I was stuck in a freezing cell without explanation despite eventually having lawyers and media attention. Yet, compared with others, I was lucky
I was stuck in a freezing cell without explanation despite eventually having lawyers and media attention. Yet, compared with others, I was lucky
In hindsight it was foolish, but not illegal. She should have received a “no” and maybe “we say no because of a previous entry denial.” And then she would have turned around and flown back to BC (a few hundred dollars poorer, but not in chains).
https://www.usentrywaiverlaw.ca/denied-entry-to-usa.php
Denied Entry to United States
If you have already been refused entry to USA, it is extremely important that you abide by the instructions and do not attempt to return until you are legally allowed to do so. At this point, it is pointless to argue with US Customs and Border Protection about their decision to refuse you entry, and you should instead focus on how you can get pre-approved for re-entry by contacting a US immigration attorney. If you attempt to re-enter the US at another Port of Entry after previously being turned away, not only will you be denied entrance once again but you also risk being banned from the country for an extensive amount of time.
I suspect that the fact that she was at a land border crossing played into what happened. They couldn’t just put her on a plane and fly her back. They had to move her to where they could put her on a plane so she was put into the meat grinder with everyone else being deported.
You’ve linked some sage advice. I’ve found immigration to be a crapshoot - mostly depending on how the immigration officer was feeling that day.
Rereading the article (admittedly from her side of things), the revocation of her visa seems unfair. But ultimately that’s for the immigration officer to decide.
However, if she was using a land entry, it means she had to “flagpole” - leave the US for Mexico and return. Canadians don’t need to apply for a visa to visit Mexico (nor the US, only to work). So why wasn’t she given the option to head to the Tijuana airport on her own dime?
It just feels like someone wanted to be unnecessarily cruel. According to this woman’s story, the officer mentioned her work with hemp products. Maybe the guy had some personal anger problems.
edit: I’m upvoting you, btw. Here to learn and share. Not sure who’s downvoting you.
I thought she flagpoled in Canada, was denied, then tried to overfly the US to Mexico and enter from there. That would raise red flags for me if I was CBP. Once you’re denied entry doing anything other than getting that denial cleared up before going back to the border is silly.
I think that how they treated her was unfair (as is the way that they treat everyone in that situation) but I think she got herself in that situation. The two are not mutually exclusive.
The details in this Guardian article are not clear at all.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/canadian-detained-us-border-1.7483021
This CBC article seems to confirm what you’re saying (according to statements from the woman’s mother). I totally agree with you about the red flags and poor decisions of this woman. And it seems like we’re in agreement on disliking what happened after.
Thanks for chatting it out!
Thank you.
Have a good day.