Would you go on a J1 visa now?

That's quite a jump in logic.More like what an acolyte of thumpit would preach.

Anybody saying we'll be fine if we're smart enough to follow "the rules" - can you list or link to these "rules"? I assume it's not the law we're talking about, otherwise you'd just have said that. Plus, falling foul of the law would require a criminal history, a conviction, which doesn't seem to be a requirement for falling foul of the system.

It seems the "rules" can relate to social media posting, tattoos, activism… maybe more?

If I go to Saudi, I can look up the law to see what exactly I can or can't do. Is there a list for the USA? If they're making it up as they go along, then it's not so simple to follow the rules.

I think there are issues in America right now. Trump (we all know) is not the favourite of most Europeans. However, if your son or daughter follows the rules, doesn't have criminal charges against them, is not into drugs and covered in tattoos, they will be fine.

The government in most countries, do NOT represent what the vast majority of people in that country believe. Social media has a lot to answer for. I live in the States. No issues coming back to the States after a recent trip to Ireland. No issues with the people here, of either political affiliation.

J1 for me back in the dark ages was a time of learning about myself and being able to be independent and self reliant. Currently, the jobs market here for smart individuals who can think and work is massive (where I am). Don't expect to come here and drink all day and do nothing, it doesn't work like that.

I already have sponsored nieces and nephews for this program, all who have enjoyed it and spent time doing things they would never get a chance to do in Ireland. Isn't that what the program is about? Learning? Getting new Experiences?

For those on here who don't want to come or who think its communist North Korea here, fine, that is your opinion. It shows more about the person you are, than the reality of the situation on the ground in the States.

You must have missed the "roving" Maga crowd with the pitch forks by a few minutes… interesting to watch I have to say.. 😀

"Proverbs are not evidence"

Live by social media, die by social media—that’s the reality when it comes to reputation. The hysteria and hype are central tools of the Trump administration and the broader MAGA movement and always have been. It's damaging the image of the US abroad, wrecking any hope of retaining soft power, and undermining a lot of things in ways they don't even understsand.

Threatening statements and aggressive hard-line policies are going viral (and are fully intended to), and whether they reflect people’s actual experiences or not doesn’t really matter anymore. That’s the image being broadcast to the rest of the world.

The portrayal of U.S. cities as dangerous, decaying hellholes isn’t being invented by outsiders. Most tourists probably have positive experiences. It’s being pushed constantly by their own political voices and online influencers who hate the progressive vibe in cities. If you listened to some of them you'd think that if you set foot in New York, Chicago or San Francisco you’re liable to be shot, stabbed, mugged, carjacked, kidnapped, trafficked, overdosed, or caught in some riot on your way to nearest Starbucks, and that would only be if the smell of decay doesn't overcome you on the way. That’s the perception blasted out online day in, day out. It’s gone far beyond just bad optics and it has consequences. It's a polarised political war wrecking reputations of places that absolutely don't deserve it.

Most tourists aren’t planning holidays in rural Alabama or to hide away in some suburb in Oklahoma where the MAGA target audience lives. They go to the cities—the same ones being painted as apocalyptic wastelands to score political points. The domestic fear mongering isn’t staying domestic and it’s very justifiably putting people off.

Then you've got the endless lashing out at other countries. The Canadians aren't just not visiting the US because they're scared, they're actively boycotting it and voting with their wallets and so are many Europeans. The rhetoric coming out of the US is absolutely appalling and so are their actions.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if a load of J1ers get caught up in this over the summer. One foot wrong (and wrong keeps being redefined) and they'll end up in detention centres.

The hostile, xenophobic rhetoric towards "aliens" and outsiders keeps ramping up, and at a certain point people get the message. If you keep telling the world to feck off, don’t be surprised when they do—and take their money with them.

Reality does not matter. If something is portrayed as such, then people outside of that something will perceive it to be so.

Close friends of our left the states after a shooting event. No guarantee you'll be fine but very likely you'll still have the craic and meet some interesting people if it's anything like the nineties.

you do realise that this works both ways with regards to your last paragraph? One thing I think people forget it the money left behind by tourists going both ways. Americans coming to Ireland have slumped in tourist numbers (for many reasons). Putting out hateful comments one way (in the case of visiting Americans) has the effect to the ordinary visitor of making them feel unwanted.

Would you say to an American visiting Ireland that they are xenophobic and tell them to feck off and take your money with them?

The EU is more about our future than the US is, which doesn't take from how important it once was.

It's not even a question of importance. How much will you really do on a J1. America is vast it's difficult and expensive to even see much of the country. When I did Erasmus we got trains to Germany, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia. My rent was 300 euro a month, beer was cheap, transport was cheap. Each to their own but I seriously fail to see the value of a J1 in comparison.

The Americans that visit Ireland are generally very unlikely to be crackpot MAGA-heads. Most of them are very decent people and are well aware that there's criticism of Trump and MAGA. It's a bit ridiculous to suggest that the world has to be polite to the current administration for fear of upsetting outbound US tourists. The current US administration is xenophobic and quite openly so. It doesn't mean that everyone in the US is. Quite a lot of people are very much the opposite and are being targeted by MAGA.

There's a massive difference between cancelling your holidays because of a government implementing rather bizarre and crazy policies and getting offended by someone sh1tposting online on some random internet forum.

I mean if you go on various forums there's absolutely vicious stuff coming from the US aimed towards 'Europe' and 'Europoors' and all sorts of stuff. JD Vance literally called the Chinese peasants last week ffs.

The internet's a mess, but it is ludicrous to suggest that we can't be concerned or highly critical about the current US government or that that's somehow anti-American. I mean, the US government itself is about the most 'un-American' thing to have ever happened to the US!

You're just putting words in my mouth and hiding a horrendous government and extremist political movement behind national identity, so frankly there's no point in even having a discussion with you. You're the one tarring everyone (Irish and American) with the same brush.

You might as well be saying that if you critique Marine Le Pen that you hate the French or if you complain about UKIP/ReformUK etc that you have it in for the entire UK. That's complete utter bullshit and an attempt at deflecting criticism by hiding behind nationalism, and I think you know it too.

So, really it's a rather pointless discussion as we both know where it will go again and again.

Why not? As long as you follow the law and aren't there to make trouble, you have little to worry about.

(emphasis mine)
Okay. They're still dining out on that "land of the free" slogan after all.

But wait…

so it would be a good idea to clear out your phone or laptop if there's anything on there that you'd rather not discuss with an immigration officer

Contradiction much?

There isn't any law against having opinions, even in Trump's Amerikkka. What's happening is outside the law and there is no due process.