'It's just not worth it': The US travellers afraid to travel abroad right now

Declining trust in airline safety, a rise in US citizens being detained when reentering the country and growing anti-American sentiment abroad have some rethinking their summer travels.

Travelling abroad used to barely faze Mary S. The American marketing professional estimates she would cross the border twice a year from her southern Arizona home to visit Los Algodones, Mexico nearby. She was also planning on attending a conference this summer in Canada to escape the Southwest US's sweltering heat. But after watching the sweeping new policies enacted by US President Donald Trump over the last three months and a notable rise in US citizens and permanent residents being detained when attempting to re-enter the country, she's having second thoughts. 

"There's no way I'm going anywhere near an airport or border crossing," she said.

While Mary said that some of her trepidation is about the recent spate of air control tower staffing issues and near-misses, she's more worried about potential retaliation from her social media posts criticising the Trump istration, and is afraid of being harassed at border crossings. (She requested we not use her full name for the same reasons.)

These worries might have once seemed outlandish, but last week Twitch streamer Hasan Piker – who is known for his criticism of Trump and his pro-Gaza policies – was reportedly detained for hours by federal agents at Chicago O'Hare International Airport after returning from . Though eventually released, Piker said he was questioned about his views on the Middle East in an interrogation room and asked "Do you like Donald Trump":[]}