Jamie Dupree: The border numbers tell a story that’s good and bad

Republicans believe illegal immigration was a big reason they won control of the White House and Congress in 2024, and GOP lawmakers from Georgia have been among those thrilled by those immediate results.

“President Trump’s administration is cleaning up the border disaster Joe Biden left behind,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Collins of Jackson.

“Promises made, promises kept,” added U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Cassville.

But while many Americans certainly welcome the decline in illegal immigration, there has also been a worrisome decline in international tourism as tougher U.S. border checks have spawned some travel nightmares, which have generated negative headlines around the world.

There was a German man — in the U.S. with a valid visa — who was locked up for 16 days near San Diego; a woman from Wales was held for nearly three weeks in Washington state; and a Canadian actress who had worked frequently in the U.S. found herself jailed for 12 days.

Most recently, two German women were detained and expelled after flying to Hawaii — partly because they didn’t have hotel reservations planned for their entire trip.

Those stories have alarmed some in Congress, as the number of foreign visitors to the U.S. dropped 12% in March.

“It’s no surprise that international travel to the United States is declining,” said U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, a Democrat and native of Thomasville, Georgia, who now represents Las Vegas in Congress.

Lawmakers from Nevada are especially worried about the sudden decline in international tourism.

“Tourism, trade, travel — that’s what Las Vegas is about,” said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada.

“Because of Donald Trump’s blanket tariffs and harmful rhetoric, tourism and travel to the United States is plummeting.”

It’s not just Europeans avoiding a trip to America. Figures from north of the border show the number of Canadians visiting the U.S. dropped nearly one-third in March.

The foreign tourism industry is nothing to sneeze at. It pumps billions of dollars into the American economy each year. It also supports thousands of jobs through flights, hotels, restaurants, and other spending.

The numbers are clear. Illegal immigration is down. But foreign visitors are staying away from the U.S. as well.

Is this just a temporary blip? Or a broader economic problem?

Jamie Dupree has covered national politics and Congress from Washington, D.C. since the Reagan administration. His column appears weekly in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. For more, check out his Capitol Hill newsletter at http://jamiedupree.substack.com