Australian Woman Deported from Hawaii After Aggressive Border Detention Raises Alarms
HONOLULU — What began as a sentimental family trip to Oahu turned into a harrowing experience for Nicolle Saroukos, a 25-year-old newlywed from Sydney, Australia. Instead of enjoying the tropical start to a three-week vacation with her mother, Saroukos was detained, searched, and deported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — sparking outrage and reigniting concerns over the treatment of foreign travelers, even those with close ties to American citizens and service members.
A Dream Trip Turns Nightmarish
Saroukos had flown to Honolulu to spend time with her husband, Matt, a U.S. Army lieutenant stationed on the island. The trip held deep emotional significance — it was the same location where her parents honeymooned decades ago. But after landing at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on May 19, Saroukos was flagged by CBP agents for secondary screening.
What followed, according to Saroukos, was a degrading and traumatic ordeal. She described how the CBP officer at passport control abruptly escalated the situation by yelling at her mother and demanding silence. Immediately after, both women were separated. Saroukos said she was taken to a back room, her phone and luggage were searched, and she was grilled about everything from her career as a former police officer to the meaning of her tattoos.
“They laughed at me when I said I was married to a U.S. Army lieutenant,” she told Hawaii News Now. “They said I had too many clothes in my suitcase and assumed I was going to overstay my visa.”
Strip-Search, DNA Sample, and Detention
CBP agents reportedly fingerprinted her and took a DNA swab — a procedure generally reserved for criminal processing — then told her she was being denied entry and would be sent back to Australia. But before that could happen, she was taken to the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu. Despite being told she had committed no crime and faced no charges, Saroukos was walked through the airport in handcuffs.
“They told me I wasn’t under arrest, but I was still taken to prison. That made no sense,” she said. “When you hear ‘prison,’ you think murderers or dangerous criminals — not someone visiting their spouse.”
At the detention center, Saroukos was reportedly strip-searched, placed in a cell with other foreign detainees, and denied food because she arrived after dinner hours. She was also not permitted to contact her husband or mother — a right that, according to immigration attorneys, should have been afforded to her if she was detained for an extended period.
U.S. Husband Kept in the Dark
Meanwhile, her husband Matt waited for hours at the airport, frantically trying to get information. Airport personnel eventually told him she had been taken to a federal facility, but no further updates were provided. He was not permitted to visit or call her. He later contacted a deportation defense hotline after reading a news report and spoke to an immigration attorney who helped shed light on her likely location and status.
Eventually, Saroukos was allowed a brief call to the Australian Consulate and later to her husband — more than 24 hours after the ordeal began.
“This wasn’t just traumatic for me,” Saroukos said. “My husband, a current-serving member of the U.S. military, was left helpless. It’s disgusting.”
Legal and Immigration Expert Reaction
Legal experts say Saroukos’ experience is not unique, though her treatment has drawn particular concern due to her clean record, her marital status with a U.S. soldier, and the aggressive steps CBP agents took.
“Entry into the U.S. is at the sole discretion of Customs and Border Protection,” said immigration attorney Esther Yoo. “Even with a valid tourist visa, CBP agents are authorized to deny entry if they suspect the traveler intends to immigrate, work, or overstay — all of which are violations of visa conditions.”
Yoo noted that CBP procedures have grown stricter in recent years. While travelers once waited at home for deportation flights, it’s now common for CBP to detain them at a federal facility.
Still, many question whether CBP is overstepping — particularly in cases where no criminal behavior is suspected or proven.
Fallout and Implications
The emotional and legal fallout for Saroukos and her family remains ongoing. Because she was formally deported, she is now banned from re-entering the U.S., even to reunite with her husband.
“It feels like my marriage was ripped away from me,” Saroukos said. “We’re still trying to figure out what comes next.”
Her husband is currently on emergency leave in Sydney as the couple explores legal options. CBP told Hawaii News Now that it is preparing a formal statement but declined to comment on the specifics of the case.
The Hawaii chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association has urged families of detained travelers to call their deportation defense hotline at (808) 204-5951 and to notify consulates immediately in such situations.
As of this writing, no charges were filed against Saroukos, and the U.S. government has not offered a public apology or clarification regarding the decision-making process that led to her detainment and removal.
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