Major Cities Face Ongoing Demonstrations
Since June 6, 2025, large demonstrations have been taking place in Los Angeles, with demonstrations also occurring in other major cities, where additional security forces have been deployed and a curfew is in effect for most of downtown Los Angeles from 8 pm to 6 am. The situation has become so serious that Canadian officials felt compelled to update their travel advisory, warning citizens about the unpredictable nature of these gatherings. The demonstrations stem from public opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions as part of the federal government’s intensified immigration crackdown, with protests ongoing since Friday last week, as ICE agents have reportedly conducted immigration-related arrests at courthouses, workplaces, schools, local businesses and within communities across the country. Tensions escalated following President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to quell the unrest, though although most protests have remained peaceful, sporadic violence erupted over the weekend and on Monday, resulting in arrests.
Heightened Border Scrutiny Creates New Concerns
Individual border agents often have significant discretion in making those determinations, as U.S. authorities strictly enforce entry requirements and expect scrutiny at ports of entry, including of electronic devices, requiring compliance and forthcoming interactions with border authorities. This isn’t just empty bureaucratic language – the reality is much more intense than most travelers expect. U.S. Border Patrol officers can look through a mobile phone, check comments made on social media and examine a laptop without a warrant, and they can also take devices or download all of their contents. Think about what’s on your phone right now – every text, photo, email, and social media post could be examined by a stranger in uniform. “For many people, the phone is a window into the soul. It’s got your letters to your spouse, it’s got your calendar showing all the people you’ve met with. And so for many people, they might want to take precautions to keep that information secure,” said Adam Schwartz, privacy litigation director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, based in San Francisco.
Detention Risks Spark International Alarm
If you are denied entry, you could be detained while awaiting deportation. The updated travel advice comes amid a wave of detentions at the U.S. border, including travellers arriving from across the globe, with a high-profile case involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detaining Canadian Jasmine Mooney on March 3 for two weeks after she tried to enter the U.S. from Mexico, where she was detained because she did not have legal documentation to be in the country but was kept in a cell holding 30 people with limited bathroom facilities. This isn’t an isolated incident anymore – it’s becoming a pattern that has multiple countries worried about their citizens. Ireland, The Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland and Canada have updated their travel guidelines after some travelers from these nations encountered detention by immigration officials.
Gun Violence Statistics Tell a Complex Story
Gun violence in the United States continued to decline significantly in 2024, providing yet another signal that the pandemic-era surge has come to an end, with firearm deaths and injuries dropping for a third straight year and homicides in major cities, mass shootings, and child and teen gun deaths also falling. Gun deaths decreased for a third consecutive year, dropping 12 percent from 2023’s total of nearly 19,000, while firearm injuries fell to 31,409 in 2024 — down nearly 14 percent from 2023, when there were 36,338. However, the numbers still represent a staggering reality. 2023 endured the second-highest number of mass shootings on record, but this year, the number fell significantly, with 499 mass shootings in 2024 – 24 percent less than in 2023. That’s still more than one mass shooting per day, which puts the “improvement” in perspective.
Multiple Countries Sound the Alarm
Some European countries, as well as Canada, are warning their citizens who travel to the United States to strictly follow the country’s entry rules or risk detention as the Trump administration cracks down on immigration enforcement, with Ireland, The Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland and Canada having updated their travel guidelines after some travelers from these nations encountered detention by immigration officials. Japanese citizens were also cautioned at that time to be “aware of the potential for gunfire incidents everywhere in the United States, a gun society, and continue to pay close attention to safety measures.” It’s rare to see this level of international concern about travel to the U.S., suggesting something significant has shifted. “We will enforce visa rules and other conditions of entry,” a State Department spokesperson told NPR on Saturday, stating “Prohibiting travel into the United States by those who might pose a threat or violate conditions of their visa is key to protecting the American people.”
New Registration Requirements Add Another Layer
The new interim rule — set to take effect April 11 — requires Canadians staying in the U.S. for longer than 30 days to register with the U.S. government, coming amid a Trump administration trade war with Canada and the president’s talk of annexing the North American ally. Global Affairs Canada updated the entry and exit section of the U.S. advisory on March 21, 2025, noting that “failure to comply with the registration requirement could result in penalties, fines, and misdemeanour prosecution,” with travellers advised to consult the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website to determine if they need to register with USCIS and how to do so. About one million “snowbirds” visit the U.S. every year, according to the Canadian Snowbird Association, with the association working with congressional representatives in an attempt to “amend this registration requirement and exempt” Canadian travelers from having to register with USCIS, per a CSA statement posted to its site earlier this month. This affects a massive number of people who’ve been making these trips for decades without issue.
Economic Impact Looms Large
In 2024, more than 13 million people visited the U.S. from western Europe alone, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, with at least 1.5 million people having visited so far this year, according to February data from the department’s National Travel and Tourism Office. Spending by those visiting the U.S. this year could also “fall by 12.3%, amounting to a $22 billion annual loss,” according to a February report by travel data company Tourism Economics. That’s not just numbers on a spreadsheet – it’s jobs, businesses, and entire communities that depend on international tourism. The ripple effects could be felt across the American economy, particularly in cities and regions that have built their economic foundations on welcoming international visitors.
Crime Trends Show Mixed Signals
Homicides across the United States are poised to plummet for the third straight year as 2024 winds down, driving the nation’s annual murder toll down to levels not seen since before the pandemic, with the year expected to end with a nearly 16% drop in homicides nationwide and a 3.3% decline in overall violent crime, surpassing a 13% decline in 2023, then the largest decrease on record until now. Philadelphia — which recorded an all-time high of 562 homicides in 2021, 516 in 2022 and 410 last year — has seen a 40% drop in homicides in 2024, with other major cities seeing precipitous reductions in homicides this year including New Orleans, down 38%; Washington, D.C., down 29%; Memphis, Tennessee, down 23%; Baltimore, down 24%; Kansas City, Missouri, down 20%; and Los Angeles, down 15%. However, petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, occurs, particularly in urban centres and tourist locations. The statistics paint a picture of a country moving in the right direction on serious crime but still grappling with everyday safety concerns that affect tourists and residents alike.
The travel advisories represent more than diplomatic language – they’re a reflection of changing realities at the border and in American cities. Whether you’re planning a quick weekend trip or a longer stay, the message is clear: expect the unexpected and prepare accordingly.