This didn't happen to me directly, but to a coworker as he tried to cross the border for business at then end of last week.
My company does a lot of cross border travel going to trade shows, conventions and such, and sometimes have some problems crossing the border, because of the grey area (visa wise) in which we work.
This particular person was born in Pakistan but is now a Canadian citizen, and gets pulled into secondary probably 95% of the time. One time he was pulled in because he was carrying two bags, instead of the one that he normally takes with him and they wanted to know what was in the second bag.
This time however, he made it through the customs portion without a problem, but when he reached the guy (apparently this one is the immigration guy) who takes your customs card, he was asked if his laptop was for business or personal use. He said it was for business use as he had stated he was travelling for business on his customs card, and was then pulled in to secondary again.
This is fine as I'm sure he is used to it by now, but what they did after is what I question the legality of. They made him open his laptop, and they then went through all of his emails one by one and then the other folders on his computer.
Maybe I am a bit naive about this given the whole new homeland security systems and the draconian rights that customs seem to have now, but I would think that it would be illeagal for them to go through something that is confidential, such as work emails and or files, or even personal emails for that matter.
I wonder if this has happened to anyone else or if it would happen to a caucasian person.
Any thoughts?
Woody (enjoying the nice florida sunshine)
My company does a lot of cross border travel going to trade shows, conventions and such, and sometimes have some problems crossing the border, because of the grey area (visa wise) in which we work.
This particular person was born in Pakistan but is now a Canadian citizen, and gets pulled into secondary probably 95% of the time. One time he was pulled in because he was carrying two bags, instead of the one that he normally takes with him and they wanted to know what was in the second bag.
This time however, he made it through the customs portion without a problem, but when he reached the guy (apparently this one is the immigration guy) who takes your customs card, he was asked if his laptop was for business or personal use. He said it was for business use as he had stated he was travelling for business on his customs card, and was then pulled in to secondary again.
This is fine as I'm sure he is used to it by now, but what they did after is what I question the legality of. They made him open his laptop, and they then went through all of his emails one by one and then the other folders on his computer.
Maybe I am a bit naive about this given the whole new homeland security systems and the draconian rights that customs seem to have now, but I would think that it would be illeagal for them to go through something that is confidential, such as work emails and or files, or even personal emails for that matter.
I wonder if this has happened to anyone else or if it would happen to a caucasian person.
Any thoughts?
Woody (enjoying the nice florida sunshine)