Canadian at U.S. Border

[puckluck]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Fair point. My two cents, having lived on a temporary visa in the U.S. for a long time. If your papers are in order, you won't have any trouble. It can be a pain, but most border guards are just doing their jobs. Keep your ducks in a row and be respectful and you'll be in and out in minutes every time.

I agree, and it's not really rocket science either. Even dealing with city cops I've found that if you be respectful towards a officer they'll make your life easy, but try being a prick and that's when they start writing you tickets for cracked windshields and damaged licenses.

I've always been polite and respectful when dealing with cops and they've always treated me with the same respect. Even if I'm dealing with a prickish one, I still be respectful because I know the law is on their side.

[burnin_vernon]

I think that they are told to question every thing you say and are told to ask quick, curt, rapid-fire questions so they don't give the person time to stop and think about the question, giving them a chance to make something up. Unfortunately, I believe these border guards aren't quick enough to use good improv skills and ask appropriate questions about your intentions.

They always ask stupid questions. When one woman asked my mom where she worked. She responded, "McDonalds". The woman then asked, (in a confrontational tone) "what's that?". Are you kidding me?

When I told her I was shopping for an expensive item, she had the nerve to say, "well, you must be making a lot of money to be able to come down and afford that". We were so PO'd. I can't believe she had any right to make that kind of statement.

I know they don't have to be nice, but they don't have to be dicks either.

[Jordan!]

Is it just me or are Canadian customs agents the coldest/prickiest bunch?

[Ryan Coke]

I cross quite frequently, and they can be jerks on both sides, though most are decent. I've actually had more issues with the US guys myself, and actually filed a complaint on one over zealous idiot. He is better behaved now.

As has been mentioned, it is not a right to go to the US. We ask to be allowed in, and if there are no issues they allow it. Same thing for them coming up here.

[mikey_the_redneck]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

First, we can't tell what physically happened by just listening to audio. Second, pulling away from an officer when he is trying to control you is considered active resistant behavior, not assualtive in it self but we can't see what happened. Maybe it was a stretch but he could be charged with obstruction. If the wife did put her hands on another officer to prevent the husbands arrest than that IS assualt.





He didn't say he personally stopped 3 a day he said "They" stopped 3 a day. And there are Terriorists in Canada and God only knows how many.

The border crosser should have kept his cool for a little longer, but still those border guys are so full of crap. They were stretching alright.....

If 3 terrorists a day were getting stopped at the border, that is about 1,100 a year. I'm sure a few would naturally slip by so maybe about 1,500 all together.

Why hasn't this been on the news!!! Put troops at the border already...Canada is the new Iran.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

The border crosser should have kept his cool for a little longer, but still those border guys are so full of crap. They were stretching alright.....

If 3 terrorists a day were getting stopped at the border, that is about 1,100 a year. I'm sure a few would naturally slip by so maybe about 1,500 all together.

Why hasn't this been on the news!!! Put troops at the border already...Canada is the new Iran.

He was probably using the word "terrorist a little losely". I could easly believe that they catch 3 to 50 criminals a day or other people trying to do something against the law.

You appear to be extremely biased against the officers and are hung up on a simple statement of 3 terrorists a day.

[GGG]

I have never had any problems with boarder guards. Generally I would say they appear "rude" because unlike other people we interact with they don't do small talk or chit chat or pretend to care about you. So Customs is a completely different interaction then any other customer service experienece people have. Combine that with general nerves and the stress of crossing a boarder and most people won't say it is a fun experience.

I think the big thing the guards are looking for is inconsistant behaviour. So they want to see how you react when different things are said to you. This means being rude or asking stupid questions.

I have only ever been searched once but I was crossing the boarder at two in the morning driving a vehicle that wasn't mine with only driver's licenses and no birth certificates or passports (pre-passport required days). And they brought us in for interviews and searched the vehicle, I assume checked if it was stolen but after about 30 minutes they let us in.

They guy on the tape is an idiot. Based on his behaviour the guards behaviour was acceptable. Maybe not as professional as they good be but nothing really wrong with it.

[mikey_the_redneck]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

He was probably using the word "terrorist a little losely". I could easly believe that they catch 3 to 50 criminals a day or other people trying to do something against the law.

You appear to be extremely biased against the officers and are hung up on a simple statement of 3 terrorists a day.

I am extremely biased. I don't believe that citizens of "free" nations should have to be treated like that at the border. If they think the guy was hiding something, they could have just done a search of him and the vehicle. I thought they were un-intelligent dinks in general......and he made himself look dumb by bragging about how many terrorists they stop...like he's some kind of super hero.

He said terrorist, and a terrorist is more than just a criminal...

[GGG]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

He said terrorist, and a terrorist is more than just a criminal...

I assume by terrorist he meant any one who looks Muslim that they don't let in.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

I am extremely biased. I don't believe that citizens of "free" nations should have to be treated like that at the border. If they think the guy was hiding something, they could have just done a search of him and the vehicle. I thought they were un-intelligent dinks in general......and he made himself look dumb by bragging about how many terrorists they stop...like he's some kind of super hero.

He said terrorist, and a terrorist is more than just a criminal...

Except these people weren't citizens of the nation they were attempting to enter.

I have a friend who was a border guard for a few years, he was trained to ask seemingly odd questions as a means to gauge reactions and confirm stories. I went through a border with him once and the guard started asking us about what classes we were taking at university, completely irrelevant at first glance but actually an easy way to verify our story of being students on spring break. If we'd hesitated or didn't have a sensical answer it immediately makes us suspicious. It was a strategy he was instructed to use. Not much different in the case of someone going shopping, asking what/where helps to either confirm the story or put it in doubt.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

I was pulled into the immigration area when driving from Niagara Falls to Buffalo. Said I was going to the Sabres game but they flagged me because I didn't have the tickets with me (I was picking them up at the game). It's not the easiest border crossing, that's for sure.

The one I've never had any issues with is Detroit/Windsor. Ambassador Bridge or even the tunnel, I've gotten through without showing any proof of ID or citizenship before (and not too long ago!). I'll usually have a lighthearted conversation on my way in or out ("Who won the game?" etc).

[Hack&Lube]

LOL, my buddy went from Lethbridge down to Sweetwater Montana or something to pick some non-importable stuff up from a P.O. Box there, the border guard asks him what he was doing, the response was:

"uhh, I went to get some food"

[Thor]

The Canadian had an attitude and escalated this thing, but the officers in the end charging him with assault was ridiculous.

Both sides should be embarrassed.

One trip to the US my friend and I drove down from Calgary to Vegas and at the border I realized that I stupidly forgot my passport since I'm born outside Canada, the drivers license at the time was obviously not enough.

So they asked me to pull over and come inside, thinking to myself how stupid I was for this and knowing I'd have to drive all the way back to Calgary to get my proper documents.

Anyhow after waiting I finally get to the counter and the customs guy asks me to fill out this form, simple stuff, employer, length/reason for visit, etc.. I finish filling it out, and he comes back. Read's I'm a travel agent and we both laugh at my obvious stupidity on forgetting such an important document.

So he after a short but polite conversation goes back to his desk and goes on his computer; at this point I'm just hoping he hurries up and denies me so I can hurry back to Calgary, cause Vegas awaits!

After about 5 mins, he comes back and tells me I'm clear to go and not to forget next time, we both share a laugh as he's being very nice about the whole thing and what he ended up doing for 5 mins was trying to find a visit to the US he could prove I had been in the country before with my passport and found a trip from about 8yrs prior where I flew into the US with my brother on his Cessna to Seattle.

This guy went out of his way to help me get in and not have to turn around back to Calgary, the guy at the booth and this guy were both polite and I always do the same with customs/border agents, to make sure I'm polite, answer fully the questions and do my utmost to make their job easy.

I've crossed the border driving about 20 times in the last 10yrs, and flying wise I'm probably over 30-40 times in that same period, never have I had a problem, sometimes grumpy agents who aren't nice but otherwise its been easy really as long as I was nice to them and answered the questions.

I'm sure there are bad apples in the service but I'm betting they are a minority.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

I am extremely biased. I don't believe that citizens of "free" nations should have to be treated like that at the border. If they think the guy was hiding something, they could have just done a search of him and the vehicle. I thought they were un-intelligent dinks in general......and he made himself look dumb by bragging about how many terrorists they stop...like he's some kind of super hero.

He said terrorist, and a terrorist is more than just a criminal...

If it is anything like Canada, they need to be able to articulate the grounds as to why a search was required.

As a citizen of a free nation you seem to be in the minority when it comes to thinking who was right and who was wrong in this situation.

[ken0042]

Jolinar- are you certain about the search law with respect to border crossings? I tend to agree that a police officer cannot just pull you over and search your car while driving around town. But I thought one of the conditions of crossing the border was that you consent to a search.

Taking it another step, does that mean I have the right to refuse a search at the airport?

I'm just thinking the last few border crossings I have done; the closest thing the US border guard has done to asking was to say "pop the trunk."

[dre]

I use to cross the border 50 + times a year. Once I crossed without my drivers license and the guy let my through (before 9/11 mind you). You are entering another country, just answer the stupid questions and move on. I think he deserved what he got in the end.

[gargamel]

I'm not sure whether there's an internal policy or not, but U.S. border agents legally don't need any reason to search someone. Whether or not they search people randomly, I'm sure your chances go way up if you have an attitude with them. I cross the border about every other month, and I've only been searched once. The one time that I was stopped, I admit that my story did sound a little questionable (entering country for indefinite amount of time to tour around on a motorcycle and camp wherever I got tired).

I've been asked some silly questions like "what room number will you be staying in at the hotel?," but I'm sure they were looking for my reaction more than my answer. Something tells me that the crossing wouldn't have gone as smoothly if I'd said "What hotel room? I have no idea" instead of "Sorry, they haven't assigned a room number yet, but I can call them if you'd like."

I didn't listen to the whole clip, so maybe the agents went over the line at some point, but this guy deserved whatever he got based on his initial answers and his demands to be told why he should sit down.

[Komskies]

This d-bag got exactly what was coming to him. He must've thought he was being terribly clever talking back to a border guard like that. I wonder what he was trying to prove?

[You Need a Thneed]

I didn't hear anything wrong with what the border officers did there. Obviously, some of that clip has been edited out (whether its just dead air, I don't know).

The guy wanting to cross clearly exhibits the behavior they are trying to flag at the border - he becomes agitated at the questions. Like others have said, the agent doesn't care what stores the guy is going to, he's looking for HOW he answers the questions. When the guy gets all defensive at that point, he's asked for the trouble he's in. Then when he gets inside and thinks he's above the law, he's asked for more trouble.

When crossing the border, above all else, just be calm, and answer whatever questions are asked. I've never had trouble crossing the border.

[GreenLantern]

I agree he provoked everything, but I am still a bit angry at the responses from the border guards.

Glorified meter maids, give the wrong people power and just watch them abuse it left right and center.