We live in chaotic times. We do our best to provide legal guidance on the Canadian immigration system. We do not provide legal advice on US laws or regulations. There are many attorneys who are licenced for that work. Many media professionals have contacted CIL based on the chaos in the USA and we do our best to refer media to attorneys who can provide legal advice. The purpose of this post is to share public information regarding travel to the USA. We get so many calls that it may be easy to publish this post.
Government of Canada Travel Warning to USA (4 APR 2025)
Yes, the government has issued a new travel warning. Based on my experience over the past 30 years, I have never seen this type of travel warning for the USA. As reported:
Canada has updated its advice to those travelling to the United States, warning travellers they may face “scrutiny” from border guards and the possibility of detention if denied entry.
An updated advisory issued Friday by Global Affairs Canada urges Canadians crossing the U.S. border to be forthcoming with officials in that country and to expect scrutiny that could extend to searches of electronic devices.
The updated advisory notes that if denied entry to the U.S., citizens could be detained while awaiting deportation if they fail to meet entry exit requirements.
The warning from the Canadian government was not the first. European countries have previously issued warnings. See details below. Many people are simply avoiding travel to the USA and that is our recommendation.
New Registration Process for Canadians
While Canada’s latest travel advisory suggests travellers “take normal security precautions” — i.e., what they would normally do in Canada — it also points out new U.S. rules that require registration of foreign nationals who are visiting the country for more than 30 days.
“Failure to comply with the registration requirement could result in penalties, fines, and misdemeanor prosecution.”
Tip: Bring a Burner Phone If You Must Enter USA
Experts have reported the broad powers of American officers to search electronic devices, including phones and computers. The recommendation is to bring a burner phone and leave your regular phone in Canada:
Segal also suggests people travel with a burner phone and leave their actual phones at home.
U.S. customs officials can look through a mobile phone, check comments made on social media and look through a laptop, she said. They can also take devices or download all of their contents, she added.
“To protect yourself, more so now than ever, I think it is a great idea to take a burner phone, to not take your technology, to not take anything on your technology that you would be afraid of any government entity knowing or having,” she said.
“The concept of privacy is completely different when you enter the United States.”
Avoid Travel to the USA
Based on the potential danger, we recommend avoiding travel to the USA. We have heard many stories from our clients who have had serious issues. This is based on limited rights at the US border and increased security measures by American officers who are not following international human rights laws.
Recently, the USA Supreme Court rules 9 – 0 against the current procedures that are being followed by immigration officers in the USA:
The [USA] government has conceded he was deported due to an “administrative error”
Unfortunately, that was not an isolated incident. This Canadian woman was detained by American officers for 2 weeks. Here is part of the story of what happened to Jasmine Mooney from Whitehorse, Yukon:
I started working in California and travelled back and forth between Canada and the US multiple times without any complications – until one day, upon returning to the US, a border officer questioned me about my initial visa denial and subsequent visa approval.
[…]
“Come with me,” he said.
There was no explanation, no warning. He led me to a room, took my belongings from my hands and ordered me to put my hands against the wall. A woman immediately began patting me down. The commands came rapid-fire, one after another, too fast to process.
They took my shoes and pulled out my shoelaces.
“What are you doing? What is happening?” I asked.
“You are being detained.”
“I don’t understand. What does that mean? For how long?”
“I don’t know.”
That would be the response to nearly every question I would ask over the next two weeks: “I don’t know.”
Travel Warnings to the USA by Other Countries
CTV News has compiled a list of countries that have issued travel warnings to the USA:
United Kingdom
The U.K. government says its citizens should comply with all conditions of entry. It warned travellers that they may be arrested or detained if they break the rules, noting U.S. authorities “set and enforce” entry rules strictly.
Germany
Germany says in its travel advisory that a visa or entry waiver does not guarantee entry for its citizens. A foreign ministry spokesperson says Germany updated its travel advisory after several Germans were detained at the border.
Denmark
With Trump’s policies on transgender people sparking concerns, Denmark is advising residents who identify as transgender to contact the U.S. embassy in Copenhagen before visiting the United States.
Finland
After Trump signed an executive order stating that the country will recognize only the male and female sexes, Finland issued a similar warning to Denmark’s about travelling to the U.S.
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