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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

#261

Post by dingaling »

vinay427 wrote: post #217
briandear wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Correct -- there have also been a lot of disingenuous stories about record numbers of overseas Americans renouncing citizenship.. yet that trend began due to FATCA which was passed by Democrats in 2010. The renunciations started to spike once the impact of that law was felt by overseas Americans and so-called 'accidental' Americans (automatic Americans at birth but no connection to the US.) There are a lot of these s…

It isn't a national origin ban if it only covers Muslim-majority countries with a priority process for religious minorities: > "to prioritize refugee claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution, provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual's country of nationality." I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's a ban on Muslims, but it strategically bans…

The countries on the list date from 2016. No President "signed it", it was established and extended by DHS and State Dept as part of Visa controls.

The EO extended those controls from "no waiver, manual review" to "no access"

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

#262

Post by refurb »

bruceb wrote: post #80
system16 wrote: post #70

After many unpleasant dealings with US Customs, I avoid flying to or through the US completely even if it costs me more. The last time I flew from Canada to Singapore through the US, the US Customs officer - on Canadian soil - was hostile, asked me numerous questions about my travel, itinerary, who I was intending to meet, and my personal finances. When I questioned if all this was necessary as I'm not even traveling…

This is part of the problem, not the questions but the attitude. I can understand them asking questions, they have a short time to figure out if the traveler might be "up to no good". That is no reason to ask questions in way that attacks a person. Ask all the questions you want just don't be terrorizing jerk about it. Now one instance can be chalked up to a bad apple but over and over again I have heard stories like…

Canadian customs officers may ask questions but they are generally not in a abusive tone.

Going to disagree with this statement. I've had 3 instances where Canadian border police were very aggressive and basically accused me of breaking the law without any evidence.

The US? 1 instance.

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

#263

Post by onion2k »

literallycancer wrote: post #254
onion2k wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The border authority knows who you are (from your passport). They can use that information to check everything - phone records, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, your purchase history, your credit references, etc. They don't have to simply accept you don't have any devices - they already know what devices you have and what you use them for. The only thing they don't have is direct access to your actual data. That's why th…

It's not like CBP has access to the same tools NSA would use. If your profile isn't public and your name is common, they have no way to know it's really your profile. I'd expect my bank to not freely share my information with CBP (as should anyone whose bank isn't based in the US). Of course the unsolvable issue is that the agent gets to decide whether you get in or not, instead of following some checklist. (Which me…

If your profile isn't public and your name is common, they have no way to know it's really your profile.

I know of at least one startup that's selling software to list who's browsing a website with links to their social media accounts in real time. The idea that the CBP can't work out exactly who you are on the internet from your passport seems highly improbable.

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

#264

Post by [deleted] »

mistermann wrote: post #37
KKKKkkkk1 wrote: post #34

The Bill of Rights says that the government is not allowed to conduct unreasonable search and seizure. This applies to all people, not just to US citizens. Unfortunately, when you are a noncitizen at at a port of entry, the Bill of Rights is effectively a dead letter.

That goes for citizens within miles of the border as well does it not?

[deleted]

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

#265

Post by sidek »

Gonzih wrote: post #176
romanovcode wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>asked me numerous questions about my travel, itinerary, who I was intending to meet, and my personal finances. Well to be fair when I was visiting Canada from EU I got asked exactly same questions from Canadian customs.

Exactly. When you travel from EU to Canada or US there is no significant difference. Measery on both borders.

I think the main difference (speaking from the biased perspective of a Canadian) is that US border guards seem to want to get angry. Whilst Canadian guards have a "what we're doing is necessary, but we want to be nice" attitude.

Unfortunately Canada's awful security policy comes because we need to be "up to US standards", or else we risk huge barriers being put in the middle of our trade relationship due to US paranoia. And economically, Canada is totally dependent on trade with the US.

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

#266

Post by pigeons »

OJFord wrote: post #215
Buge wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Canada also requires your password at the border. Recently one guy even faced 1 year in prison for refusing. At least in the US you don't face prison time. New Zealand asks as well.

> Canada also requires your password at the border. Recently one guy even faced 1 year in prison for refusing. That can't be true; at least, there must be a hell of a lot more to it. Why would Canada want to pay provide prison space for a foreign national who's committed such mundane a crime as non-cooperation, and without ill-affect on any Canadian citizens?

He was a Canadian.

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

#267

Post by pigeons »

angry_octet wrote: post #236
paulajohnson wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thats the second time you've posted this. How about pointing at some evidence?

Buge has written this several times in the last two weeks without supporting evidence.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/alain-philippon-phone-password-case-p...

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

#268

Post by macintux »

gspetr wrote: post #219
fortytw2 wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this doesn't help at all - in this scenario, if a gov't body wants you data, they lock you up in some room and beat you until you give them all of the passwords to the encrypted data...

I'm not sure I read the parent same way you did. What he proposed is a way to circumvent border data check by having no data on your devices during that time. If there's no encrypted data then device passwords will do nothing for them.

Did you fail to notice that the 2nd time the Canadian tried to visit he was turned away because he had no data on his phone?

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

#269

Post by WildUtah »

extra88 wrote: post #253
WildUtah wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is one flight from Latin America to east Asia. Aeromexico flies from Mexico City to Tokyo and Shanghai alternately with their 787s. (ANA is adding a NRT-MEX flight this winter also.) But there are many, many connecting flights through DFW, Houston, LAX, and SFO. The direct flight costs upwards of $500 more, often a 60% or higher premium. That's the value of avoiding transit through the USA and the visa and CIS…

> one flight from Latin America to east Asia Are the countries on the continent of South America not generally considered a part of Latin America? Because there are other options from Santiago, Sao Paolo, Rio, etc. to Tokyo. Some of the options are on Air Canada, with a stop in Toronto which avoids U.S. airports but presumably not U.S. airspace so there may still be some additional scrutiny at departure. You don't ac…

Are the countries on the continent of South America not generally considered a part of Latin America?

Technically, every country in South America is considered a part of Latin America except British Guyana, Suriname, and France. Not including islands like the Malvinas or the ABC islands, of course.

---

I should have specified one single flight. Of course you can fly to Dubai from São Paulo and then to Seoul or to Sydney from Santiago and then on to Peking.

But direct flights are very limited.

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