Anyone rethinking Grad trips outside of the US for their teens?

[Anonymous]

I am not the poster
I just flew US to London and US to Japan coming back into the states nightmare. We are white peoples around us stopped and frisked and asked a ton of ridiculous shit

Not only are agents awful even with global entry they are physically hands with young ladies .

[Anonymous]

We are telling our kid to wipe a ton of Apps off their phone before they leave.

Not super concerned that they have any controversial social media…but better safe.

It is nuts. All this is doing is hurting US tourism. If the trip hadn’t been planned last Fall, then probably would have reconsidered

What’s odd is that like 100 kids from kid’s public school are going to Europe this summer…while nobody did for my older son two years ago.

Also, many friends from other schools are going as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are telling our kid to wipe a ton of Apps off their phone before they leave.

Not super concerned that they have any controversial social media…but better safe.

It is nuts. All this is doing is hurting US tourism. If the trip hadn’t been planned last Fall, then probably would have reconsidered

What’s odd is that like 100 kids from kid’s public school are going to Europe this summer…while nobody did for my older son two years ago.

Also, many friends from other schools are going as well.

Adding this to the top of list. Or maybe I will see if we can reactivate an old phone from our collection to send him with that. I also added making sure he had a paper list of our phone numbers to the packing list. I will have him take a few quarters, too. Just in case his phone does get taken because yeah, he's one of those kids who knows no ones actual phone number without his phone.

And we are seeing the same. DD graduated HS 4 years ago and maybe 2 or 3 kids did international grad trips. DS knows of lots of classmates also doing international trips after graduation. Seems to be the new thing and more popular than beach week right now.

We've traveled internationally as a family pretty extensively, so I'm not worried about his safety abroad. How sad that my biggest worry is him coming back home?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are telling our kid to wipe a ton of Apps off their phone before they leave.

Not super concerned that they have any controversial social media…but better safe.

It is nuts. All this is doing is hurting US tourism. If the trip hadn’t been planned last Fall, then probably would have reconsidered

What’s odd is that like 100 kids from kid’s public school are going to Europe this summer…while nobody did for my older son two years ago.

Also, many friends from other schools are going as well.

Adding this to the top of list. Or maybe I will see if we can reactivate an old phone from our collection to send him with that. I also added making sure he had a paper list of our phone numbers to the packing list. I will have him take a few quarters, too. Just in case his phone does get taken because yeah, he's one of those kids who knows no ones actual phone number without his phone.

And we are seeing the same. DD graduated HS 4 years ago and maybe 2 or 3 kids did international grad trips. DS knows of lots of classmates also doing international trips after graduation. Seems to be the new thing and more popular than beach week right now.

We've traveled internationally as a family pretty extensively, so I'm not worried about his safety abroad. How sad that my biggest worry is him coming back home?!

I do worry that Americans are very disliked these days, so they are targets. Going with a couple kids who are dual American/EU citizens and fluent in the local language. Told my kid to have them do the talking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This wouldn't really bother me too much. Detained and questioned and then released? Non-issue. I've been Subject to additional security (SSSS), and while annoying, it doesn't add too much time. Just make sure your kid isn't going to do something stupid, like try to bring CBD gummies or something.

But stealing laptops and phones is egregious. These cretins suck.

[Anonymous]

No but we are lily white and the kids have very American first and last names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No but we are lily white and the kids have very American first and last names.

This said, they are getting burner phones just in case and not their regular ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No but we are lily white and the kids have very American first and last names.

This said, they are getting burner phones just in case and not their regular ones.

What are they hiding? What would they even have on their phone that would be a red flag? I don't really get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No but we are lily white and the kids have very American first and last names.

This said, they are getting burner phones just in case and not their regular ones.

What are they hiding? What would they even have on their phone that would be a red flag? I don't really get it.

Facebook friends with pro-democratic people and groups.
Txt messages to people that are critical of Trump.

I would go to Walmart and get a burner phone and take a list of contacts and numbers. I wouldn't bring my regular computer. If I really wanted one, I would probably buy something cheap that can access the internet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No but we are lily white and the kids have very American first and last names.

This said, they are getting burner phones just in case and not their regular ones.

What are they hiding? What would they even have on their phone that would be a red flag? I don't really get it.

Facebook friends with pro-democratic people and groups.
Txt messages to people that are critical of Trump.

I would go to Walmart and get a burner phone and take a list of contacts and numbers. I wouldn't bring my regular computer. If I really wanted one, I would probably buy something cheap that can access the internet.

I think that's actually pretty suspicious. What kid has Facebook anyway? And what kid is texting about Trump? This is more 40+ yo behavior than teens these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this isn’t a troll, get him global entry.

It’s clearly a troll post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're foreigners and our children have dual citizenship. My oldest will be studying abroad next year. I don't think he's at risk. He's multiethnic and looks... really he looks like he could hail from multiple regions of the world.

My husband and I are not going anywhere. We're waiting for green cards and sitting tight right now.

You are not paying attention do not do this

Whites only that’s it coming back
It’s only going to get worse

PP you replied to. I am actually paying a lot of attention, and suspect there are multiple people on this thread who are either fearmongers or MAGAs with their head in the sand. The educated, wealthy, international community in DC is concerned about detentions and deportations. We're NIH, World Bank, IMF sort of people. Hardly anyone with a green card, diplomatic visa or visa is leaving the US for leisure - just for work. One of my friends with a green card, married to a US citizen, went to Paris for Spring Break, and returned without mishap, but she was on full alert, has never had a social media presence and no red flags. Others non-citizens in our circle choose not to risk it.

We've heard of friends of friends having their diplomatic visas revoked.

But here we're talking about US citizens. The risk to US citizens is still very low, especially if they have no pro-Palestinian ties. I will not refuse my dual citizen son this golden opportunity to study abroad at a prestigious institution in one of his home countries. He's not on social media and has nothing to do hide on any of his devices.

Now this is my opinion on May 16th, 2025. Keep in mind the situation is very fluid and we should all stay on alert, and potentially change course.

[Anonymous]

This is a troll thread.

[Anonymous]

My kid is going to Europe. If he is detained on re entry, he will probably be there for days or they will immediately decide he’s not worth the effort. He is pre law and basically thinks he’s already a lawyer. Constitutional law is his passion. He’ll be prepared with his legal arguments if they attempt to violate any of his constitutional rights.

He’s blond and blue eyed so they probably won’t detain him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not the poster
I just flew US to London and US to Japan coming back into the states nightmare. We are white peoples around us stopped and frisked and asked a ton of ridiculous shit

Not only are agents awful even with global entry they are physically hands with young ladies .

What ridiculous fear-mongering.