Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by oefrha 463 days ago
People are randomly arrested and detained base on official government policy. And they have been arresting and detaining people long before Jan 2024, but it was scaled up recently. A recent story made it clear that some people with minor visa overstays have already been detained for months: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43410548

The fact is if you care about people from all around the world being able to attend your conference, the U.S. hasn’t been a good location for a long time. That’s not new. In fact [2][3] is only noteworthy because it was an influential individual (in this circle) with a strong passport; people with weaker passports are routinely denied. Hell sometimes UN diplomats are denied.
2 comments
mmooss 463 days ago
> People are randomly arrested and detained base on official government policy.

Right, but you did not give examples of that happening previously.

link
oefrha 463 days ago
Once again, when I say “not new” I’m talking about

> The fact is if you care about people from all around the world being able to attend your conference, the U.S. hasn’t been a good location for a long time.

TFA says

> As an Internet community we strive to include everyone. Holding a meeting in the US is incompatible with our values.

It’s been incompatible with their values for very long.

link
jeltz 463 days ago
You are arguing with someone who agrees with you but wanted to point out that your examples were bad and did not support your position that well.
link
oefrha 463 days ago
No, I’m arguing with someone who thinks I’m saying arbitrary arrests are not new (in fact I believe those aren’t new either, but I’m not arguing that and can’t be bothered to dig up sources), when I’m saying not being able to attend conferences in the U.S. is not new.
link
leftcenterright 463 days ago
> “This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because the researcher’s phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration’s research policy,” the minister added.

I don't think this has been a basis for denying entry to people in past?

link