Two German teenagers were detained and deported from Honolulu after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers flagged their unstructured travel itinerary as suspicious upon arrival.
Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepère, 18, had intended to spend five weeks backpacking through Hawaii before continuing to California and Costa Rica. Although they had valid travel authorizations under the ESTA program, officials raised concerns over their limited pre-booked accommodations and absence of internal flight reservations, suspecting the possibility of unauthorized work.
During questioning, the teens reportedly mentioned their experience in freelance work—such as translation and design—for clients based outside the United States. That detail, combined with their loosely planned itinerary, led authorities to determine they posed a potential risk of violating visa conditions.
The two young women were taken into custody, searched, and held overnight before being placed on a flight to Japan, their preferred destination for return. According to reports, they were not formally charged but were refused entry under existing border enforcement protocols.
The incident has drawn attention to the broad discretion granted to border agents and the challenges faced by international travelers who engage in remote work. It also highlights growing scrutiny of digital nomads and non-traditional tourists navigating U.S. immigration policies.