All eyes have been on the USAthis week after the death of Alex Pretti at a protest against federal immigration crackdowns. The 37-year-old intensive care nurse was shot to death while being tackled by several federal agents.

His death has sparked further unrest across the country, especially around Minneapolis, where the shooting occurred. But it’s not the first death involving United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in recent months. On January 7, Renée Good was also shot by an immigration officer, with the death also captured in a video that was shared around the world.

There has also been news of tourists facing issues at the border. In March 2025, a Welsh tourist, Becky Burke, was detained for 19 days at an ICE processing centre during a four-month backpacking trip across North America.

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Becky was pulled aside while trying to board a flight to Canada, and told she had violated the terms of her ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) as she’d lived with a host family and done housework in return for accommodation, which was deemed as work.

Brits visiting the USA, even those using the ESTA visa-waiver scheme, could find themselves facing further scrutiny at the border. There could soon be a requirement for visitors to provide five years of social media usernames or handles, as well as 10 years of e-mail addresses, allowing officials to scan for potential security threats.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) estimated that in 2025, the USA would lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending. The organisation claimed that out of 184 countries it analysed, the USA was the only one to see an international spending decline last year.

The UK remains one of the USA’s most important tourismsource markets, and in 2025, the number of Brits visiting was down by 15%, according to the WTTC.

However, 2026 will see the World Cup hosted across North America, and England’s first match will be in Texas, followed by a fixture in Massachusetts, then New Jersey, which is expected to bring huge numbers of fans across the Pond.

It was also set to be a big year for tourism in the USA, with Route 66 turning 100, prompting big celebrations along the route. This includes huge car shows and several festivals celebrating the iconic route.

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It’s also the 250th anniversary of American Independence, and several large celebrations are planned. While these are likely to attract domestic tourists, local tourism boards will no doubt hope the festivities bring in people from overseas as well.

But would you visit the USA right now? Would the major events in 2026 draw you in, or are you put off by the political situation? And would more stringent social media checks mean you avoid the USA and opt for other destinations instead?

Cast your vote in our poll and leave a comment below.

We'd love to know why you would or wouldn't travel to the US right now. Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com