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A routine trip to paradise turned into a distressing ordeal for Nicolle Saroukos, a 25-year-old Australian woman, who was denied entry to the United States and deported after arriving in Hawaii in mid-May 2025. Saroukos, who intended to visit her American husband, a U.S. Army lieutenant stationed in Oahu, has detailed a harrowing experience of aggressive questioning, detention in a federal prison, and ultimately, deportation. However, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have strongly refuted her portrayal of events, citing suspicious behavior and inconsistencies in her story as reasons for her removal.
Saroukos, a former police officer from Sydney, was traveling with her mother for what she described as a three-week visit, her third since her marriage in January 2025 (some reports state December 2024). Upon arrival at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu on May 18, she was flagged for secondary screening by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
According to Saroukos, the encounter quickly became confrontational. She alleged that a CBP officer yelled at her mother and that both women were taken to a holding room where their belongings, including phones, were searched. Saroukos recounted being interrogated about her past employment, her tattoos (questioned for possible gang affiliations) and the legitimacy of her marriage. She claimed officers reacted with derision when informed she was married to a U.S. Army officer. A key point of contention for CBP officers, according to Saroukos, was the amount of luggage she had, which they reportedly suggested was excessive for a short visit, fueling suspicions of an intent to overstay her visa.
While her mother was eventually permitted to leave, Saroukos underwent further processing, including fingerprinting and a DNA swab. She was then informed she would be denied entry and deported, but first, would spend a night in a federal prison. Saroukos described undergoing a body cavity search, being handcuffed, and transported to the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu. There, she alleged, she was strip-searched and detained in a cell with women convicted of serious crimes, denied dinner, and prevented from contacting her husband or mother. Her husband reportedly waited for hours at the airport, uninformed of her whereabouts until much later.
The following morning, Saroukos was returned to the airport. She was eventually able to contact the Australian consulate general in Hawaii, who had been alerted by her mother. Now back in Sydney, with her husband reportedly having taken leave to be with her, Saroukos has stated the experience has made it "physically impossible" for her to consider returning to the U.S. and has reportedly resulted in a 10-year ban as a visitor. Aussies tend to be a little crazy, but usually in the fun adventurous way.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has presented a starkly different narrative. A senior DHS official, speaking to media outlets, stated that Saroukos was selected for further screening due to "recent long-term trips to the United States and suspicious luggage." The core of the DHS rebuttal centers on the assessment that she was "traveling for more than just tourism."
Officials highlighted several red flags. Crucially, DHS claimed Saroukos was "unable to remember her wedding date just four months prior", and detailed a rapid courtship, noting she met her husband on December 13, 2024 (the same day her previous relationship reportedly ended), spent only eight days with him before returning to Australia, and then married him on January 24, 2025, after knowing him for just over a month.
Further suspicions were raised by what DHS termed "unusual activity on her phone, including 1,000 deleted text messages from her husband because she claimed they caused her 'anxiety.'" Additionally, DHS alleged, "Saroukos even claimed that her husband was going to leave the U.S. military, despite him telling CBP he was adding her to his military documents." The DHS official concluded, "If you attempt to enter the United States under false pretenses, there are consequences."
The roles of DHS and CBP officials have shifted significantly in recent months, which initially leads one to imagine that US officials may be overplaying their hand to boost numbers. On it’s face the situation seems extremely suspect… Until you take into account the questionable timelines and stories given by Saroukos. If the government were going to lie, it would likely be a simpler one considering they do that sort of thing all the time. Time will undoubtedly reveal an answer, but it’s probably going to be a boring one.
The conflicting accounts of Nicolle Saroukos's experience in Hawaii underscore the often opaque and stressful reality of secondary screening processes at U.S. ports of entry. While Saroukos describes treatment she felt was degrading and unjustified, DHS maintains its officers acted on legitimate concerns regarding her true intentions for entering the country. The case serves as a stark reminder to international travelers of the rigorous scrutiny they can face and the severe consequences if U.S. border officials determine an individual is not admissible under U.S. immigration law. Given the situation as it stands, best to play it safe.
