Fortress America: Phone Probes and Personal Vendettas at the Border

𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱'𝘴 2025 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 30+ 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪-𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴—𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘤𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘱𝘴𝘦.

Published By Bruce Alpine: 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀.

U

nder the Trump administration's escalating border regime, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are delving into travelers' phones, scouring for anti-Trump rhetoric as a litmus test for entry. 

What began as routine electronic device searches has morphed into ideological inquisitions, with visitors denied visas or turned away at ports for critical texts, memes, or social media posts mocking the president. 

A French scientist was barred in March after agents unearthed messages deriding Trump as a "fascist clown." 

By October, CBP had searched a record 85,000 devices, rejecting tourists over Vance memes and anti-Trump barbs, fueling a "Trump Slump" in arrivals. 

Critics slam this as a blatant power grab: Trump shielding his ego over genuine national security, prioritizing personal vendettas against a "deep state" narrative while real threats fester unchecked. 

The policy's roots trace to a June proclamation banning entries from 19 nations, now expanding to over 30 amid a D.C. shooting by an Afghan migrant. 

But phone rifling extends to visa-waiver allies—UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand—demanding five years of social media history via ESTA. 

Legal experts warn: While courts protect citizens from denial for refusing searches, non-citizens face deportation for "hostile" views, turning borders into free-speech minefields. 

"This isn't security; it's Trump's self-protection racket," fumed ACLU's Lee Gelernt, echoing Brennan Center reports that bans cloak discrimination in patriotism, yielding zero terror wins but billions in economic scars. 

Travelers are rebelling, vowing boycotts until post-2029. 

Canadian Kristy Gammon sold her U.S. vacation home, citing the "fascist" vibe: "We won't travel there during Trump's term—too much chaos." 

COLLAPSE: Tourism to the USA has dramatically fallen during the Trump regime and is likely to fall further as most people outside America regard Trump as a buffon, and this will be reflected in their social media which will mean they will be denied entry. pic.twitter.com/8rq9873o81

— Mark Chadwick (@mchadwick77) December 10, 2025

Brit Mark Chadwick predicted a "tourist collapse," as social media scrutiny flags even mild jabs: "Most regard Trump as a buffoon; they'll be denied." 

Australian plainjane concurred: "Zero chance while he's in power—numbers are already dropping." 

Joyce Carol Oates quipped: "Why visit now? Wait for the 2026 election—if it happens." 

Europeans reroute via TUI, blaming the "hostile atmosphere" for detentions over dissent. 

Afghans, hardest hit, whisper of shattered dreams. 

Proponents claim fortified safety, but data debunks it: Prior bans blocked no plots, only families and innovators. 

The 2026 World Cup risks empty stands as qualifiers from banned nations sit out. 

Hospitality bleeds $40 billion; universities lose global talent. 

As one exile tweeted: "Trump's protecting himself, not us—from his own paranoia." 

With winter holidays looming, savvy sojourners delete apps, encrypt data, or simply stay away. 

America's beacon flickers—will a post-Trump reset reignite it, or has the damage calcified into isolation?

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