Summary
Heightened security, with associated ground transport disruptions, will likely continue through at least late May around the New York County Criminal Court building along 100 Centre Street in Lower Manhattan, New York, New York State, due to the ongoing trial involving former President Donald J. Trump.

Background and Analysis
Opening arguments for the trial began on April 22; observers estimate the trial is expected to last around six weeks. Former President Trump faces 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, and it is the first of what are likely to be four trials Trump faces in 2024.

Advice
Strictly heed instructions from authorities and allow additional time to reach your destination if operating in Lower Manhattan during the duration of the trial.

Summary
Further rallies by pro-Palestinian activists are likely in several cities across the US and Canada into at least late May in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Most demonstrations that materialize will probably draw several hundred attendees, and participation in the thousands or tens of thousands is possible on weekends in some major cities.

Advice
Exercise caution near any rallies that materialize. Heed instructions from authorities. Plan accordingly for localized road travel delays. Immediately depart the area at the first sign of any security disturbance.

Summary
Further rallies by pro-Palestinian activists are scheduled in several cities across the US and Canada in mid-May in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The following events are among the demonstrations confirmed by organizers:

• Atlanta, Georgia John Wesley Dobbs Plaza, 15:00 May 11
  


• Saint Louis, Missouri: Art Hill, 15:00 May 11
  


• Salt Lake City, Utah: Washington Square Park, 13:00 May 11
  


• San Francisco, California: One Ferry Plaza, 12:30 May 11; Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, 11:30 May 12
  


• Seattle, Washington: Westlake Park, 14:00 May 11



• Chicago, Illinois: Water Town Place, 11:30 May 12
  


• Minneapolis, Minnesota: Powderhorn Park, 14:00 May 12
  


• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Fitler Square, 10:00 May 12
  

• Montreal, Quebec: Le Salon Richmond, 17:45 May 10
  


• Toronto, Ontario: US Consulate, 14:00 May 11
  

Advice
Exercise caution near any rallies that materialize. Heed instructions from authorities. Plan accordingly for localized road travel delays. Immediately depart the area at the first sign of any security disturbance.

Travelers should familiarize themselves with the location and contact details of other foreign embassies in case their country's embassy closes due to an emergency or some other unexpected circumstances. Another embassy can often provide assistance in such cases.

Emergency Services

Contact information for select embassies in the United States:

If you are calling from outside the United States, dial +1 first.

The threat of kidnapping in the US is minimal; kidnappers are more likely to target locals. The most common type of abduction in the US is the virtual variant. In a virtual kidnapping, the criminals make a ransom demand without actually taking a hostage; rather, the perpetrators negotiate with those from whom the ransom is demanded on the pretext that a connected person has been abducted. Virtual kidnappings in the US have been fairly unsophisticated, payment demands have remained relatively low, and perpetrators have seemingly targeted their victims indiscriminately.
Well-organized kidnap-for-ransom activity specifically targeting foreign nationals is not a common occurrence. Abductions are more likely to occur in relation to other types of criminal activity and disputes within criminal organizations, or as a result of personal/domestic disputes. In both circumstances, locals are more likely to be affected.

Opportunistic crime such as petty theft will be most marked in larger, high-density urban environments. However, even in those locales, such crime is generally the exception as opposed to the rule. The same is true for more violent crimes, such as armed muggings and assaults, which on average are uncommon in the US. In general, the incidence of violent crime is usually directly correlated with the socioeconomic status of a particular city or neighborhood, with many lower-income urban areas seeing the highest rates of crimes like armed assault, homicide, etc. More suburban and rural areas have far lower crime rates, although they are by no means immune from criminal activity.
Crime in the US is somewhat difficult to generalize, as the vast size of the country and differing socioeconomic histories of its states and cities prevent most blanket statements. However, national crime averages are often higher than Western European averages but still low enough to avoid being considered endemic; specific locales can, of course, have far better or far worse levels relative to national rates.

The US has a moderately strong protest culture that sees occasional demonstrations and picketing over aspects of foreign policy, socioeconomic policy, immigration policy, perceived discrimination, and major world events. Events with significant attendance will nearly always take place in a major urban location, such as New York or Washington, D.C. Most demonstrations have an excellent track record of remaining non-violent. However, exceptions have occurred where emotions among protesters have been particularly heightened, such as during certain protests following the deaths of African-American individuals at the hands of police. Clashes with police have sometimes ensued and, more rarely, rioting and looting have also occurred.


Labor strikes are far less common in the US, as the power of unions has been eroded over time. As such, industrial actions generally only occur in limited areas where organized labor retains some political power, often in urban locales; even then, industrial action is often averted via negotiations, as the American public generally exhibits little patience for strikes.

The capabilities and responsiveness of security services in the US are generally excellent (threat is minimal). The US has a number of different security forces, which change depending on the location; however, the local, state, and highway police are likely to be the most relevant for foreign nationals and local staff. Police officers are typically unable to speak foreign languages; however, some police officers in major metropolitan areas might speak Spanish, especially in Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Florida; while officers in other specific locations may be able to speak other foreign languages.

Corruption in the United States is considered to be quite low, as anti-corruption measures and enforcement are strong. Rule of law is also considered strong. The US political system is historically among the most stable of developed economies. Sanctions are not an issue.

Although domestic terror groups within the US are no longer the threat that they once were during decades past, ideological-extremist or otherwise hate-based groups continue to exist. Non-religious domestic terror incidents are rare, but anti-government and anti-police attacks have been noted, as have racially targeted killings and hate crimes, primarily carried out by white supremacists. Terror perpetrated by religious extremists often ties in more closely with transnational terror groups, as many such groups have inspired American citizens to commit terror attacks, typically in the name of Islamic extremism. US counterterrorism capabilities are understood to be among the most advanced in the world and are generally, though not always, successful at thwarting attacks.


The probability of a major, organized attack against the US is generally assumed to be significantly lower than that of "lone-wolf" (single individual) attacks, which are easier to perpetrate given the lack of a need for organized cells, communications, and complex planning. Lone-wolf incidents have become the principal type of terrorist incident, either thwarted or successfully carried out, in recent years.

The United States of America is a large country located mostly in North America, though the state of Hawaii consists of a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean and the country possesses several overseas territories such as American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. The US shares borders with Canada and Mexico; over USD 1 billion of trade crosses each of these borders per day, contributing to the US economy's status as one of the most advanced in the world. The US also holds considerable natural resources due to its size and geographic diversity.
Though politics in the country are highly polarized, the political system has a long history of relative stability. Indeed, its constitution is the oldest codified constitution still in force. While civil unrest typically does not pose a major threat to travelers in the country, protests in the US do sometimes turn violent, especially in major cities. Police shootings have sparked major demonstrations in the US on multiple occasions; while such demonstrations have typically focused near the area of the shootings, they have sometimes spread nationwide.
Although crime rates in the US are far below those of many other countries in the Western Hemisphere, such as most Latin American nations, they remain well above those in similarly developed countries in Europe. The biggest threat for those visiting the US stems from opportunistic crime in major urban centers. Natural disasters such as hurricanes on the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico, earthquakes on the West Coast, and blizzards throughout all northern sections of the country are among environmental risks.
Several international terrorist organizations view the US as a major enemy and a potential target for future attacks. Similarly, domestic extremist groups operate in the country, adding to the risk posed by terrorism in the US.