Canada, Greenland, Mexico, etc - USA Tariffs / Trade War commencing March 2025 #5

[Herat]

All of this is very troubling to me. Two German girls just got arrested because ICE didn’t like that they had no hotels booked for their stay in Hawaii and believed they were going to work. They were jailed and strip-searched and ultimately deported to Japan for some reason.

We used to be a welcoming country.

I’m afraid myself to travel out of the country for fear of a mistake causing me to be detained. Obviously the risk is extremely small. But not non-existent and my worst fear is being imprisoned for any length of time! Even an hour.

Usually, an applicant refused admission is returned by the airline they arrived on to the city they departed from. So, if they had been 40 year olds, they would have been returned back to Aukland, NZ to fend for themselves.

However, because they are underage in US stance, the agents likely felt it best to return them to their home country of Germany. The way to get from Honolulu to Germany has several choices and it is reported they requested the route that flew from Honolulu to Japan. Makes geographic sense, as they could not be returned to Germany through another US airport, so the most expedient was likely through Japan, Korea, Australia, or New Zealand.

 

[Lilibet]

I have a different take on the German teenagers refused entry to the US In Hawaii.

Thanks for the detailed explanation, @Herat. Having all the facts is important. While I feel for these naive girls, they can’t be naive when it comes to world travel.

JMO

 

[Dotta]

"China Cuts Off US, ​

Threatens South Korea with Sanctions.​

China has threatened South Korea with sanctions
if it continues to export products containing Chinese rare earth minerals to U.S. defense companies,
the Korea Economic Daily reported,
citing government and company sources.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce delivered the message in letters to Korean companies
that use Chinese rare earth metals to produce transformers, batteries, electronic displays, electric vehicles, aerospace and medical equipment."

Chiny odcinają USA. Zagroziły sankcjami Korei Południowej

Chiny grożą Korei Południowej sankcjami za eksport produktów z chińskimi minerałami do USA. Chiny mają kluczowe zasoby i technologię, aby celnie uderzać w amerykańską gospodarkę.

www.money.pl

 

[Herat]

Thanks for the detailed explanation, @Herat. Having all the facts is important. While I feel for these naive girls, they can’t be naive when it comes to world travel.

JMO

It makes for a lurid story for the press and the two girls don't seem to have the maturity to understand that there are rules in different countries and you really need to understand and obey them. The immigration agents have a very specific job and it can be difficult to understand why they are persisting in requiring plans and documents when you thought you could do everything on the fly.

The two countries they had been to, Thailand and New Zealand, are very accommodating to young travelers and there are lots of people who have done those trips before. However, not everyone is going to tell you the truth about working illegally or what happens if you present yourself without organized plans and documents.

I have a feeling their naivete and then their vague travel arrangements made the immigration agents even more concerned that they were drug mules. They certainly fit the profile and frankly, I think it was appropriate they were treated as potential drug carriers. This is real and hard cold reality in this world.

 

[R Ross]

145% tariffs on China are clobbering the toy industry​

Toys made in China have been exempt from tariffs since President Donald Trump’s first term. That is no longer the case.

Last month, Trump raised tariff rates on China to 20%, dealing a big blow to the toy industry. But he didn’t stop there. Just a few weeks later, Trump was set to tack on an additional 34% “reciprocal” tariff. Then he tacked on another tariff, and another, and another.

Now, goods from China are being tariffed at a whopping 145% rate — and that number will likely keep growing as Beijing vows to continue retaliating against new tariffs and Trump threatens to do the same.

For American families, this means relatively inexpensive toys could become luxuries. That’s because nearly 80% of all toys sold in the US are manufactured in China, according to the Toy Association, a leading industry group.

“We have no choice but to increase our prices by high double digits,” said Isaac Larian, CEO of California-based MGA Entertainment, which makes Bratz and L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls, among several other toys. “The life of my business, 46 years, is on the line.”

[...]

“There is no American factory anywhere that can make hair for dolls. What am I supposed to do? Sell bald dolls?” Larian said.

[...]

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/12/economy/toy-prices-us-china-tariffs/index.html

What then is the answer to a country who steals our intellectual property, floods our markets with cheap goods, manipulates their currency, spy’s on and steals our technology, uses viruses to infect our government computers, viruses to infect our citizens, allowed to fly a spy balloon over our military installations, cyber attacks our grid?

 

[Herat]

What then is the answer to a country who steals our intellectual property, floods our markets with cheap goods, manipulates their currency, spy’s on and steals our technology, uses viruses to infect our government computers, viruses to infect our citizens, allowed to fly a spy balloon over our military installations, cyber attacks our grid?

I think a studied approach by experts with long established understanding of the goals and processes, rather than cutting the knees off of your own population without really having specific realistic targets and benchmarks,

 

[PrairieWind]

I think a studied approach by experts with long established understanding of the goals and processes, rather than cutting the knees off of your own population without really having specific realistic targets and benchmarks,

Experts have had a long long time to study this same growing situation. And the result was always, just keep going. Clearly, doing nothing, was a terrible idea. Higher toy prices is not a concern. Almost every trade expert said the growing imbalance and thus the lost of ability in the US/west to do things on their own was worrisome. But, disrupting current trade (short term goals) were more important. That has caught up to us. The focus is on the US, but Canada, the EU are all in the same boat as well. Why will China not agree to equal trade terms?

 

[PrairieWind]

All of this is very troubling to me. Two German girls just got arrested because ICE didn’t like that they had no hotels booked for their stay in Hawaii and believed they were going to work. They were jailed and strip-searched and ultimately deported to Japan for some reason.

We used to be a welcoming country.

I’m afraid myself to travel out of the country for fear of a mistake causing me to be detained. Obviously the risk is extremely small. But not non-existent and my worst fear is being imprisoned for any length of time! Even an hour.

there is no need for panic. Media is stirring up hysteria that isn't warranted. These two German girls were not entering on normal visa terms. They should have understood what the rules were. A lot of this isn't new, it is just now being enforced. I travel a lot with my family. Understand what the rules are well in advance and plan accordingly.

 

[Herat]

there is no need for panic. Media is stirring up hysteria that isn't warranted. These two German girls were not entering on normal visa terms. They should have understood what the rules were. A lot of this isn't new, it is just now being enforced. I travel a lot with my family. Understand what the rules are well in advance and plan accordingly.

The rules on being allowed to enter the US have been enforced for decades. The bit about shackles in this case seems extreme, I agree, but what they were subject to in terms of detainment and removal from the US is not much different for similar applicants who intentionally or unintentionally did not meet the requirements for entry.

For decades on the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree travel forums, the rules for entering the US under the Visa Waiver Program and on B2 Visitor Visas were discussed over and over and over again. The real specific requirements and how to legally fulfill them were common topics.

Especially the part about how a VWP entry could not be reset by crossing the border into Canada or Mexico, but one had to go outside the "North American continent and adjacent islands" for a reasonable amount of time before being allowed to re-enter. Another hot topic was what was necessary to prove you were leaving the US within the 90 day allowance for the VWP.

 

[Dotta]

"Vice President JD Vance's tour of India was rocked on Tuesday
after dozens of people were killed
after a gunman opened fire on a group of tourists.

Vance had been in the country to help build closer ties with Prime minister Narendra Modi
as talks over a trade deal progress."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1914769115958464911

 

[tarabull]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-approval-rating-dips-many-wary-his-wielding-power-reutersipsos-poll-finds-2025-04-21/

 

[PrairieWind]

"Vice President JD Vance's tour of India was rocked on Tuesday
after dozens of people were killed
after a gunman opened fire on a group of tourists.

Vance had been in the country to help build closer ties with Prime minister Narendra Modi
as talks over a trade deal progress."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1914769115958464911

I thought mass shootings only occurred in the US?

 

[Herat]

"Vice President JD Vance's tour of India was rocked on Tuesday
after dozens of people were killed
after a gunman opened fire on a group of tourists.

Vance had been in the country to help build closer ties with Prime minister Narendra Modi
as talks over a trade deal progress."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1914769115958464911

To be specific, the terrorist attack in India was about 1000km from where VP Vance was and the targets of the attacks were Indian tourists to the separatist regions.

I would see this as a strike against PM Modi, rather than VP Vance.

 

[Dotta]

To be specific, the terrorist attack in India was about 1000km from where VP Vance was and the targets of the attacks were Indian tourists to the separatist regions.

I would see this as a strike against PM Modi, rather than VP Vance.

Regarding this visit to India:

"The US is seeking greater access
to the Indian market.

The American vice president noted
that the United States wants greater access to the Indian market
and the removal of barriers for American investors.

Washington also wants to support Delhi
in the search for offshore gas
and mineral deposits.

Vance added that both countries will produce
'a lot of defense equipment'."

Vance puszcza oko do Indii. Ostrzega przed "mrocznym czasem"

Amerykański wiceprezydent J.D. Vance ostrzega, że brak współpracy między USA a Indiami może uczynić "XXI wiek mrocznym czasem dla świata".

wiadomosci.wp.pl

 

[Cedars]

What then is the answer to a country who steals our intellectual property, floods our markets with cheap goods, manipulates their currency, spy’s on and steals our technology, uses viruses to infect our government computers, viruses to infect our citizens, allowed to fly a spy balloon over our military installations, cyber attacks our grid?

Right, take away American kid's toys. That'll show them!

(Then send them to their room.)

 

[LovesPeace2]

Lol everyday it's different watch tomorrow it'll be he has to go .

Trump tariffs live updates: US won't drop China tariffs without something 'substantial'

During a press gaggle on Air Force One, President Trump was asked what it would take for him to reduce tariffs on China.

abcnews.go.com

The president's criticisms of Powell continued Monday as Trump said he should lower interest rates. Last week, Trump said Powell's "termination cannot come fast enough." However, he said Tuesday afternoon that he has "no intention" of firing the Fed chairman.

 

[LovesPeace2]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/trump-tariffs-live-updates-trump-says-china-tariffs-wont-stay-at-145-bessent-hints-at-deescalation-191201492.html

 

[SouthAussie]

Lol everyday it's different watch tomorrow it'll be he has to go .

Trump tariffs live updates: US won't drop China tariffs without something 'substantial'

During a press gaggle on Air Force One, President Trump was asked what it would take for him to reduce tariffs on China.

abcnews.go.com

The president's criticisms of Powell continued Monday as Trump said he should lower interest rates. Last week, Trump said Powell's "termination cannot come fast enough." However, he said Tuesday afternoon that he has "no intention" of firing the Fed chairman.

Probably just wants to destroy Powell's good reputation, so he has someone else to blame when the US dollar continues its decline due to the mess of the tariffs.

'Look over there, not here'.

imo

 

[SouthAussie]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/trump-tariffs-live-updates-trump-says-china-tariffs-wont-stay-at-145-bessent-hints-at-deescalation-191201492.html

"Trump has signaled a possible pause on auto levies after suspending duties on some consumer tech, even as he insists these tariffs will eventually come to fruition."
(from your link)

Would have been good if they had some sensible, stable plan in place before they made their tariff announcements.

It seems like they are saying "Let's do this", "Oh, that didn't work, let's try that". "Bugga, let's just go back to how it was and re-think this".

imo

 

[musicaljoke]

Porter uses mostly partner airlines to reach those destinations, not their own aircraft.

According to the Porter pilot in our family, Porter is flying their own planes there now. But I expect they are using partner airlines as well since the demand for these places has risen.