WWW - you are doing it again.
It seems people ARE being turned back without Visas which you can't currently get. Therefore it seems that US flying training for UK residents is facing huge difficulties.
Both lines of that are incorrect - there are three schools, in Florida alone, that can legally issue visas for flight training.
You are protecting the schools that are telling deliberate lies to the students - just to ensnare them as students. I don't see a single word on this thread that could be even remotely construed as being libelous towards any one of the schools that are doing it.
Take a look at the messages about Britannia -- they have willfully closed their doors and ceased trading to protect themselves and the students from any potential harm from the Authorities. They have offered to refund (at least, in part) costs that were accrued by students who were turned back by INS at the airport of intended arrival.
Reports, from the office of the FAA, now tell that Browns seaplane base - which has been a haven to hundreds of Brits adding float plane ratings to their licence - is also on the brink....all due to INS. They, however, are not taking risks with the reputation and finances of potential customers.
There are legal places to easily attend.....and the pages of pprune should be grateful for the advice offered to it's subscribers.
Even the UK CAA are back on board, and have set up a system which will - once again - allow UK licensed pilots to validate their ICAO licences for flight in the United States.
Granted "September 11th" has had a hideous effect on flight training - right across the board - but if the relevant schools had taken the steps to do their job professionally and legally, then there would not be a problem.
All these messages are saying is "Go to a school that can issue a visa - and there are at least three, in Florida alone"