German Teenagers Denied Entry to the U.S. During Their World Travel Adventure

Two adventurous teenagers from Germany, Charlotte Pohl, aged 19, and 18-year-old Maria Lepère, faced an unexpected hurdle during their world travels when they were stopped at the U.S. border. Their arrival in Honolulu on March 18, which was meant to mark the beginning of a Hawaiian adventure, turned into a nightmare as they were detained by border officers who deemed their travel plans "suspicious."

The girls, who hail from Rostock, had already explored countries like New Zealand and Thailand before arriving in the U.S. However, upon their landing in Hawaii, they found themselves questioned for hours at the airport, despite having the necessary Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Pohl and Lepère were reportedly subjected to body scans and even strip searches as U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents investigated their intentions, ultimately concluding they would not be allowed entry into the country due to their lack of fully booked accommodations for their five-week journey.

Feeling overwhelmed and powerless, the teens described their experience as surreal. They were handcuffed and dressed in prison uniforms, spending the night in cold conditions on unsanitary mattresses in a holding cell alongside others facing serious charges. Following their ordeal, they were returned to the airport under escort and expressed a desire to fly to Tokyo, Japan, before making their way back to Germany via several connecting flights.

The German Foreign Office intervened to assist the two girls, providing consular support after their traumatic experience. Importantly, they reiterated that having an ESTA does not guarantee entry into the U.S., as border officials reserve the right to deny entry upon arrival. This incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of travelers entering the U.S., particularly from Germany, which has seen a marked decline in visitor numbers following updated travel advisories.