I’m actually shocked that folks I speak to here in Ireland are still planning holidays in the USA.
Here’s a testimonial you might not find on Tripadvisor:
“like a concentration camp, absolute hell” – Seamus Culleton
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/09/irish-man-seamus-culleton-ice-detention
Seriously, what’re you all thinking? DO. NOT. VISIT. THE. USA. FFS!
@aral Why any one would want to visit a rogue state like the US is beyond comprehension.
@aral
You have to do some motivated reasoning to think it's OK in any way shape or form.
I just blew my $ budget and carbon budget to link up with US friends who were travelling overseas, coz I know this might be the last chance to see them.
@aral
Dear world,
Stay the hell away from my country. We cannot guarantee your safety.
Cut off all economic ties with us. Our government is ruled by billionaires, and damaging our economy is the only thing they will respond to.
@tofugolem (Sadly, history tells us what they will respond with and it’s not flowers.)
@aral I just watched a video about who should GTFO, GYST, or Eyes Peeled. This was for citizens and long-time residents who know the rules, and though the categories were kind of a joke, the gist wasn't. She's a lawyer, and she knows she'll be called out in very real ways if her data is wrong. I feel like a rabbit near the river... you know, where the hawks & eagles hang out.
Let's hope none of those travelers get a Darwin Award, eh?
@aral As somebody that unfortunately lives in the US, don't come here. It is worse than the news reports.
@aral I live in the U.S. and I concur. Don't come to the U.S. if you don't want to risk being sent to a prisoner camp in El Salvador. Cuz the assholes running this country JUST DON'T CARE.
@aral something I said previously may be of interest - I (and I presume other Americans like me) will presume that if you are a white personal visiting the US for pleasure (not business) going forward, you are perfectly fine with the fascism and racism. Yes I am judging.
@aral do. not. come. here.
@aral As a Trans Brit - I immediately abandoned ALL plans to (eventually) visit the US for the "Neotropolis" LARP event purely because how awful it is there! It's just isn't worth my safety over, which is proven time and time again. /gen
@MMusselwhite @aral As an American I'm saddened about our reality and I support and agree with your decision.
@MMusselwhite Sending you lots of love. Here’s hoping such events will start being organised in places that are safe for everyone.
💕
@aral I saw a poster ad for USIT on the bus on Sunday, extolling the joys of student summer visas (J1, etc.) in the USA.
Couldn't fucking believe it.
What you have to realize is ICE has what amounts to a no constitution zone anywhere within a hundred miles of an international border, including coastlines; they need no reason to stop you in here. This affects all of FL, MS, Louisiana, and NJ, petty much all of New England, most of CA, OR, and WA, NY (all of NYC), MI, WI, PA, large chunks of every other border state north and south.. basically about half the land mass and 9/10's the population.
I suppose Colorado is still okay to visit.
@aral as a resident of a famous international tourist destination (Santa Cruz, CA)
Do not fkn come here
The beaches/surf are not worth your support of corporate totalitarianism
None of your money goes to locals
Do not fkn come here
@aral And, when they're detained by ICEholes they'll whine, "I didn't know it was THAT bad!" Trust us, it's THAT bad. You might as well take a vacay in Gaza.
Tourists are operating under the assumption that their consulates will fund a legal defense to retrieve them from ICE detention.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/lawyers-allege-dept-homeland-security-denying-legal-counsel/story?id=129335914
They won't, the individual is responsible for paying their lawyers, if they're permitted to get one.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/alligator-alcatraz-detainees-held-without-charges-barred-from-legal-access-attorneys-say
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-deportation-detention-true-costs/
Secondly, people are underestimating their fortitude as they pick vegetables for Walmart & Target in 104 degree heat.
https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-c6f0eb4747963283316e494eadf08c4e
1/
Personal sovereignty isn't just about code; it's about our physical and financial metabolism. Every cent and every byte sent into captured territories feeds the very infrastructure that enclosures us. Tourism is often the soft power layer of extraction we forget to patch.
@aral
The country where I was born still has many problems, but it is a free democracy
(we almost lost it a few years ago to a fascist government >> Bolsonaro).
We are a large repository of various ethnic groups that migrated here at some point in history, mainly Europeans.
My ancestors are swedish
who mixed with other ethnic groups.
We welcome tourists from all over the world,
as well as refugees.
Perhaps we should show solidarity with each other, to see if it works.
they're thinking that the dollar is in collapse & they will get a cheap vacation but i would not advise people to visit at this time, you are not helping us by providing money / tourism dollars / business to this administration & make no mistake, money spent here now is not going to regular people, it's going to a few bribe-takers & authoritarians
@aral I've seen quite a few people shrug it off with a "they've always been like that", not realizing why it's different this time around.
@aral @fkamiah17 some people have to learn everything the hard way 🤷♂️
@aral Sadly, people who aren't paying attention or aren't willing to drop their pride for even a second are the ones making the decision to vacay in a fascist country.
@aral RTÉ 1 had an interview with him.
@aral yeah, I saw an article last week that student j1 visas were at the same rate as usual. These people are fucking mad. Sending their kids to fascist state
@aral Because a bunch of amoral people want to have fun and don't care about the expense it comes at. I mean, international air travel right now is basically environmental suicide of the highest order and you can't convince people that they are drowning the very beaches they are visiting.
People suck.
