US citizens arriving at Florida airport report tense encounters with Customs

[Zorro]

In January, a man returning to the United States from Nicaragua landed at Miami International Airport, made it through customs and waited for his luggage at baggage claim. By the time he left the airport, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials had revoked his Global Entry status.

In April, a social-media travel-content creator was also detained at MIA for hours as officers looked through her social media accounts and asked about her father’s immigration status.

And just weeks ago, a Miami intensive-care nurse who travels to and from Cuba often said he was stopped by Customs to have his bags checked — along with everyone else on his flight.

What they all have in common: They’re American citizens, and their recent experiences with Customs at South Florida airports have left them perplexed and concerned.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida/2025/06/07/florida-airports-customs-miami-international/

[JBTaurus83]

1. This makes me nervous

We are traveling to Hawaii for our wedding soon and then stopping in Vancouver, CA on the way back for a few days. I was telling my partner it might be best if we delete all social media off of our phones. We have Global Entry, but it sounds like that is no longer going to keep you safe from the pigs.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. There are suggestions on how to lie low during possible encounters

I may have read them in a recent DU link.
One that comes to mind immediately is the use of a public vs private social history/account, use of public phones that can be handed over if needs be.
I know an immediate thought is that we shouldn't "have to" even be thinking about how to protect ourselves against our own Gov.
But this is not Nixon's Gov., not the Viet Nam war protest era.

[snot]

12. I refuse to surrender my rights.

Compliance with the demands of a bully only encourages worse. The more of us resist, the harder it is to pick us off one by one. Those who fail to exercise their rights lose them.

[CaptainTruth]

8. When my wife returned from Europe recently...

...she deleted all social media apps from her phone before arriving in the US.

It's easy to reinstall them.

[sinkingfeeling]

11. I travel abroad quite a bit and haven't had a single issue returning. I arrived back in O'hare 3 weeks ago, used my

Mobile Passport Control and was through Customs in 5 minutes. No questions were asked and no request to look at phone.

[Lonestarblue]

20. Perhaps the difference between returning to a blue state versus a red state?

[J-9]

21. Are you a white male?

[sinkingfeeling]

22. No

[MuirHero]

31. Were you traveling for business?

[sinkingfeeling]

32. No, pleasure.

[4catsmom]

18. get a burner phone

and only put the bare minimum on it

[bottomofthehill]

27. Hate to say it but this is the correct answer.

Get a burner for a bunch of reasons.

[SWBTATTReg]

29. Seems like the best choice, get a totally new cell phone, and use it strictly for travel. Then, simply just

pitch it or set it aside for your next trip, and in the meantime, your real phone is safe at home.

[cannabis_flower]

37. Yep.

I’m going to Santa Marta, Colombia in September. I was thinking of doing that because I don’t want my experience iPhone stolen while I’m there. This adds another reason to do this.

[Clouds Passing]

33. Take clean burner phones with no social media, few contacts, etc.

I’ve heard many people recommend this

[tanyev]

2. The FIFA World Cup starts on June 14th.

I really, really wonder how visitors from all over the world are going to be treated.

[tetedur]

3. We don't have to wonder. J.D. Vance has already told us how we will treat them.

When speaking about the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Vice President Vance said, “Of course everyone is welcome to come and see this wonderful event. We want them to come, we want them to celebrate, we want them to watch the games.

“But when the time is up we want them to go home, otherwise they will have to talk to Secretary Noem,” he added, referring to Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security.

https://www.si.com/soccer/jd-vance-warns-world-cup-fans-about-overstaying-their-welcome

[Wingus Dingus]

4. What a weird and deranged message to send to the world.

From a weird and deranged clown.

[ananda]

25. Well, if I were them, I'd boycott and stay home.

But it's soccer, so who knows...

[Wingus Dingus]

26. I wouldn't come here at all, I agree.

[Joinfortmill]

6. He is is such a prick

[riversedge]

13. Everyone, including the coaches and athletics wll have their docs triple checked IMHO

[tetedur]

16. Would you come to America as a fan to watch your team play?

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

28. If the teams are still coming,

that sends a message to the fans that they should, too.

[LiberalArkie]

14. A variation of "You can check IN anytime you like, but you can never leave ON YOUR OWN," ?

[Tom Dyer]

7. I've wondered the same thing.

[Wiz Imp]

10. That's the "Club" World Cup, NOT the full scale World Cup

Sure there will be people travelling to the US for it, but nowhere near the scale of people trying to come next year for the full World Cup. It is still a legitimate concern as to whether anything will happen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_FIFA_Club_World_Cup

Initially, prices for matches at the tournament were set very high compared to tournaments such as the World Cup and UEFA Euros with some tickets costing as much as $2,200 for the final due to dynamic pricing. On February 10, 2025, it was reported that FIFA had cut the prices of tickets due to low interest, as the prices for the cheapest tickets for the semi-finals and final had dropped to around $140 and $300, respectively.[161][162] Despite the prices being lowered, FIFA charged a 10% cancellation fee for those who wanted to exchange their tickets.[

[tetedur]

17. Thanks for the info. I was wondering why Vance was already talking about 2026

and what the difference was between the games in 2025 and 2026.

[aggiesal]

38. 2025 FIFA is Club Championship ...

2026 FIFA is Country Championship
Country is the more popular, because it's the original tournament.
Players are playing for their national honor & pride.

[4catsmom]

19. if they are smart

they will move World Cup

[mwmisses4289]

41. Thought they already were talking about that.

Not a sports fan, but thought I read FIFA was considering Canada, Europe Australia or New Zealand in lieu of the U.S. because of what the u.s. customs and immigration offices are doing to travellers.

[lonely bird]

42. FIFA needs to cancel the cup

And move it elsewhere or just not do it until the next one.

[AllyCat]

15. Went through customs a week ago in MSP

And was worried after hearing all these reports. I was at the back of the line and saw nearly everyone go through. They were polite, thorough, and I saw no issues for anyone. I’ve had good relations there before with international travel.

I hope Florida is a blip in the system. But I fear it is not.

[SunSeeker]

35. Maybe the difference is because Minnesota is a blue state and Florida is a red state.

[AllyCat]

36. Maybe.

My Dutch relatives want to come here. I advised them not to come for a few years until we sort out our $hite.

[Martin68]

23. A police state is slowly being imposed on the entire country. We must fight back.

[IronLionZion]

24. Yup my sister and nephew were harassed at Orlando

Both US citizens born in USA with global entry, but brown. They and their bags were carefully inspected by hand after landing as if they would bring anything sketchy into the US.

US bound international flights get extra screening at the origin and again at any layover airport in between, in case anyone here didn't know. So searching someone again upon landing in the US is pure intimidation and harassment, nothing to do with security.

[calimary]

30. It's the "Fear Factor" being implemented.

The donald would prefer to have us “scared silent”. That way, there’s nobody IN the way to prevent him from doing whatever he wants.

[Iamscrewed]

34. Papers please

We're there.

[aggiesal]

39. It's ''Papeles, por favr''. There I fixed it for you.

[FuzzyRabbit]

40. Christiane Amanpour Says Traveling to US Feels Like Visiting North Korea

https://www.mediaite.com/media/podcasts/afraid-christiane-amanpour-says-traveling-to-us-feels-like-visiting-north-korea/

“I must say I was afraid. I’m a foreigner. I don’t have a green card. I’m not an American citizen. I’m fairly prominent, and I literally prepared to go to America as if I was going to North Korea. I took a burner phone, Jamie. Imagine that, James,” Amanpour said.