Summary

US immigration officers denied entry to a French scientist traveling to Houston after finding phone messages criticizing the Trump administration.

French research minister Philippe Baptiste condemned the decision, stressing the importance of academic freedom.

US authorities reportedly accused the scientist of “hateful and conspiratorial messages” but later dropped charges.

Baptiste has been vocal against Trump and Elon Musk for cutting research funding and invited American scientists to relocate to France.

    • Goldholz
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      1 day ago

      And boosting EU Honestly, i think trump is the best thing that happened for the EU.

      Finally waking up from their USA reliance sleeping pill

      • Bademantel@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        I had the same hope the last time this clown was president (welp, there goes my US visa). It didn’t happen. Maybe this time it’ll be different but as long as conservatives have any saying in EU politics I’m very much sceptical.

    • Balder@lemmy.world
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      17 hours ago

      Does China do this too to people that visits the country? I’m wondering if the US is already worse than China or if they’re on the same level now.

      • NOT_RICK@lemmy.world
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        18 hours ago

        I believe they have been known to search people’a phones. I do know for sure that they ban people that are outspoken against the CCP from entering.

        • webghost0101@sopuli.xyz
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          15 hours ago

          I lack credible sources but I assume in a similar case they just let you in and observe every move you make to make sure you don’t overreach the scope of your visit.

          Now if you are known public speaker on democracy and are scheduled to speak at universities you may have more trouble but i imagine in this case you either never go there to begin with or at least carry a dummy phone for the time of your travel.

  • ThePantser@sh.itjust.works
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    1 day ago

    I have anti Trump messages on my phone. Can I get a free deportation out of here? I’ll let my family sell my shit and send me the money.

    • Goldholz
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      1 day ago

      The government will keep your money probably lol

    • woelkchen@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Can I get a free deportation out of here?

      No, you need to buy your own ticket like the French scientist had to. The flight back isn’t free either unless they insured the travel for such conditions.

      • PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca
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        6 hours ago

        Americans have this idea that they can just enter other countries and live there just by virtue of being American.

        I grew up in America and they drilled this bullshit into our heads from grades 3-6. Disgusting to see this attitude continue in grown adults.

  • Lobshta@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    I want to know how they got access to his phone. Did he hand it over willingly? Did they run some kind of scan by connecting it to a device? Did they have a court order or authority to search it?

    How do we help others avoid this sort of thing? My recommendation: start using Signal.

    • 000999@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      1 day ago

      Anecdotal, but I think the US has been allowed to seize the electronic devices of people trying to enter the country since like forever.

      They’re also weird as fuck about letting people enter the country and now it’s obviously getting even worse and lots of media attention

    • thevoidzero@lemmy.world
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      21 hours ago

      It was there since a long time. People coming to US are warned by foreign organizations about the port checking the contents of their phone, text, photos, apps etc. It just didn’t happen as often as it does now.

    • woelkchen@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Wow. What happened to the love for the constitution?

      AFAIK the constitution doesn’t apply here. I can’t remember who or even when it was but there was a musician or actor who once said in a TV interview that they consumed pot in the past and then were turned back to where they came. See also https://www.usentrywaiverlaw.ca/marijuana-tourism.php

      Basically: The US has been hostile not only to migrants but mere tourists since quite some time (at the very least since 9/11), even under Democratic administration. On entry, don’t admit to anything and wipe your phone (restore a cloud backup after successful entry). Or even better, don’t go to that shithole country that treats people who fund the tourism industry like criminals. If they don’t treat you like they want your tourist money, they shouldn’t get that money in the first place.

      • venusaur@lemmy.world
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        18 hours ago

        Just ironic that they love the constitution and first amendment rights but would support this

  • FundMECFS
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    1 day ago

    For people saying “democracy is dying”. Nope. Democracy is dead. That doesn’t mean it can’t be revived. But at this moment the US is not a democracy.