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Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

nytimes.com

121–130 of 257 posts

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this a right you have in Canada? Can't they just be like "yeah, no"?

Unlike in the US, illegal and unadmitted entrants to Canada, the UK, Australia (and probably everywhere else) don't have constitutional protection. So while a Canadian could possibly protest, a non-Canadian really hasn't got a leg to stand on.

> Unlike in the US

No, just like the US:

https://www.aclu.org/other/constitution-100-mile-border-zone

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#122
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Notably Laura Poitras (US citizen) even before she covered Snowden was harassed at border crossing for her coverage of the Iraq war. It is truly scary how bad things have gotten just under Obama, someone who campaigned for "change" and disclosure. With Trump, a man who has been extremely litigious against journalist who cover him negatively, it's terrifying to consider how much worse things can get. One can only hope…

hope our judicial system is ready to stand up to these challenges Even if it is, have you noticed how little regard the extreme right has for the judicial branch? They claim to be constitutionalists while ignoring any interpretations (or citations) that don't support their position on any given issue.

Yep... I honestly have little to no hope.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#123

Don't be fooled, Canadian border patrol proudly engages in this as well. I was recently driving across the border to Montreal on vacation when Canadian border agents, in addition to searching my car and personal belongings, demanded to see my cell phone and turn over the password. I simply asked why, since I didn't think I was doing anything suspicious, at which point the agent angrily responded "because I can and no…

Someone's probably already thought of this: Make a second password which "unlocks" the phone to some innocuous mode that won't hold the meatheads attention any longer. Assuming you aren't specifically targeted.

how about just back your stuff up to the cloud, and on a micro USB card. Those should be easy enough to hide, and if they find it say it's an extra one for your camera.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#124
post #96

“That wall of naïveté that I had about the freedom of the press in the U.S. kind of shattered at that moment.” Freedom of the press means reporters can publish whatever they like. The CBP isn't stopping him from doing that. It certainly doesn't mean that reporters are free from searches that the average citizen has to put up with.

Woah now, the average citizen shouldn't be subject to digital cavity searches either!

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#125

Don't be fooled, Canadian border patrol proudly engages in this as well. I was recently driving across the border to Montreal on vacation when Canadian border agents, in addition to searching my car and personal belongings, demanded to see my cell phone and turn over the password. I simply asked why, since I didn't think I was doing anything suspicious, at which point the agent angrily responded "because I can and no…

I'm curious, do you think anything about your appearance or car made them profile you specifically? I crossed over a few years ago at Niagara falls and found the border agents extremely courteous and friendly, probably more so than any other crossing I've made in the world. I mention it not as anecdata, but just to wonder if even the same border agent might treat someone very negatively today (change in policy over t…

I'm all for being friendly, but sometimes being real friendly is also a sign that they're up to something. I remember reading an article about a Geo Cacher who got stopped by the Secret Service for circling around the White House in a car too many times. he said the guys on bikes were real nice and friendly, talked all about him and his geocaching....until the marked car of thugs showed up and detained him.

Also, if driving a nice car was the key to getting past BP, drug smugglers would have figured this out ages ago and adopted it as SOP.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#126
post #3

I'm so embarrassed how America treats people entering the U.S. It's the first experience foreigners have in our country, and we make it one of the worst experiences in the developed world. Industries that benefit from tourism should lobby the Federal Government to improve the travel experience to, from, and within the US. I personally would fly at least a few more times a year if the TSA/CBP process treated people wi…

I specifically remember coming back from a trip to China and witnessing a customs agent screaming at this small group of old Chinese folks "YOU NO GO THERE. YOU COME HERE. NOW."

Like, how hard is it to do a basic 2 hour training in "communicating with non english speakers" so you can stop your staff insulting and screaming at non-native speakers?

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I asked what would happen if I didn't turn the password over and just went back home to the US, they told me they'd seize the device and put me in prison until they break into it. I guess it depends on how much you care about your personal info or how sensitive your data is, but I wouldn't budge based on this. I'd say, "Okay, I want to talk to the American embassy," then wait it out. Edit: To be clear, this would b…

You're under the mistaken impression that when you enter a border crossing you can turn around and go home without the permission of the country you're attempting to enter. This is not true. You've already entered the country, and so the border staff (US, Canadian, whoever) can indeed detain you, throw you into immigration detention, take all your stuff, really whatever they want. You don't have any rights. You could…

There is one exception. US immigration runs "preclearance" facilities at major Canadian airports (and a handful of other places). Here, you clear US customs and immigration before you ever board your flight. Because these facilities are still on Canadian soil, you are free to turn around and walk away at any time; they cannot detain you as they can at land borders or US airports.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#129
post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even more depressing is the fact that many countries take the US as their idol and start also requiring all 10 finger prints at border crossing. It's an epidemic these days.

Can you please remind me what is the problem with fingerprints? It's not akin to searching for furry porn on your computer and blaming it as child porn depiction – Fingerprints don't link you to supposed-crimes-that-everyone-has-done. Is it the same topic as privacy?

Fingerprints don't link you to supposed-crimes-that-everyone-has-done.

No, but they might link you to real crimes that you didn't actually commit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandon_Mayfield

Having a huge database encourages this kind of sweeping searches, wherein false positives become very likely.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#130
post #3

I'm so embarrassed how America treats people entering the U.S. It's the first experience foreigners have in our country, and we make it one of the worst experiences in the developed world. Industries that benefit from tourism should lobby the Federal Government to improve the travel experience to, from, and within the US. I personally would fly at least a few more times a year if the TSA/CBP process treated people wi…

It really varies from crossing to crossing.

In Canada most of the major international airports have US border crossings inside the airport inside Canadian territory. In my experience those are strangely the most hostile and confrontational to Canadians. I've found land border guards, and guards inside US airports themselves to be friendlier. I don't know why, but it seems others have this experience too.

In any case given the change of political tide in the US I will no longer be traveling there for pleasure. Only for work.

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