US citizens may not want to travel internationally because they don't trust US customs and border agents upon their return.

About 20 years ago a customs agent asked me, "are you thanking the lord Jesus Christ that you have returned safely to America". You just tell them what they wanted to hear and you were fine. Now if I am not mistaken, they can demand you unlock your phone which might show you were at a Tesla Takedown rally, or purchased a movie ticket to No Other Land, or whatever else is deemed verboten. I am unclear how long a citizen can be detained/delayed by a customs agent without cause.

Reminds me of this guy who had TTP revoked next day after he posted how US is becoming similar to PRC: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHwEjGazRKx

I thought why do you care, this is just a fast lane but your comment was enlightening... (I am sure based on other recent cases they would totally revoke his visa if he was not a citizen already)

Based on the news I've seen I'm not sure being from there is a good reason to travel there either.

Yeah even if you remove politics from the equation (which is impossible to actually do of course), I wouldn't travel to the US as an outsider just for the practical realities of the personal hardship it might cause, especially if you ever said a single negative thing about the current administration or Israel on social media or you happen to be brown and have tattoos.

(For context I am a US citizen living in the US, and terribly embarrassed to admit this because holy shit we've really dropped the ball)

What’s the comparison?

Being from there only means they can't deport you or deny entry indefinitely, right?

The thing is, you sound hopeful, which I think you should find worrying by itself.

To be explicit: You feel the chilling effect.

Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilling_effect) says:

> [...] a chilling effect is the inhibition or discouragement of the legitimate exercise of natural and legal rights by the threat of legal sanction. A chilling effect may be caused by legal actions such as the passing of a law, the decision of a court, or the threat of a lawsuit; any legal action that would cause people to hesitate to exercise a legitimate right (freedom of speech or otherwise) for fear of legal repercussions.

In other words:

A chilling effect is when people are scared to use their rights because they fear legal trouble. This can happen because of new laws, court rulings, or threats of lawsuits. It makes people hesitate to do something they’re normally allowed to do.

You are wondering whether to go abroad. BOOM.

Multiple senior leaders in Trump’s White House, including old school republicans like Rubio have floated deporting American citizens to El Salvador. I would not want to be the person at the center of those court cases

Especially if you’re already shaved and rotting in that prison in defiance of an injunction.

I ain't leaving California any time soon either.