The German person you link to was attempting to enter the US to work as a tattoo artist which is not allowed under tourist visa programs. I actually think the law should be more flexible and this kind of casual work should be allowed. However the law as it currently stands doesn't allow it and they were "correctly" denied entry.
The reason this person wasn't put on a "quick flight home" is because they (along with the British person) were detained at a land port of entry so there's no option to send them straight back.
In general, I think two things are simultaneously true. One is that Trump is cracking down on immigration. The second is that the media are suddenly reporting on a lot of cases -- like the German and British women -- that aren't actually new but were happening under Biden. It's just now the media has an angle and narrative such that these cases are deemed report worthy.