Actress Patricia Arquette has issued a stark warning to international travelers, declaring the United States unsafe for visitors and calling for the cancellation of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The Academy Award-winning star took to social media to share her concerns, stating bluntly, “Cancel the Olympics and World Cup in USA. It’s not safe for tourists.” Her message, which quickly gained traction on Reddit, has sparked fresh debate over the U.S.’s ability to host major global events amid rising immigration crackdowns and travel restrictions.
The 2028 Olympics are set to mark a major return of the Games to American soil for the first time since Atlanta hosted in 1996. Los Angeles was also chosen as a key host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But with increasing reports of international travelers being denied entry, both events are now under scrutiny.
Much of the concern centers on aggressive border enforcement and the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In her posts, Arquette criticized sweeping ICE operations across major cities, where even individuals with no criminal records—or those who have performed heroic acts—have reportedly been detained.
One viral post that echoed Arquette’s warning referenced an Irish traveler being told their phone and social media could be searched at the U.S. border, with a risk of being turned away. Another cited a June incident in which a Norwegian tourist, Mads Mikkelsen (no relation to the actor), claimed he was denied entry at Newark Airport due to a meme on his phone depicting Vice President JD Vance. Authorities said he was refused entry after admitting to prior drug use.
Arquette has also condemned ICE detaining people at sensitive locations like medical facilities and asylum hearings. She recently highlighted the case of a man with no criminal record who rescued a child from a shark attack, only to end up in detention.
Her posts included criticism of proposed policies to strip legal counsel from undocumented children and referenced reports that over 97,000 people have been detained during the early months of President Trump’s new administration. She also blasted the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant facility in Florida, comparing it to a concentration camp.
The growing backlash reflects a wider concern about the U.S.’s treatment of immigrants and tourists, with some Reddit users agreeing with Arquette’s stance.
“The entire ethos of the Olympics and World Cup seem to be anti-Trump. Delay it and relocate,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “She’s not wrong,” while a third, identifying as American, said: “I hope these events are taken from us. Please help us protest this horrifying administration.”
