Teen Tourists Deported From Hawaii Over Unbooked Hotel, Strip-Searched
Nineteen-year-old Charlotte Pohl and eighteen-year-old Maria Lepere, German nationals traveling under ESTA, were detained, strip-searched, and deported from Honolulu for lacking pre-booked accommodations for their entire trip. Despite ESTA approval, CBP officers denied them entry based on their flexible travel plans. The teens’ overnight detention and subsequent deportation have drawn criticism, highlighting concerns about the treatment of foreign tourists at U.S. borders and prompting the German Foreign Office to reiterate that ESTA authorization does not guarantee entry. This incident underscores the importance of meticulous travel planning for international visitors.
John Q. Hosedrinker