Nicolle Saroukos, a 25-year-old from Sydney, Australia, was eager to begin a three-week vacation in Honolulu, Hawaii, alongside her mother. The trip held sentimental value for her mother, as it was the same location where her parents celebrated their honeymoon.
This visit marked Saroukos’ third time seeing her husband, Matt, a U.S. Army lieutenant stationed on Oahu. The couple had tied the knot in December last year.
However, upon arrival at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Saroukos encountered unexpected difficulties with U.S. border officials. What began as a routine passport check escalated into a chaotic scene where an officer exhibited aggressive behavior.
Saroukos recounted that the official, who initially appeared composed, began yelling at her mother, causing Saroukos to start crying from the stress of the situation. The mother-daughter duo was then taken to a holding room, where their belongings were searched, and they were subjected to numerous questions ranging from Saroukos’ previous employment as a police officer to the significance of her tattoos.
The questioning took a more personal turn, with border officials skeptically asking whether her tattoos were gang-related and whether her marriage to an American was genuine. Saroukos felt humiliated when officers laughed at her mention of her husband’s military service, finding it absurd that her marriage was treated as a joke.
Adding to her distress, officials criticized her luggage, claiming she had too many clothes and implying that this indicated an intent to overstay her visa. This assumption led to even more invasive procedures, including taking her fingerprints and a DNA swab.
While her mother was eventually allowed to leave, Saroukos was told she would be denied entry into the U.S. and deported back to Australia the following day. In what she described as a devastating moment, she was informed she would be held overnight in a prison—an experience that filled her with fear and confusion.
The term ‘prison’ shocked Saroukos, as she envisioned a space filled with dangerous criminals. Despite the officers assuring her that she hadn’t committed any crimes and would face no charges, they subjected her to a degrading body cavity search, walked her through the airport in handcuffs, and transported her to the Federal Detention Center.
During her time at the center, she was strip-searched and placed in a cell with other women, some of whom had serious convictions like murder and drug offenses. She shared this cell with a woman from Fiji, also waiting for deportation.
Saroukos was left without food, having missed the dinner cutoff, and was not permitted to contact her mother or husband throughout the ordeal. She expressed disbelief that she was not allowed a single phone call, stating that as a basic human right, she should have been able to reach out to one person during her detainment.
After spending a harrowing, sleepless night in detention, Saroukos was taken back to the airport the following morning. It was then that she received a call from the Australian Consulate General in Honolulu, who had been contacted by her worried mother after an unsuccessful search for information about her daughter. Saroukos requested her mother join her on the same flight back to Australia.
Later, she finally connected with her husband, who had been anxiously waiting at the airport for hours, seeking answers from officials. Their emotional conversation highlighted the anxiety both had endured during their unsettling separation.
Saroukos felt compelled to share her traumatic experience to caution others about the potential challenges when traveling to the U.S. She mentioned how this incident had made it feel impossible for her to ever again consider entering the United States.
Reflecting on the impact of this experience on her marriage, Saroukos grapples with the emotional fallout. “I felt like my world came crashing down. I felt like my marriage was over when they told me that,” she said, expressing the profound loss she felt due to the situation.
Meanwhile, Saroukos’ husband emphasized how the treatment she received was disheartening, especially given his service in the military. He had waited anxiously for hours, desperate to know what had happened to her, only to be left in the dark by border officials.
A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remarked that the complexities of entry decisions are taken seriously and involve multiple factors. Immigration attorneys confirmed that detainees are generally entitled to a phone call if they are held for several hours.
The Hawaii American Immigration Lawyers Association has established a Deportation Defense Hotline for situations like Saroukos’. It is advisable for loved ones to contact the detainee’s consulate in the U.S. to ensure consular officials can assist with locating the detainee and checking on their condition.
Immigration attorney Esther Yoo provided insight, explaining that the approach has shifted over the years. Previously, a person denied entry might have been released to arrange their own return flight; however, practicing protocol has changed so that detentions are more common.
Yoo elaborated that CBP’s primary concern is to ascertain whether an individual intends to immigrate when entering on a tourist visa, considering factors like work intention or a marriage to a U.S. citizen as potential indicators of immigrant intent.
The entire ordeal has left Saroukos and her husband navigating the emotional ramifications. They hope to recover from this distressing chapter in their lives while understanding the implications of her experiences on their future.
As Saroukos looks towards the future, she expresses a mix of determination to protect others from similar experiences and a deep personal sense of loss. The situation has profoundly altered her perspective on travel to the United States and her sense of security as a traveler.
image source from：https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/05/24/im-not-criminal-australian-woman-recounts-detention-experience-while-trying-visit-us-military-spouse-hawaii/
