Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier headline did not reflect new information from Customs and Border Protection.
A pair of German teenagers said they were turned away at the border in Honolulu last month because they were unable to present lodging confirmation to Customs and Border Protection officers, though the agency said they were turned away because they intended to perform work prohibited by their visas.
The incident was first reported by Ostsee-Zeitung, a major German daily newspaper.
According to the paper, Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, arrived in Honolulu without hotel reservations for their planned five-week stay on the island.
Although both travelers had approval to travel to the U.S. from the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), that does not guarantee entry into the country.
Customs and Border Protection said officials acted properly based on the situation.
“These travelers were denied entry after attempting to enter the U.S. under false pretenses. One used a Visitor visa, the other the Visa Waiver Program,” CBP Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham said in a statement. “Both claimed they were touring California but later admitted they intended to work – something strictly prohibited under U.S. immigration laws for these visas.”
It’s not unusual for arriving visitors, or even permanent U.S. residents or citizens, to have to attest to their accommodations at the border. Other countries similarly require proof of lodging, or at least an address, on entry paperwork at the border.
Pohl and Lepere said they were handcuffed and given prison uniforms during their detention. They were reportedly held in a deportation detention facility in Hawaii overnight before being deported to Tokyo.
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“It was all like a fever dream,” Lepere told Ostsee-Zeitung. “We had already noticed a little bit of what was going on in the U.S. But at the time, we didn’t think it was happening to Germans. That was perhaps very naive. We felt so small and powerless.”
Germany is among the countries that recently updated its guidance for citizens planning to visit the U.S., advising them to be prepared for questioning at the border.
This story was updated to add new information and change headlines.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.