Why two German teens were turned away at the US border
Although both travelers had approval to travel to the U.S. from the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), that does not guarantee entry into the country.
Customs and Border Protection said officials acted properly based on the situation.
"These travelers were denied entry after attempting to enter the U.S. under false pretenses. One used a Visitor visa, the other the Visa Waiver Program," CBP Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham said in a statement. "Both claimed they were touring California but later admitted they intended to work - something strictly prohibited under U.S. immigration laws for these visas."
It's not unusual for arriving visitors, or even permanent U.S. residents or citizens, to have to attest to their accommodations at the border. Other countries similarly require proof of lodging, or at least an address, on entry paperwork at the border.
Pohl and Lepere said they were handcuffed and given prison uniforms during their detention. They were reportedly held in a deportation detention facility in Hawaii overnight before being deported to Tokyo.
"It was all like a fever dream," Lepere told Ostsee-Zeitung. "We had already noticed a little bit of what was going on in the U.S. But at the time, we didn't think it was happening to Germans. That was perhaps very naive. We felt so small and powerless."
Germany is among the countries that recently updated its guidance for citizens planning to visit the U.S., advising them to be prepared for questioning at the border.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.
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7 days ago
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'When we booked it we had no idea, it was just closer to the airport than the hotel we were originally looking at. 'It was a big shock. We've been looking for clubs to go to but we're going to Magaluf for that. 'We have just been staying around here so far, but we would have hoped for more culture. 'Even the dinners here it's a big culture shock, there wasn't any Spanish food. 'I'm just happy we can talk to someone who can speak English, we've just been speaking to each other. 'It is nice here but if we come back to Majorca we'd choose somewhere with maybe a few more Brits.' While walking through 'German Magaluf' may come as a shock to many Brits, for whom Majorca has always been a beloved British spot, it is not so surprising when looking at the figures. Germans make up the largest group of tourists in Majorca, with official data from 2023 showing they accounted for 40 per cent of all holidaymakers. 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'But I do think the Germans handle themselves quite well, it's not like the Brits. The English are the worst for that.' Pub owners told of how police ignore the behaviour of German tourists and do not crack down on street drinking, suggesting they are stricter on British hotspot Magaluf while the Germans can 'get away with murder'. Gerry Herriot, from Glasgow, runs Bogart's, the only lasting British pub on the S'Arenal strip, further south near the Dutch side. While he agreed that the fighting 'is a British thing' and not such an issue with German tourists, he said the Deutsch were problematic in other ways and said they get too drunk and are 'disrespectful'. He also told MailOnline how the now almost exclusively German area was once diverse with a good mix of tourists including Brits. He said: 'I've been here for 42 years, same bar same place. We get a mix of everyone here, we get the Germans, Brits and also Spanish locals. 'It never used to be like this, there used to be a mix of everyone. 'There used to be a lot of British bars around here, about 30 or 40 of them. Lots. 'But they're all gone now. 'Now these travel companies send people all to one place, so Magaluf if you're British or Arenal if you're German, and it's become all separate. 'It used to be a great atmosphere because everyone would mix and get to know others. 'It wasn't all German before. 'What's happened is before you would get the Germans in May, when they'd come with their families, and then in September with their dart teams. 'But what you have now is young Germans clocked onto that and all come here, and now it's mainly Germans throughout. 'You do get some Brits in here that complain that it's too German.' Speaking about the behaviour of Germans in Arenal, he said they treat the area like 'Disneyland'. He told MailOnline: 'There is no respect. 'The locals have no problem with tourism, but it's the behaviour. 'The Germans call it 'Mali', short for Majorca. They say "we're in Mali, we're in Mali". 'But they get away with murder here, that's what the Spanish people have a problem with. 'The Spanish say it's like Disneyland, they treat it like they can do anything. 'It's against the law to drink on the streets here since last year but they don't enforce it. 'If you walk down you'll see them with their beer cans. 'There is no respect. And the police just ignore it. 'A German tourist came in the other day and asked 'are there any Spanish people living in this area?' 'Can you believe that. 'There are Spanish locals living and working here, and the Germans are all over the streets. 'The fighting is a British thing, the Brits all fight. But the Germans don't really, it isn't a thing. 'They're a bit arrogant and stuff but they don't really fight. 'In 40 years I can count on my two hands the amount of times there's been problems at my pub. 'The problem with the Germans is they are just p***heads. 'They come into the hotels with bottles of beer, are out drinking on the street till late. 'Many years ago they said they wanted to make the place upmarket. We wanted to put out table and chairs and they said 'oh no no you can't put out plastic chairs' but they haven't enforced anything. Even signboards were written in German, including this one with rules for Bamboleo beerhall 'I think in Magaluf they have been a bit stricter. They need to do the same here.' One of the biggest nightclubs in the area, Mega-Park is extremely popular with Germans, with tickets up to £35 for just entry. Music at the popular open-air nightclub, as with most pubs and beer halls in the area, are almost entirely German, with popular Deutsch stars flown in to perform live. While for Brits they would not even recognise the singers, holidaymakers from Bavaria said some of the acts are very big names from home. Max Hubmayer, 35, is from Germany but has been living in Arenal for more than ten years. He told MailOnline: 'This is Germany. 'Germany is here, and the Dutch side is at the other end. Then the Brits have Magaluf. 'For about 10km here it is mostly German, it is like a culture place for us, it is like being in Germany. 'It's been like this for the last 40 years. 'Brits don't really come here, if they did they wouldn't like it, everything is German even the music is German, they wouldn't understand anything. 'Germans wouldn't like also. This is a German place, this is our culture place. And most British can't speak German.' Asked about which area is worse, he said: 'The British people fight more. Here it's okay, for so many people here there are not so much fights. But Magaluf, the Brits are a bit crazy, but I have no problem with Magaluf.' Diana Hermes, 22, and Leonine Kratzer, 24 had just landed in 'German Magaluf' and told MailOnline it was the go-to holiday spot for young Germans 'wanting to drink'. One of the streets with lines of German bars is seen packed on a Monday night They said: 'We like to come here we can drink a lot here. 'But 90 per cent of people here are German. We haven't seen any Brits.' Their friends Lukas Ott, Tobias Bux and Jonas Bux joined them as they exclaimed jokingly to MailOnline, 'Why aren't you in Magaluf? What are you doing here?' 'This is German central.' While locals acknowledged that Germans can cause problems with getting too drunk, there was a universal consensus that the 'English are more trouble'. A security guard outside wooden chalet-style German bar Bumbeleo noticed our British reporters and asked: 'Do you have a car? You need to go and see Magaluf. Asked about whether he prefers Magaluf or Arenal, he said: 'For work I prefer the German side, but for partying Brits are better. 'For work, the English are more trouble, they start more fights.' While the Arenal area is packed with Deutsch supermarkets, bars and food stalls, as you walk along the strip towards Ca'n Pastilla it becomes more and more mixed. Daniel Heckel and Nicole Neuner, 28 and 25, were sat out by the side of the harbour at the end of their night. They said: 'If you go about 10 minutes drive away to Ca'n Pastilla it is a lot more mixed. That's where we are staying and our hotel is fully British. 'It's always nice to meet other people and the Spanish people have been very friendly. 'Here it's German, down there it's Netherlands, then that way is England,' they pointed. Meanwhile, a group of German boys on holiday were heavily drinking as they celebrated their friend's birthday. The group, all ages between 18 and 20, said: 'It's a very German area, it's good for drinking. 'I'd say it's about 80 or 90 per cent German, to be honest we haven't seen any Brits.' A group of German boys celebrating their friend's birthday said: 'We came here last year as a group. 'The birthday boy has been here six times. 'It's good if you want to drink and have a good time. 'It's mainly German, but this year there is lots of Netherlands and Swedish people. But they go to their separate discos, whereas Mega Park and the others here are mainly German. 'They are very fun. One of them has a slide you go down to get in. 'There aren't many British in this area but they had a fight the other day. 'I think it was two Scottish guys, one guy on top of the other. 'They were looking for trouble, the British are always fighting. 'The Germans are pretty chill, you don't really see it with Germans. 'I don't think Brits would come here or like it, mostly because there's 100 per cent German songs and dances, if you're from England you understand nothing, so it's not fun.'
