Japan’s “Anti-Immigration” Policy Is Not What You Think | AB Explained

Japan’s anti-foreigner political turn is resulting in greater difficulty to start a business there and gain permanent residency. The people’s anti-foreigner feelings may be driven by too many tourists who do not respect Japan’s conservative culture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTz6DQJH1Og

What’s Really Going On in Thailand | AB Explained

Thailand built its huge tourism industry on US military bases and US military R and R during the Vietnam war. Young US military men spent far more than other tourists. Thailand was then able to turn this war-time tourism industry into a permanent industry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jS7aV568IA

The data is in: Many Canadians are still avoiding travel to the US

“Canadian travel to the United States by car has declined for seven consecutive months.

Canadians have said they are boycotting travel to the United States in response to Trump’s policies.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/data-many-canadians-still-avoiding-003056944.html

ICE ordered to pause most raids on farms, hotels and restaurants

“U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has directed immigration officials to largely pause raids on farms, hotels, restaurants and meatpacking plants, according to an internal email reviewed by Reuters, a senior Trump official, and a person familiar with the matter.

The order to scale back U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids came from Trump himself, the person familiar with the matter said, and appears to rein in a late-May demand by top White House aide Stephen Miller for more aggressive sweeps.”

“The White House pointed to a Trump social media post on Thursday where he said farms and hospitality businesses were concerned the administration’s far-reaching immigration enforcement was taking away “very good, long time workers” and promising changes.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-immigration-officials-told-largely-044100625.html

Trump vows changes to immigration crackdown to protect migrant farmers, hotel workers

“The president did not specify what changes could be in store to address worker shortages caused by his immigration crackdown.”

“About 42% of farm workers in the United States between 2020 and 2022 lacked legal status, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“Our farmers are being hurt badly,” Trump said during an event in the White House East Room when asked about his position. “You know, they have very good workers. They’ve worked for them for 20 years. They’re not citizens, but they’ve turned out to be, you know, great.”

Trump said he plans to sign an executive order to address the situation, adding that it will take a “common sense” approach. “We can’t take farmers, take all their people and send them back because they don’t have maybe what they’re supposed to have, maybe not,” Trump said.

The White House has defended deportations of non-violent migrants who are in the United States unlawfully, arguing their presence in the country is grounds for being deported.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-vows-changes-immigration-crackdown-164033884.html

International travel is declining, and it’s costing the US: ‘It’s shaking everything up’

“Amid recent travel advisories warning those coming to the U.S. plus strengthened immigration enforcement, many international travelers are starting to turn away from the U.S. as a destination. Between January and March 2025, foreign arrivals dropped by around 4.4% from those first three months last year, according to data from the National Travel and Tourism Office. In a March year-over-year comparison, that reduction doubles to almost 10%.”

“Some fear for their safety over what could happen when trying to enter the nation’s borders. Others are angered at recent policies, like the trade wars, and rhetoric, refusing to spend their dollars in the U.S. A decline in overseas visitors could have significant long-term consequences for the economy, with travel and tourism one of the country’s leading industries, contributing 2.5% to the GDP”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/international-travel-declining-costing-us-090543078.html

French academic denied entry to US for ‘personal opinion’ on Trump

“a French academic was refused entry onto U.S. soil over comments he had expressed against policies enacted by U.S. President Donald Trump.

France’s Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste said that “he had learned with concern that a French academic who was going to a conference in Houston was denied entry before being deported” back to Europe, according to a ministry statement seen by POLITICO.

“This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because the researcher’s phone contained conversations with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration’s research policy,” he said.”

https://www.politico.eu/article/france-academic-denied-entry-united-states-donald-trump-personal-opinion-messages/

Germany updates US travel advice after 3 citizens are detained

“Germany has updated its travel advisory for the United States to emphasize that a visa or waiver allowing entry does not guarantee Germans to enter the U.S. after several of its citizens were detained at the border.

According to an advisory on Germany’s Foreign Office website, the country warned that entry through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) system or a U.S. visa is not guaranteed every time and that the U.S. border control has final decision.

“It is recommended that you bring proof of your return journey upon entry,” the office said.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/germany-updates-us-travel-advice-012325804.html

Biden admin to China: Hands off our tech but we’ll take your tourists

“Chinese “visitors” — a broad term that encompasses both tourists and longer-term students — were at the forefront of a boom in international travel to the United States in the decade before the coronavirus pandemic hit. They spent a record $34 billion in the United States in 2018 and another $33 billion the following year.

That fell sharply as both governments clamped down on travel during the pandemic. Chinese spending in the United States plummeted to about $11.4 billion by 2021, nearly all by Chinese students at American colleges and universities. It rebounded slightly to around $14 billion last year, with education still accounting for most of the expenditures.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/06/united-states-chinese-tourism-00113789