I have a coworker travelling there in July. Unwillingly, I’ve been more or less been kept in the loop what preparing the trip implies and I’m pretty horrified.
Up until now, these are some of demands made (and accepted):
- full disclosure and acess to social networks
- criminal record
- recent photo, perfectly groomed and in the attire to be used to travel there. No deviations will be tolerated from the supplied photo.
- complete list of possible identifying marks on the body, with pictures (tattoos, moles, melanistic spots, scars, etc)
- name and social networks of parents, siblings and other close relatives, including children.
The person is separated with two children; this is causing a lot of friction.
- has already been warned an interview of up to two hours will be held upon arrival.
The person speaks broken english at best.
- disclosure of place of employment and other connections to public organizations
They are connected to a local soccer club and a youth sports association.
To add to all of this, this isn’t a standard caucasian human but someone who has looks that can be taken for someone from the middle east, slightly darker shade of skin included.
Flying from southern europe straight to Florida.
I’m concerned. I would not go, full stop. They have people waiting there for them but nonetheless. Considering the heated state of affairs, it is something I consider of not easily to overlook risk.
Don’t go. At all, for any reason. If what has already transpired during Trump’s second term hasn’t been enough reason to avoid travel, its on him if anything bad happens.
Can’t say you weren’t warned.
I’ve tried easing the notion to my coworker but the opportunity to travel abroad, even more because the tickets have been paid for by others, is too big to miss. Their words, not mine.
Your friend needs to ask the people who paid for the tickets if they’ll pay for legal representation and to get him released from whatever incarceration awaits him if he falls foul of the regime there. Assume this could run to hundreds of thousands of US dollars.
Also, given your description of him, I think that’s incredibly likely to happen.
They’ll say he’s guilty of something, so those friends won’t be sure whether he acted illegally or not.
I actively fear that.
Why doesn’t he just fly to El Salvador directly and save time. I’m a Caucasian male and I wouldn’t go to the US right now, he definitely shouldn’t risk it.
I’d be problematic anyway because I genuinely don’t have a social media presence, which I’m sure they would find suspicious. And I’m pretty sure my 70-year-old parents don’t have one either.
I was just mentioning that as well. What could be the reception of someone with no social presence and no electronics upon arriving? I’d refuse giving details of relatives as well.