal funding based on daily rates per detainee, creating a lack of incentive to release detainees quickly. However, representatives from both companies refuted these claims, stating that decisions regarding detention duration are made solely by the federal government.
Ryan Gustin from CoreCivic emphasized, “CoreCivic does not enforce immigration laws or detain individuals who may violate immigration laws; that is solely a federal responsibility.” The executives of both companies expressed a positive outlook on Trump’s new border policies, with GEO executives indicating to investors that operational activity levels might rise significantly.
As the debate continues over whether strict enforcement against minor infractions at the border will ultimately benefit the U.S., Szabolcsnik remarked, “Few others benefit from this except President Trump.” The implications of these policies on the U.S. economy and international relations remain to be seen, but the potential long-term effects on tourism and trade are already raising significant concerns.
