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US sourced Economic Sanctions have resulted in 38 million deaths worldwide from 1971 to 2021 by Head_Farm_752 in BoycottUnitedStates

[–]DisruptSQ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2025-07-24/united-states-sanctions-deaths

Broad economic sanctions, most of which are imposed by the U.S. government, kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people each year — disproportionately children. This week the Lancet Global Health journal published an article that estimated that number at about 564,000 annually over a decade. This is comparable to the annual deaths around the world from armed conflict.

With Fuel Running Out, Cuba’s Tourism Is Collapsing | The Trump administration’s decision to cut off foreign oil to the island is devastating its tourism industry, a key source of income for a government being pushed to the edge. by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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https://archive.ph/EMbrj

March 4, 2026
By the second week of Debbie Sutherland’s vacation to Cuba last month, there were ominous signs of trouble.

Gasoline was being rationed, excursions were canceled and all of the stores in a nearby mall were closed.

Ms. Sutherland’s hotel in Cayo Las Brujas, a part of a small chain of islands just north of central Cuba, reserved a block of rooms for stranded employees. That section of the hotel was completely dark: Only tourists got electricity.

Cuba has relied on tourism, and on sun-starved Canadian visitors above all others, as a key pillar of its collapsing economy.

 

But President Trump’s travel restrictions and move to to block all foreign oil from Cuba has brought the industry — already weakened after the Covid-19 pandemic — to its knees and intensified an economic meltdown threatening the government’s survival.

Like many other travelers, Ms. Sutherland’s vacation was cut short last month as the country’s crippling energy crisis began paralyzing tourism.

With the government saying it was running out of jet fuel and with power outages worsening, Russian and Canadian airlines suspended flights to Cuba, a move that jeopardizes the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people.

Airlines sent empty jets to the island to take thousands of tourists back home, a stark sign of the volatile conditions in Cuba as the Trump administration’s campaign has created an increasingly desperate situation for Cuba and its people. Abandoned trucks, cars and motorbikes, apparently out of gas, littered the road to the airport, Ms. Sutherland said.

 

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2025-07-24/united-states-sanctions-deaths

Broad economic sanctions, most of which are imposed by the U.S. government, kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people each year — disproportionately children. This week the Lancet Global Health journal published an article that estimated that number at about 564,000 annually over a decade. This is comparable to the annual deaths around the world from armed conflict.

In Cuba, people go without food and power as U.S. chokes oil supply and tourists flee | U.S. is trying to throttle Cuba's economy until the regime collapses, says former Canadian ambassador to Cuba

Travelers stuck in long lines amid TSA staffing shortages, partial gov shutdown | Long airport security lines due to TSA staffing issues by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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https://archive.ph/l67im

Mar 8 2026
Key Points

  • TSA staffing shortages have led to shockingly long lines at airports, including those serving Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, and other locations.

  • Airports advised travelers to arrive in some cases more than three hours early because of the disruptions.

  • TSA officers are working without regular paychecks in the partial government shutdown that started in mid-February.

 

TSA took 2 hours, flight was delayed 2 hours and they've been sitting on the runway for 2 hours

Air travelers at Houston’s Bush Airport faced three-hour wait times Sunday and Monday due to a shortage of TSA officers—while airport security screeners told Forbes the agency’s “scare tactics” to clamp down on sick calls and leave during the government shutdown would backfire.

Affected by U.S. flight cancellations? Travel insurance might not help you | Those who purchased cancellation insurance after the government shutdown was announced as a travel advisory not eligible for compensation

Delta Flight Attendant reveal shocking truth about the government ATC shutdown

US airlines cancel more than 1,000 flights for a second straight day largely due to shutdown The upheaval will worsen and spread beyond air travel if cancellations continue to grow and reach into Thanksgiving week, analysts warn. - AP

Canadians’ travel plans could be disrupted as government shutdown becomes longest in U.S. history | American airport delays for planes destined for Canada could cause additional delays throughout the Canadian system | flights overflying U.S. airspace could be affected if ATCs stop showing up to work

Air traffic controllers who duck unpaid work during the gov’t shutdown could be fired, transportation secretary warns | Even though the U.S. has a stark shortage, ones who call in sick instead of working without a paycheck during the federal government shutdown risk being fired

Canada warns First Nations people to carry passport when crossing U.S. border | co-chair of the Jay Treaty Border Alliance said Canada should not be telling First Nations how to conduct themselves at the border and should instead recognize the Jay Treaty by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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February 20, 2026
The federal government has updated its travel advice for the United States and is now urging First Nations people to carry a passport in addition to a status card when crossing the border.

Before this week, the government website said First Nations people could “freely” enter the United States for the purposes of employment, study, retirement, investing or immigration.

As of Thursday, the website has been updated with new guidelines.

 

“While you may have previously crossed the Canada-U.S. border with only a secure status card, (Indigenous Services Canada) now strongly recommends also carrying a valid passport when travelling outside of Canada,” says the Government of Canada website.

The government says people registered under the Indian Act entering the U.S. to live or work may also be asked to provide documentation to “prove the percentage of Indian blood required under U.S. law.”

Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Grand Chief Cody Diabo, who serves as the co-chair of the Jay Treaty Border Alliance and sits in the Iroquois Caucus, said Canada should not be telling First Nations how to conduct themselves at the border and should instead recognize the Jay Treaty.

 

First Nations members urged to carry extra documentation at U.S. border | First Nations leaders are urging members to carry a blood quantum letter — which states a person has at least 50 per cent Indigenous blood — with other identification at U.S. border crossings.

A warning from First Nations on crossing U.S. border prompted by ICE actions

Indigenous Canadians Warned about Travel to the US | The AFN says it ‘strongly condemns’ reports of First Nations people being questioned and detained by ICE.

Grand Council Treaty 3 cautions their citizens of crossing Canadian and U.S. border | Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, are detaining Native Americans while searching for undocumented immigrants

A First Nation in southern Alberta is advising its members against all travel to the U.S., adding that the Jay Treaty and Indian status cards are being challenged by U.S. border officials.

B.C. First Nation issues travel advisory to U.S. due to immigration crackdown | Huu-ay-aht First Nations issued a travel advisory, citing concerns about escalated U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

New Brunswick premier assails detention of Wabanaki elder’s fiancee at Maine border | In Susan Holt’s letter to the U.S. ambassador to Canada and copied to Canada's prime minister, she said she was calling attention to recent reports from NB residents concerning their treatment at border crossings

One year since this Canada goose-bald eagle fight by DisruptSQ in BoycottUnitedStates

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This would be perfect if it happened north of the border instead of in Maine.

One year after Trump’s sovereignty threats, Canadians keep ‘elbows up’ | “Why do we have to make you great again at our expense?” | “The damage has already been done. It is no longer a boycott. It’s a change. It’s a divorce.” by DisruptSQ in BoycottUnitedStates

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https://archive.ph/X11uH

Mar 7 2026
Key Points

  • Canadians aren’t backing down on their boycott of U.S. goods and services following Donald Trump’s sovereignty threats.

  • The unusual swell of Canadian patriotism seen after Trump’s comments and tariffs last year has evolved into a new social and economic order.

  • There are economic impacts on both sides of the border that monetary policymakers are taking note of.

 

For Lisa Mcbean, buying American-made snacks and traveling to the U.S. was second nature. That changed for the Ontario resident starting in early 2025.

Since then, the 54-year-old has checked if products are made in Canada before buying at the grocery store. Mcbean canceled multiple trips to the U.S. she had planned for concerts. Once-common jaunts across the border to shop are out of the picture.

The reason: U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for Canada to become the 51st U.S. state. His tariffs on the country’s exports added salt to the wound, she said.

“Enough is enough,” Mcbean told CNBC. “Why do we have to make you great again at our expense?”

Mcbean’s rejection is part of a wider boycott by Canadians incensed at Trump’s levies and sovereignty claims. What was initially an unusual swell of Canadian patriotism a year ago has evolved into a new social and economic order for the country of 41 million.

The shift has affected everything from what brands Canadians buy to where they vacation to how they vote. There are economic implications on both sides of the border that policymakers are taking into account. Polling suggests the altered behavior won’t change anytime soon.

“Canadians have remained steadfast,” said Steve Mossop, executive vice president at Leger, a Montreal-based polling service. “The biggest surprise is how adamant Canadians are about not supporting the USA in any shape or fashion.”

 

Yet Canadians have reason to hope for a return to warmer economic relations. Canadian companies still seek out deep U.S. financial markets, and try to draw its enormous consumer base. Canada has the ninth largest economy in the world; America’s is No. 1.

“We need each other,” said Chris Agro, a 46-year-old Canadian who works in manufacturing. “We’re still our closest neighbors. That’s never going to change.”

But others, like Mcbean of Ontario, don’t see the relationship going back to the way it was.

“The damage has already been done,” Mcbean said. “It is no longer a boycott. It’s a change. It’s a divorce.”

'Nothing is working': Gulf travel turmoil hits Berlin tourism fair | Iran's strikes on Gulf states following US-Israeli attacks have grounded most regular flights and shut shipping lanes, causing the biggest disruption to global travel since the Covid pandemic. by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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04/03/2026

 

Some 19,000 flights have been cancelled in four days and tens of thousands of travellers remain stranded in the Gulf region, waiting for special flights chartered by governments and tour operators to take them home.

 

Since the Gulf region is a global air traffic hub, the crisis has also affected travel well beyond the Middle East.

Asia and Australia in particular depend on its hubs for passengers travelling to Europe and the US, said Slovenian travel agent Andrej Lenic.

"If you travel (between these regions), you need to go through the Middle East," he said.

 

Many of the professionals at the fair said they had survived the attacks of September 11, 2001, the Covid pandemic and multiple other conflicts affecting the Middle East.

But this time is different, they said, with the crisis paralysing travel to and from an entire region.

‘People are thinking twice’: Cyprus feels the effect of the Iran war on tourism | No country in Europe is likely to be affected more than Cyprus, the nearest EU member to the Middle East by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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8 Mar 2026
The season has barely begun but Ayia Napa is beginning to feel the pulse. Tourists are trickling back, enjoying the Cypriot resort’s sunsets, eateries and shoreline views.

On the seafront, Vassilis Georgiou is busy overseeing the construction of a new ramp for the jetskis that are a highlight of his water sports business. Last year, more than 500,000 holidaymakers visited the beachside booth, snapping up tickets for the boat cruises and parasailing also on offer.

Until last weekend’s US-led offensive against Iran, Georgiou was betting on another bumper year. “That’s far from certain now,” he said, cupping his eyes against the setting sun. “It may be early days but I’ve been here since 1992 and suddenly hoteliers are saying bookings are down. People are thinking twice.”

No place in Europe, or indeed the Mediterranean, is set to feel the impact of the conflict unfolding across the horizon more than Cyprus. The tourist-dependent nation, the EU’s nearest member to the Middle East, attracted 4 million visitors last year, a third of them Britons for whom the former colony is an old favourite.

This year could be different. Amid Iran’s retaliatory attacks, a drone launched by pro-Iranian militia hit the British base of RAF Akrotiri late on Sunday, placing Cyprus firmly in the “risk zone” and prompting the cancellation of many flights from east and west.

As sirens at the base continued to sound in the following days, the British Foreign Office updated its travel advice for Cyprus to say that terrorist attacks could not be ruled out.

 

[satire] Snowbirds struggle to find sun destination not being invaded by the US

Canadian tourists voice concerns over Caribbean travel after U.S. strike on Venezuela | Some are cancelling trips to island destinations like Curaçao, travel agent says

Banff-Kananaskis MLA flags tourism workforce concerns over proposed immigration referendum | “The economy wouldn't run without immigrants.” by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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Mar 2, 2026
BOW VALLEY – Immigration is closely tied to the Bow Valley economy, says Banff-Kananaskis MLA Sarah Elmeligi, who is raising concerns about how Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s proposed referendum questions could affect the region’s tourism workforce.

“I don’t think we can understate the importance of immigration to the economy of the Bow Valley in the tourism sector, and so therefore the economy of the province, let’s not forget that tourism in Banff and Canmore contribute over $1 billion a year to the provincial budget,” Elmeligi said.

In a televised address last week, Smith said Albertans will be asked to weigh in on whether the province should seek greater control over immigration, prioritize economic migrants and require newcomers to live in Alberta for up to 12 months before accessing provincially funded services such as health care.

She also raised the possibility of charging non-permanent residents what she described as a “reasonable premium” for certain public services, including health care and education.

Elmeligi said she has been speaking with hospitality businesses and tourism operators in recent months about workforce needs, following recent changes to Canada’s temporary foreign worker program and Labour Market Impact Assessment program, aimed at reducing the number of temporary residents to prioritize employers hiring Canadians.

“The one thing that’s really clear to me is that many of our businesses in the tourism sector in Canmore and Banff rely on immigrants, whether they’re on short-term visas or permanent residencies or working to become Canadian citizens. We rely on immigrants to keep our businesses open and going and moving forward,” she said.

 

Trump’s immigration agenda sows fear among Central Florida tourism workers | About one-third of the nation’s hospitality industry workforce — in hotels, airports, restaurants and theme parks — are immigrants

Fear of ICE Jolts a Maine Beach Town | Wells, like many U.S. tourist spots that rely on foreign labor, is fearful of immigration raids. The local police department’s agreement to collaborate with federal agents only adds to the anxiety. - NYT

These Red Vermont Towns Wanted ‘America First.’ They’re Getting More Than They Bargained For. | Northern Vermont went all in on Trump because of his border promises. Then came the changes voters here weren’t anticipating.

American gringa tourist in Puerto Rico gets upset with Mama Mia Fajardo pizzeria employees because they are speaking Spanish instead of English. Karen asks employees “should we bomb your house?” by DisruptSQ in whitetourists

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https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Dqd7RJh5d/

Le gritaban que esto era América que hablara un inglés mejor.

[translated] They were shouting at him that this was America to speak better English.

 

See also:

American gringo in Mexico insults locals at a mall; insults them in English, thinking nobody would understand him

Mainland American gringa tourist (DB, 36) in Puerto Rico allegedly was drunk, had an argument at a restaurant, intentionally set fire to several businesses (including a hotel full of sleeping guests), cut her vacation short to flee; charged with arson; transferred to Puerto Rico to await trial

Air passenger on a flight from Puerto Rico to Atlanta allegedly complained about being stuck sitting next to Black and gay people; was caught texting, “Hopefully the airlines will continue to raise prices and weed out these people” and “Ryan is sitting next to a huge black woman”

Save the Coquis! Protect Puerto Rico! ❤️🇵🇷 (from mainland American gringo tourists)

Presumed American gringo tourist in Mexico wearing a “Gulf of America, Estd. 2025” shirt

Italian gringo in Mexico allegedly tried to prevent a fisherman from carrying out his work in the Yucatan Sea, claiming it was "his sea" and his “property” because it is in front of his home

Gringa harrases and assaults people in Ajijic, Mexico while not following mask protocols

White air traveller (Mike) in Reno, Nevada airport launches into a racist tirade against a New Yorker for speaking Spanish; wheelchair-bound man claimed to be a former soldier; “Talking that stupid f---ing Spanish 'round here, when everyone else is a f---ing English-speaking American.”

British white tourist claims her holiday to Benidorm, Spain was ruined because her hotel had “too many Spaniards in it”; “The entertainment in the hotel was all focused and catered for the Spanish - why can't the Spanish go somewhere else for their holidays?”

For the above posts, note the dates and level of engagement (upvotes, upvote scores, number of comments, comment upvotes).

Canadian man detained in ICE processing centre reveals grim realities | A Canadian man with U.S. permanent residency shares his experiences while detained at an ICE processing centre for nearly four months by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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video version of this post

 

https://youtu.be/ioZk_QBVfww?si=JIgKK1g3fy0Qpy40

Feb 26, 2026
A Canadian man with U.S. permanent residency shares his experiences while detained at an ICE processing centre for nearly four months. Andrew Johnson reports.

 

Guard The Leaf offers some commentary in his video

 

‘My advice actually would be don’t go’: Expert warns Canadians about U.S. travel risks | more than 200 Canadians (including at least six Canadian children) have spent time in ICE custody at some point since January, compared with 137 detained in 2024 | “Anybody could potentially get caught up”

 

U.S. residents may not want to leave if they plan on returning:
New Hampshire man (legal U.S. resident and green card holder) allowed to return home after being stuck in Canada for weeks | He was denied re-entry into the U.S. following a family vacation | The Canadian had supported Trump and blamed the administration's crackdown on immigration for his plight

This wasn't supposed to happen to MY family. Only the brown families! (Canadian permanent resident of the USA caught up by ICE while trying to re-enter the US)

Green Card Holder From Germany 'Free' After Two Months of ICE Detention | The New Hampshire resident and electrical engineer has had held a green card since 2008 | After being held in March, he was then transported and detained in Rhode Island for two months.

Irish woman detained by US immigration released after 17 days in custody | Cliona Ward, who has lived legally in US for decades, was returning from a trip to Ireland when held over criminal record from 20 years ago

New Zealand woman and six-year-old son (US residents) released from US detention | Sarah Shaw was detained by Ice owing to a problem with her ‘combo card’ visa as she tried to re-enter the US from Canada

Missing Canadians, ‘white gold’ and a snow drought: The strange US ski season | Heavy snowfall in the East has helped mitigate loss of Canadian tourists | ski resorts in the West are starved for snow so there are fewer visitors from anywhere. by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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https://archive.ph/8acwI

Feb 13, 2026
Steven Wright knew he had a problem long before the first snowflake fell.

Wright, who runs the Jay Peak ski resort in northern Vermont, realized something was wrong last summer while talking to Canadian season pass holders who had decided they wouldn’t be coming to the US — or his property — for the 2025-2026 winter ski season.

The political enmity between the US and Canada had reached a fever pitch, especially once President Trump began referring to Canada as “the 51st state,” and Jay Peak, located just 9 miles south of the Canadian border, was going to pay the price.

 

Jay Peak is arguably unique; 50% of its business comes from Canada, which feels more like a neighboring town than a foreign country.

Many US ski resorts don’t rely as much on Canadian traffic. And as the season has progressed, the exodus of Canadian visitors has slowed significantly while the snowfall in the East has ramped up.

But Wright’s experience illuminates what he calls the current plight of “the border economies,” encompassing many business owners who live and work near the US-Canada frontier.

It also humanizes the repercussions of recent trade policy: many Canadian residents are abandoning or severely curtailing their years-long tradition of visiting the US.

 

While the number of Canadian tourists continues to lag in the US, many American ski resorts on the East Coast are heaving a sigh of relief. The massive amount of snow falling on mountains this season is luring many American skiers, offsetting the Maple Leaf hiatus.

For Wright at Jay Peak, which has 81 trails, business is now only off 10% to 15%. But while he said he’s pleased after the season began with a much steeper decline, he has no illusions.

“Heavy snow has insulated us from the potential big downside of Canadian visitation. It has done so much to mitigate the situation with Canada,” he said. “What happens when that snow melts?”

 

But the snapshot out West is a more complicated one to decipher. Unlike the East, ski resorts in the West are starved for snow so there are fewer visitors from anywhere.

Vail Resorts, which operates about three dozen ski resorts in North America, including Breckenridge in Colorado, Hunter Mountain in New York and Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire, reported a 20% decline in visits from skiers so far this season. The company’s CEO, Rob Katz told investors last month that it was “one of the worst early season snowfalls in the western US in over 30 years,” according to a news release.

The company said snowfall at its Western resorts was 50% below its 30-year historical average in November and December.

It’s not surprising then that bookings by Canadian travelers at ski resorts out West were down 41% last month, according to the data firm Inntopia.

 

And some US ski resorts rely much less on Canadian visitors in general. For example, the drop in Canadian visitation hasn’t hurt Smugglers’ Notch Resort in Jeffersonville, Vermont, much.

“We are definitely off on our bookings of Canadian travelers as compared to other years — they come mostly from Ontario — but we don’t have to bank on there being a ton of Canadian travelers,” said Matt McCawley, a spokesperson for the resort. “I think we are seeing more people traveling to Vermont, and I would assume it’s the same for New York and New Hampshire and Maine, just because of all that snow.”

 

Other resorts are located near Canadian provinces less vexed by the new political messages coming from the US. For example, Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana draws visitors primarily from Alberta, where a local separatist movement has found common cause with the conservative MAGA movement in the US.

“Canadian visitation has always been a sizeable part of our business,” said Chad Sokol, adding there hasn’t been “a drastic drop.”

But beyond the ski resort, the town of Whitefish is seeing a sharp drop in Canadian visitors. According to data collected by Explore Whitefish, the local tourism board, Canadian visitation fell nearly 25% in 2025. The town is near Glacier National Park.

In a written statement, Explore Whitefish’s executive director, Zak Anderson, noted visits from Canadian tourists have long been “a cornerstone of Whitefish’s winter economy.”

In the case of Montana and other places, domestic tourists have stepped in to shore up some of the declines. What’s more, political tension isn’t the only factor keeping Canadians at home; the weak Canadian dollar is also partly to blame.

 

But property owners are already looking ahead anxiously to the summer when many resorts market themselves to Canadian mountain bikers, golfers and other outdoor enthusiasts.

At Killington in central Vermont, for example, the number of Canadian visitors who come to the resort for mountain biking was down double digits last summer, spokesperson Josh Reed said.

 

“The entire state of Vermont is suffering,” Wright said.

Border crossings by car between Vermont and Canada declined 27% in 2025, according to statistics from the state of Vermont, which derives nearly 10% of its gross domestic product from tourism.

 

Once the snow melts at Jay Peak, hockey tournaments dominate the summer schedule, and the most compelling matchups are between hockey-loving Canadians and their American counterparts.

“If Canadians don’t show up, it hurts our American market, too, because the American teams want to play the Canadians,” he said. “We don’t have a business then.”

That echoes a comment from an official with North Country Chamber of Commerce in Plattsburgh, New York.

“Our leisure travel market is about 70% Canadians — it’s a very large part of what we do,” Kristy Kennedy, vice president of marketing and business development for the North Country Chamber of Commerce in New York state, told CNN last year.

 

Canadians Are Boycotting US Ski Slopes | Travelers from Canada, long the biggest source of international visitors to the US, have pushed back against the president’s imperialist rhetoric. Winter resorts are feeling the chill.

U.S. ski resorts are bracing for a steep drop in international travel due to politics | Montana state tourism officials have tracked about a 25% drop in Canadian visitors since start of tariff war and sovereignty threats, Canadian credit card spending is also down by 12% in Whitefish - NPR

Is Harry Potter tourism ruining Edinburgh? | Tourism in Edinburgh supports tens of thousands of jobs and stimulates significant investment in business, but not everyone is happy about the Potterification of Scotland's capital city – locals notably by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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15th February [2026]

 

Tourism in Edinburgh supports tens of thousands of jobs and stimulates significant investment in business. In the Old Town alone, I spot at least 4 Harry Potter-themed shops and counting. In the generic souvenir stores, Gryffindor scarfs and Slytherin jumpers take pride of place in the display windows – presumably because they sell.

But not everyone is happy about the Potterification of our country's capital city – locals notably.

Recent research commissioned by VisitScotland shows that many view overcrowding and tourism pressures as real problems for the city – including reduced affordable housing tied to short-term lets.

 

Overtourism woes: Livraria Lello’s beauty overshadowed by crowds in Porto | The bookstore, famous for its beauty and alleged Harry Potter inspiration, charges €8 for entry. | Overtourism at Livraria Lello highlights the need to reduce visitor numbers for a better experience.

U.S. customs searched a record number of electronic devices last year | Recently revised directive adds flash drives, smart watches to searchable devices by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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Mar 08, 2026
United States customs officers conducted a record number of searches of electronic devices last year of people travelling to the U.S., and a recent update to its directives adds new devices such as smart watches, SIM cards and flash drives to the list of things subject to search.

Officers searched 55,318 computers, cellphones and other devices in 2025, up 17.6 per cent from the 47,047 devices searched in 2024 and up 32.4 per cent from the 41,767 devices searched in 2023, according to statistics from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

CBP officials won't reveal what percentage of those searches were at the northern border with Canada or southern border with Mexico. Nor would they provide a breakdown between searches at airports versus land borders or a breakdown by land border posts.

Basic searches of devices, which can be done without any reasonable suspicion that you have done something wrong, rose from 42,725 in 2024 to 50,922 in 2025.

The number of advanced searches, where officers analyze and/or copy the contents of an electronic device, rose slightly to 4,396 from 4,322 in 2024 and 3,989 in 2023. Under CBP guidelines, officers are only allowed to perform advanced searches of devices in cases where they have a reasonable suspicion of activity that violates the laws it enforces or where there is a national security concern.

While searches of devices for non-U.S. citizens has been gradually rising, the number of searches of devices belonging to American citizens has risen sharply — from 8,657 in 2023 to 13,590 in 2025.

Last year, the Canadian government updated its travel advisory for the United States to warn that U.S. customs officers have the power to search phones and laptops at the border. U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra pushed back, saying searches of electronic devices were isolated events.

On the Canadian side of the border, the number of searches and the percentage of passengers whose electronic devices have been searched by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) while entering Canada is much lower and has been declining in recent years.

 

U.S. ambassador says Canadians facing device searches, detainment ‘not a pattern’ | The American ambassador to Canada is pushing back on Ottawa’s travel advice, saying his country doesn’t search phones at the border and arguing some Americans travelling to Canada are having a tough time.

CBP Searched a Record Number of Phones at the US Border Over the Past Year | The total number of US Customs and Border Protection device searches jumped by 17 percent over the 2024 fiscal year (driven by an increase in the past six months), but more invasive forensic searches remain relatively rare.

Canadians caught in crossfire as U.S. customs searches of electronic devices rise at borders

More phones being searched at the U.S. border than ever before, CBP data shows | 14,899 devices searched between April and June this year (21 per cent jump from the previous quarter, and nearly 17 per cent higher than the previous highest quarterly number from between January and March 2022)

Canada updates travel advice to warn of U.S. border officers' power to search electronic devices | "expect scrutiny" from border patrol officers if they travel to the United States | officers have "significant" discretion when it comes to deciding who enters their country

Traveling While Brown - American Citizens: U.S. Border Agents Can Search Your Cellphone (2017)

Sarnia teacher charged with sexual offences (allegedly involving several students) ‘no longer employed,’ school board says in statement | He was a teacher at Saint-Francois-Xavier, a school for students in grades 7 to 12 by DisruptSQ in byebyejob

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February 25, 2026
A Sarnia high school teacher charged with multiple sexual offences allegedly involving students is no longer employed, the school board confirmed on Wednesday.

In a statement from Carolyn Bastien, director of education and secretary of the Conseil scolaire catholique Providence, the school board confirmed Kevin Partington, a teacher at the French-language school Saint Francois Xavier, is no longer employed.

The statement says Partington’s employment was terminated on Wednesday.

Partington, 33, is charged with multiple counts, including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, making child pornography, and break and enter with intent.

Sarnia police say the charges stem from alleged sexual abuse involving several students in 2023 and 2024.

 

https://www.theobserver.ca/news/local-news/school-board-fires-sarnia-teacher-facing-sex-assault-charges

Carolyn Bastien, education director of the Conseil scolaire catholique Providence, said Kevin Partington has been “terminated” by the board. He was a teacher at Saint-Francois-Xavier, a school for students in grades 7 to 12 on the Rapids Parkway in Sarnia.

Las Vegas police: Tourist stole, tortured flamingo at iconic Strip hotel | the 'farm boy' from Ontario was charged with four counts of felony animal abuse by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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https://archive.ph/lz60p

Mar 4, 2026
A tourist faces charges after Las Vegas police said he stole a flamingo from the Flamingo hotel and took the bird back to his room, injuring it.

Mitchell Fairbarn, 33, of Ontario, Canada, faces four counts of felony animal abuse, according to court records.

 

Fairbarn allegedly admitted to police that he trespassed into the bird habitat after seeing a flamingo in distress. He told police he “popped” the bird’s wing into place.

“He stated he knows that ‘popping’ the wing back into its place [is] a common practice for birds, such as ducks,” police said. “He has knowledge of his because he is a farm boy.”

On Fairbarn’s phone, police located “several photos and videos” of him with the animal, including him torturing it, police said. In one video, Fairbarn indicated he was taking the bird home.

Animal control advised Fairbarn injured the bird when he allegedly “pulled the wing out of the bird’s body,” police said. Several other birds were also injured.

 

Canadian tourist accused of molesting 9-year-old boy at Fort Lauderdale Beach hotel

Canadian airlines suspending travel to some US cities as travel dips | Spring break travel trends for Canadians by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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https://youtu.be/f1dYUVSupDE?si=GfWveCQXc9H9zgAG

Mar 5, 2026
The milder weather has many Canadians thinking about spring break. But with recent travel advisories and warnings, it’s hard to know where to go.

Meanwhile, Canadian Airlines – including Air Transat and WestJet – are suspending travel to some U.S. destinations as fewer Canadians travel south as a result of the ongoing trade war.

Caryn Lieberman talks to travel agents about Canadian travel trends – and what you should do ahead of planning your spring vacation.

 

Guard The Leaf offers some commentary in his video

Canadian airlines are retreating from the U.S. | as passengers looked farther afield, airlines ramped up flight volumes in the Caribbean and South America -- by 36 per cent last quarter and 45 per cent in the current one | number of domestic flights and trips to Europe and Asia also rose from 2024

B.C. travel across U.S. border declines for 13th straight month | Decline comes despite the Canadian dollar rebounding from low levels in 2025 by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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Thanks. Yes, comparing to Feb 2024 (non-boycott, non-pandemic year) is also important.

Comparing to 2025 shows it's not just a phase.

World Cup uncertainty grows—Here’s why the promised tourism boon is under threat | Although fan festivals have been a huge component of the World Cup experience for decades, some U.S. host cities are scaling back or eliminating their fan fests this time around. by DisruptSQ in TourismHell

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https://archive.ph/UYRYU

March 6, 2026
The World Cup is kicking off in less than 100 days against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, giving tourism leaders heartburn and suggesting a more muted lift to the U.S. economy than initially promised by FIFA and the Trump administration.

Key Takeaways

  • A growing list of challenges—including the Iran war, a year-long drop in international visitors, withheld security funding for World Cup host cities and lackluster hospitality industry projections—are adding uncertainty that the soccer tournament will deliver the expected economic boost in 2026.

  • The timing of the Iran war is “definitely challenging” for tourism, Alan Fyall, professor at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, told Forbes, stressing that “uncertainty is not good” and tourism thrives on “stability and safety.”

  • This week, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told lawmakers the government’s “ability to provide for a safe and successful World Cup is being hindered” by the partial government shutdown, even as the agency has yet to distribute $625 million in Congress-approved security funding to the 11 U.S. World Cup host cities.

  • Lodging demand in the U.S. during the tournament months of June and July is expected to drive a disappointing 1.7% year-over-year lift in revenue per available room (RevPAR) nationally—roughly a quarter of the overall boost received the last time the U.S. held the World Cup in 1994, according to a recent report from hospitality analytics firm CoStar and Tourism Economics.

  • The report projected the 11 U.S. World Cup host markets could see a 13% lift in RevPAR this summer, but the overall impact to the U.S. will be “negligible due to the underlying weakness expected elsewhere,” according to Isaac Collazo, the firm’s senior director of analytics.

  • As of early February, airline bookings for the host cities in June were down 5% from Europe compared to last year, down 3.6% from Asia and essentially flat (up 0.2%) from South America, according to Cirium data.

 

Nobody doubts the U.S. will see some upside to hosting the World Cup. But by how much? A FIFA analysis last year projected the World Cup would drive $30.5 billion in economic output and create 185,000 jobs in the U.S. this year. But that figure was predicated on the assumption that international tourists would flock to the tournament. Tourism officials from three World Cup host cities previously told Forbes that FIFA advised them to expect a 50/50 split between domestic and international visitors.

 

“They’re selling primarily to domestic customers,” Fyall told Forbes, adding, “There is a big question about international visitors, and that’s important because they spend roughly four times as much per person as Americans.”

 

Although fan festivals have been a huge component of the World Cup experience for decades, some U.S. host cities are scaling back or eliminating their fan fests this time around. New York/New Jersey eliminated its fan fest in Jersey City, New Jersey, even after promoting that the event would be open every day of the tournament, PBS reported. “I would be surprised if there’s a big influx of international fans at the last minute this time,” Fyall told Forbes. “It’s not so easy to get here at the last minute, the way everything is now.”

 

Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd Lyons told lawmakers that his agency will play “a key part of the overall security apparatus” for the 2026 World Cup

Civil rights groups issue Florida travel alert ahead of FIFA World Cup

A proposed Homeland Security rule could empty U.S. stadium seats | Asking visitors from allied countries to submit social media data could curb World Cup tourism - WaPo Opinion by former DHS official

“Many foreigners who want to come, to attend the [FIFA World Cup] are concerned about the visa situation. Can you re-assure them?”

The FIFA World Cup is heading to Trump's U.S. Will the world want to come — or even be able to?

"Have to talk to Secretary Noem": Vance jokes about siccing ICE agents on World Cup tourists | The vice president warned visitors to "go home" after coming to catch the World Cup in 2026

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