Australian academics refuse to attend US conferences

April 14, 2025 4:18 PM

Australian academics refuse to attend US conferences for fear of being detained. "When academics fear travelling or partnering with US institutions, the impacts ripple through the entire global knowledge ecosystem," one says.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (53 comments total)

Trump Increases Australia Tariff To 250%
posted by Lemkin at 4:23 PM on April 14 [1 favorite]

The number of people travelling from Europe to the US in recent weeks has plummeted by as much as 35%

Canadians travelling to U.S. hits lowest rate since COVID
posted by gwint at 4:31 PM on April 14 [7 favorites]

Trump has also demanded that any US funded research in Australian universities that deals with DEI issues must cease. This is going to dramatically affect medical joint research programs dealing with disability and women's health.

If you had just one wish... ...?
posted by Thella at 4:58 PM on April 14 [2 favorites]

This is very much a thing for Europe too. I know of contacts in the EU who are either not traveling to meetings in the US, or are bringing empty laptops to avoid surveillance/screening on entry.
posted by Flight Hardware, do not touch at 5:01 PM on April 14 [3 favorites]

I'm Australian. I'm getting an award - kind of a lifetime achievement thing - from the peak body of my profession in a few weeks. I was invited to the global conference, in the US, to receive the award. It's a huge deal for me professionally.

I'm not going.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:06 PM on April 14 [102 favorites]

I was invited to a conference, and separately invited to give a keynote, both in the States - I cancelled the first and declined the second. It's not much but as a Canadian I think your reasons to travel to the States have to be pretty compelling indeed. It's not just the risk, it's the complicity of consuming anything American at the moment.
posted by Rumple at 5:26 PM on April 14 [32 favorites]

Trump will, by the end of his first year, have plunged the Us into a depression and destroyed any lead we have in economy, scholarship, diplomacy, technology, and… anything, really. It’s going to be fucking awful, but I feel like the rest of the world needs to look out for itself.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:28 PM on April 14 [19 favorites]

I’ve always been the Cassandra of my small friend group. Even I'm astounded by quickly this is becoming an over-the-top/nightmare scenario. I'm a 60+ year old Canadian and can't imagine a realistic scenario where I'd visit the states again, ever.

Pissed that a number of my fellow Canadians seem to be again lapping up Russian social media propaganda and US owned news sane-washing. A bunch are drifting back towards the convoy loving, anti-vax, racist, Trump-licking, Conservative Party.
posted by brachiopod at 5:29 PM on April 14 [14 favorites]

I'm not going.

I should add - most professional people I talk to in Australia are now literally afraid of going to the US, even if they weren't utterly disgusted by the fascism.

American exceptionalism is going trip up the Trump admin here - they can't imagine that people might want to go to other places. But it's a big world with a lot to see. There are other places to travel, there are other places to study, there are other places to invest.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:15 PM on April 14 [25 favorites]

most professional people I talk to in Australia are now literally afraid of going to the US, even if they weren't utterly disgusted by the fascism

As a Canadian there isn't any chance my government will whisk me away to a prison in a foreign country. I can't say the same about the American government were I to visit.
posted by Mitheral at 6:26 PM on April 14 [11 favorites]

I was checking out to see when this year's Gonerfest was and it struck me that there are bands from Japan and Australia that do tours in the US via Goner Records and this...year maybe not.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 6:32 PM on April 14 [2 favorites]

Inside Higher Ed has been tracking international students in America having their visas voided. Right now:

"over 180 colleges and universities have identified 1,000-plus international students and recent graduates who have had their legal status changed by the State Department."
posted by doctornemo at 6:39 PM on April 14 [9 favorites]

Americans will be surprised at how easily the rest of the world adjusts to getting on without them, although its a challenge for the English-speaking world to stop following the broadcast.

It's not the second half of the 20th Century any more.
posted by jjderooy at 6:44 PM on April 14 [18 favorites]

ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): United States records sharpest drop in Australian visitors since COVID
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:57 PM on April 14 [7 favorites]

I can't blame anyone for refusing to travel to another country out of fear of being detained or harassed. I just hope there won't be a wave of academics declining to travel to universities in the US, in order to signal disapproval of the policies of the current government. Refusing to engage with American universities because of nonsense from the administration would only lend additional force to its program of weakening those universities. Academics and journalists have been targeted by Trump precisely because of their traditional role in countering disinformation.
posted by epimorph at 7:01 PM on April 14

From the Beaverton (satire): US campaign entices Canada tourists: “Come visit America and also maybe El Salvador!
posted by mrjohnmuller at 7:21 PM on April 14 [18 favorites]

The American universities can choose to engage with other universities, by visiting them. It goes both ways.
posted by warriorqueen at 7:45 PM on April 14 [27 favorites]

Refusing to engage with American universities because of nonsense from the administration would only lend additional force to its program of weakening those universities.

Trump is US. As Trump, so US. That's how it is now, you either get with Hitler or you fight Hitler
posted by ginger.beef at 8:06 PM on April 14 [16 favorites]

I don't think if safe for anyone to travel to the USA. And I live here. I also don't think it is safe for us travel and come back to the USA.
posted by NotLost at 8:07 PM on April 14 [16 favorites]

It's time for conferences to fully adopt remote participation and/or the regional hub model. They already should have been doing this because of the climate crisis, to keep their attendees off long-haul flights. Now that these lawless federal actions call into question whether even US citizens can safely cross the border, there is no other way for an international conference to be open to everyone.
posted by ContinuousWave at 8:23 PM on April 14 [10 favorites]

I've said this elsewhere but I have an Australian friend who's a published SFF author who was considering coming to Worldcon in Seattle(not the same but obviously also work-related). She said she wasn't coming before shit really blew up. I wouldn't advise any noncitizen to come here right now.

I think fannish conventions are also going to need to have more remote tracks.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:32 PM on April 14 [9 favorites]

If you do come to the US, don't bring your laptop or phone.

If you are a US citizen and take an overseas trip, don't take your laptop or phone.
posted by neuron at 9:04 PM on April 14 [3 favorites]

If you are a US citizen and take an overseas trip, don't take your laptop or phone.

They detained an Australian man merely because he flew through HK.

“Eight hours later, after three interview teams and extensive examination of my laptop and iPhone, [the decision of US immigration] was that I had come to the US on a very unusual route from Australia via Asia (I flew premium economy and Cathay Pacific had the cheapest airfare).”

If they ask for your phone and you don't have one, they'll probably shoot you on sight.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:01 PM on April 14 [7 favorites]

Then's there this man, an Australian with a valid visa living in the US, who was detained, called a 'retard', accused without evidence of being a drug dealer and smuggling human remains, forced to sign a false document, and then deported despite having a valid work visa.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:08 PM on April 14 [11 favorites]

Last year, we booked and paid for a group tour in the US and Canada this coming May (flying into Calgary via Vancouver, travelling in Alberta, Montana, Idaho, Washington then cruising the Alaskan inland passage and flying home from Seattle via LA). There's no way I would have booked this trip now, but things would have to get a lot worse to justify losing a shitload of money by cancelling at this stage. While I'm excited for the trip, there's a small part of me that hopes enough people pull out that they'll cancel the trip and we can get a refund. We'll certainly be making sure there's nothing of concern on any device we carry in. I'm inclined to think trying to enter the country and claiming you do not possess any electronic devices or having an obviously sanitised burner phone would be a huge red flag and I won't be doing either of those things. I might log out of MeFi and clear my history, though ;-)

I do also feel a bit bad for 'supporting' the US at the moment, but take some comfort in booking through an Australian tour company. I don't feel at all bad about being able to tip a tiny bit of money into some small economies dependent on tourism.

I wouldn't be surprised if academics are at higher than average risk of being subject to 'enhanced vetting'. I had to list the name of the institution I work for on my US ESTA application and, while I'm technically not an academic, I hope that doesn't make me a target. I also hope arriving in the US via Canada as part of a tour group will help me hide.
posted by dg at 11:33 PM on April 14 [4 favorites]

I can't blame anyone for refusing to travel to another country out of fear of being detained or harassed. I just hope there won't be a wave of academics declining to travel to universities in the US, in order to signal disapproval of the policies of the current government.

There is no way to disentangle those things, dude. They're the same problem.
posted by Jilder at 12:00 AM on April 15 [13 favorites]

The European Commission is equipping staff bound for the US with burner phones amid surveillance fears, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
posted by Paul Slade at 12:42 AM on April 15 [4 favorites]

One of the problems here is that the frontline staff on borders are, to an individual, professional racists. Even if you start off ok, you’re in a role where eventually you’re going to draw the conclusion that some groups of people should not come into your country - groups like homeland sec are advanced, self-selecting groups, who will naturally choose other advanced professional racists to continue their mission goals.

So, yes, you should definitely avoid going to America. But don’t think that other countries border agents won’t give you the “special” treatment when they can. It’s literally their reason for existence.
posted by The River Ivel at 1:24 AM on April 15 [3 favorites]

I was hoping to visit friends in Southern Ohio later this year, but that's off the table now. I've found that on my many, many visits to the USA over the past few decades, where I've entered through many different cities, going through Immigration is a crapshoot, even for me, a middle-aged white woman, whose only (so far undetected) crime against the USA is to smuggle 3 Kinder Surprise eggs into the States.

Sometimes I've been given a big smile and a "have a great trip", and other times I've been questioned at length about who I know in the USA, how do I know them, who do my friends live with, describe their homes, describe their neighbourhood, how much cash am I carrying (apparently having 3 credit cards with access to credit of about $40,000 isn't good enough for a 10-day trip if all you're carrying is about $150 in cash), why does my UK passport say I was born in Australia, do I have the right to live in the UK, am I receiving any welfare benefits, do I own my own home, what's my job, etc. etc.

All it would take in today's climate is for someone to not like the answer to a question, and decide to look at my social media to deny me entry. At best, that might simply be a "you're denied entry" and being sent back on the next plane. But at worst it's not outside the realms of possibility for it to be detention for God knows how long and who knows where, followed by deportation.

A friend who was intending to visit his sister, her husband and his niece in the States has also cancelled his plans to do so. It just doesn't feel safe. Nor does it feel right, while there's a fascist in the White House.
posted by essexjan at 1:32 AM on April 15 [8 favorites]

Received a linkedin DM from a vendor that he hoped to see me at a conference in the US soon. I gave him a diplomatic "fuck no". Not surprised I'm not alone in that.
posted by DreamerFi at 3:20 AM on April 15 [1 favorite]

Honestly, you couldn't pay me to step foot in America right now. Not for any amount. It's not even close to worth it. But that being said, I don't have any family ties in the U.S, so it's easy for me to opt to stay away.

I think America needs to be quarantined by the rest of the world. I'm talking total cultural boycott and trade embargo. It's the only appropriate course of action. As the U.S. fascist movement consolidates power, all U.S. social and cultural institutions will be bent to the will of the fascists. It's already happening, using Social Security and IRS lists to identify people for deportation, etc. Law firms and academic institions are up on the block now too; get on board with fascism or get your funding cut. How can international academics possibly justify participating in conferences in America under these conditions?

Bottom line: America is occupied by a fascist regime, and the only reason anyone should be travelling to the U.S. from elsewhere is if they have an army with them.
posted by mrjohnmuller at 3:57 AM on April 15 [9 favorites]

Since this became a general travel thread, I completed my pre-booked trip to Nashville a couple weeks ago. I’m a dual citizen and pre-cleared in Toronto. I removed most social media from my phone and logged out of stuff and cleared my history. I’m white and middle aged and female. I’ve said before that border crossings had sometimes been pretty aggro about my dual citizenship status with lots of questions about why I continue to like in Canada. (I was 3 when we did.)

I had the easiest time ever. I got one question, “are you flying home to Nashville?” I said no, I live in Toronto and I’m travelling to meet a friend.” “Well, welcome home.”

That’s it. I have no theories other than I’m white. I don’t put this forward as reassuring, just that’s how it went. I was wearing a t shirt from my university and my laptop is covered in higher ed marketing stickers although security was Canadian on this side of course. Only going back for family emergencies from here on out until/unless things improve.
posted by warriorqueen at 4:13 AM on April 15 [3 favorites]

Coworker's plane from China to the US last was met at the gate by some sort of border agent. Flight crew made an announcement that everyone should get their passports out.
posted by armacy at 5:32 AM on April 15 [2 favorites]

as an american citizen with an american passport i’ve been rudely and menacingly interrogated by us customs at the canadian border for the apparently flagrant crime of living in upstate new york but driving a car with kansas plates. they detained us for over an hour to search us and ask all kinds of stupid questions. what i’ll never forget is the constant grinning and joking around in a cruel kind of way while i’m wondering if i’ll ever get back into my own country. and this was the obama presidency.

us customs and border patrol are the absolute worst of america: xenophobic authoritarian thugs who get a kick out of watching you squirm. and now they have carte blanche.

nobody should come here, and if i could i’d leave
posted by dis_integration at 5:50 AM on April 15 [18 favorites]

You also don't want to be the guy who brings back measles to your country. Stay out for the duration.
posted by ocschwar at 6:11 AM on April 15 [9 favorites]

I wouldn't urge anyone to come here. My partner lives in Australia, and I asked her, a few months back, not to come here. I'd give a lot to see her, but with me being visibly trans/queer I am afraid to leave due to the reentry thing, as well.

For many years now, I've hoped for the dominance of the USA to fade. If I had my druthers, it would have happened with other nations rising and surpassing us in anchoring a higher standard of living for the poor worldwide in a cooperative venture of peace. But, rarely do I get my druthers, so instead we get this lurching into mercantilism (Americantilism? Never mind). Between that and the deeply stupid fascism, well.

Depending on where you visit in the States, not only leave your phone at home, but don't sign into any encrypted platforms on it. The Florida legislature is pushing a bill to require encrypted social platforms like signal, telegram etc, to build in a backdoor for law enforcement. It is, of course, being touted as "for the children", and they Promise, pinky swear! that it only applies to accounts held by minors but. Foot in the door, imo.
posted by Vigilant at 6:28 AM on April 15 [4 favorites]

I'm a dual citizen who has confirmed with my family in the US that I should absolutely not travel to see them unless it's an emergency. I am okay with this. Shepherd and I cancelled a huge trip we were going to take to San Francisco in November and have opted to spend that money here in Canada, where we don't have to worry about being detained or harassed.
posted by Kitteh at 6:42 AM on April 15 [5 favorites]

In the article, the woman will be attending the conference, just remotely, because they went hybrid. I think that a lot of conferences in the US will also go hybrid for similar reasons. I've also seen calls to move next year's WorldCon from LA (and just not have them in the US for the foreseeable future) because Trump's encouraged ICE to go nuts.
posted by Spike Glee at 7:19 AM on April 15 [2 favorites]

I hope footballers are discussing a surprise wildcat strike from the next Mondial.
posted by ocschwar at 7:50 AM on April 15 [1 favorite]

I’m going to transit through the us on the way to Australia later this year and I’m already worried. Even though (or maybe especially because) the rest of the family are dual citizens.
posted by dhruva at 8:01 AM on April 15 [2 favorites]

I pulled one of my staff from going to a US conference a month or so ago. She's a Canadian though foreign born. I didn't want to take chances.

We did the same thing under Trump I with Iranian-born Canadian scientists too. They travelled to the US during the Biden admin, but we're back in the US be a very limited travel zone for us right now.

This may simply be an abundance of caution, but I don't want to send someone into a situation where they could be held and questioned, even overnight. I have had a couple of colleagues, foreign-born Canadian scientists detained in the past long enough to miss flights. US border security seems to single them out. This was during the Obama days, in fact.
posted by bonehead at 10:48 AM on April 15 [6 favorites]

California governor Gavin Newsom--happy to throw the rights of his trans consituents under the bus--is assuring Canadians that "hey, California is cool and we love you!"Oh my god, the responses from Canadians are just *chef's kiss*

My favourite: "If I wanted to go to El Salvador, I'd just book direct"

Obv, The Beaverton got there first.
posted by Kitteh at 12:28 PM on April 15 [4 favorites]

I hope footballers are discussing a surprise wildcat strike from the next Mondial.

Footballers are often heavily tatted, and are usually not shrinking violets when it comes to attitude, so it'll be interesting to see how CBP handles them and whether any will be denied entry.
posted by essexjan at 12:39 PM on April 15 [1 favorite]

I'll believe in footballers being badasses when they ghost FIFA for a World Cup and have a spontaneous scrimmage for show in Tijuana.
posted by ocschwar at 12:42 PM on April 15 [1 favorite]

Around Canadians not travelling to the US, check out Peter Watts' letter of remorse to the Department of Homeland Security (semi-recently, tag)
posted by jeffburdges at 12:50 PM on April 15 [5 favorites]

the Watts letter is amazing.
posted by supermedusa at 1:36 PM on April 15 [2 favorites]

Activist deportations in the second Trump presidency

Xiaofeng Wang appears safe: On April 2, 2025, a defense attorney made a statement on his behalf, saying that neither Wang nor his spouse had been arrested.
posted by jeffburdges at 2:28 PM on April 15 [1 favorite]

This appeared on the front page of the local paper (top, above the fold) today - in Aotearoa/NZ
posted by mbo at 10:10 PM on April 15 [1 favorite]

Canadian Association of University Teachers have also issued a travel advisory: CAUT advises academics against non-essential travel to US, particularly for (among others):

• Those who have expressed negative opinions about the current U.S. administration or its policies
• Those whose research could be seen as being at odds with the position of the current U.S. administration
• Travellers who identify as transgender or whose travel documents indicate a sex other than their sex assigned at birth

posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:32 PM on April 15 [4 favorites]

Canadian pilots say they will skip AirVenture 2025 in Oskkosh, WI.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:32 AM on April 16 [4 favorites]

Meanwhile in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis wants to eliminate property taxes for Florida residents, claiming foreign tourists will bring in enough money (thru sales tax & hotel fees) to offset any revenue loss.
posted by cheshyre at 3:33 PM on April 16 [1 favorite]

Speaking from a Canadian standpoint, the dismissive attitude of some of the US commenters in that AirVenture article is chilling.
posted by brachiopod at 3:16 AM on April 17 [5 favorites]

Some people really, really don't understand anything. From the comments:

Because why would you let ANY politician take you away from something so fun and special???

DUH. Because how patriotic a Canadian you are is a simple question of what you're willing to give up for the sake of your nation's independence. Canadians are literally being asked to give up orange juice. Of course the pilots are going to skip Osh Kosh this year.
posted by ocschwar at 6:16 AM on April 20