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US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

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Re: US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

#51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That and the bit about the bill that would increase CBP's power to detain and strip search Canadians entering the US were the two most troubling things in the article, IMO.

Why Canadians?

In some Canadian airports, there's "pre-clearance", where you go through American customs while still on Canadian soil. Right now, they can't hold you, because you're in Canada -- so if they aren't going to let you in, you can just leave, back into Canada.

There was a recent (Canadian) bill that gives US customs the ability to hold and search in pre-clearance, in Canada.

Re: US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

#52
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Suspicious foreigner. Back you go.

They usually have to construct a narrative of suspicion. I don't know how not having electronic devices or a phone is suspicious.

In the article, even a clean phone is suspicious.

"No phone? Are you hidding something?"

Re: US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

#53
post #27

In the US right now visiting, am Canadian. Was a pain, was held up over an hour at the border (via land). Apparently they don't believe there's any reason for a Canadian to visit the US as a tourist, we only want to work illegally (they're partially right, only came to visit family, our national parks are nicer). Also, based on my family members' experiences of working in the US, it's easier to work illegally than to…

That's how most countries are. For the most part the US is the exception for industrialized countries in that it's easy to work illegally because the gov does not enforce verification very hard and does not penalize employers often. I know countries I've been to, even if you could avoid interacting with authorities, there's no way to get other gov services while not having proper visas --ie, education, housing assistance, etc.

Re: US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

#54
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They usually have to construct a narrative of suspicion. I don't know how not having electronic devices or a phone is suspicious.

In the article, even a clean phone is suspicious. "No phone? Are you hidding something?"

A cleaned out phone is suspicious. Are you hiding something? Nope I have nothing to hide, but I still don't have a phone on me sir. This guy in the ended up with a history. That's where his problems began, after that you are fucked no matter what you do unless you play it very very clean.

Re: US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

#55

> US Customs officers didn’t even > need to ask for his passwords — > they were saved in their own > system I don't want to victim-blame here, but COME ON. You're going to delete a bunch of info from your phone, but you're not going to change your passwords after having given them over?

While we're victim blaming. His new "clean" phone had nudes of him on it.

Re: US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

#56
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Suspicious foreigner. Back you go.

They usually have to construct a narrative of suspicion. I don't know how not having electronic devices or a phone is suspicious.

It makes you look like you're hiding your digital profile. Which, to be fair, would be true.

Re: US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

#57

Everyone proposing clever technical solutions. Burner phones and encrypted cloud data etc... you are solving the wrong problem. Instead of engineering a way for the few people who care deeply to avoid this at great effort, engineer a way for this to not be legal. Write your congressperson, donate time and money to political parties, make privacy at the border for ALL (not just citizens) a priority in every election.

This!

Also, clever technical solutions won't help when not having any data is seen as suspicious.

Like, you cannot tell them "I don't know my passowrds. They are in a password safe, and I do not have access right now". When the law says you have to hand over your passwords, "I don't know them right now" is probably not a valid excuse anyway.

Re: US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

#58
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Suspicious foreigner. Back you go.

They usually have to construct a narrative of suspicion. I don't know how not having electronic devices or a phone is suspicious.

This person is attempting to cross with no electronic device. Nearly 100% of first world citizens own a device. What is this person hiding? It must be bad. Denied.

Re: US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

#59
post #48

Over the last few years I've gone from wanting to visit the US and planning it as one of the next few holidays I'd like to do, to wanting to visit the US but holding off until 'later', to now simply not wanting to visit due to these sort of policies and actions at the border. It's a shame; US citizens are generally lovely people, the US natural environment is beautiful and, hell, the US makes killer craft beers that…

Go to NZ. Natural wonder of the world and the craft beer is killer. You'll thank me.

Re: US Customs block Canadian man after reading his Scruff profile

#60
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It happened in December. What is the relevance of who was President at the time?

The faces change, but the game stays the same. That's the salient point here IMO. Why is that? Who is behind it?

The DHS under the direction of the President. Are you suggesting that the US needs looser border controls and screening?
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