German Teens Deported from Hawaii Over Lack of Hotel Booking
Two German teenagers, Charlotte Pohl and Maria Lepere, were detained, strip-searched, and deported from Honolulu after arriving with ESTA authorization but lacking pre-booked hotel accommodations. Immigration officials suspected illegal work intentions, despite the girls’ plans for a five-week Hawaiian stay as part of a round-the-world trip. Held overnight in a freezing cell with serious criminals, they were forced onto a flight to Tokyo and ultimately returned to Germany. The teens allege interrogation transcripts were falsified to suggest admissions of illegal work intentions.
John Q. Hosedrinker