They can still make your life difficult though. I think the better option is don’t fly into or through US territory if you can help it.

besides the illegal stuff

That’s a slippery slope. Illegal in which country?

Something you (or I) may find perfectly fine could be heavily pushed back against and illegal in another legal framework.

Look at how abortion / LGBTQ+ rights / gun ownership / personal drug use etc etc etc change country to country.

Huh. Cool. I didn’t realise the US had laws about stuff like that. Always just assumed if you could legally buy it it’s yours to do what you want with. 2nd(?) amendment and all that jazz.

One of them was not only in horrible shape, unsafe to fire, but it was illegal.

Intrigued, how was it illegal?