So listen to this.....

[Woody]

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)

 

[pr0nstar]

You don't expect racila profiling after 9/11... Good luck.

And last time I travelled with my Laptop they asked me to open it up and Power it on and that was all.

pr0nstar

 

[chooch]

Originally posted by Woody

Any thoughts?

Woody (enjoying the nice florida sunshine)

*jealous of your current state in the sunshine state*

 

[Soundstream]

That customs guy should know by now that terrorists don't use laptops. They use almanacs.

Cheers ... Ian

 

[Ditto Much]

everything is legal when you cross the border. You have the chice to not submit turn around and go home if you don't like how they treat you.



(I've been strip searched and I've had my car pretty heavily worked on in past, its the nature of the beast)


As an aside rarely are they honest as to why they stop and seqarch you.

 

[OTIS]

I think it's perfectly understandable that they've increased border security.. I recently went through US customs and they were nothing but curteous and almost overly-polite. All the people of colour in my lineup got the same treatment. Although I can't say the same for all customs crossings, my dealings have been particularly pleasent. It's the locking away without right to a lawyer, charge, or trial that is draconian. The increased security is quite normal during heightened times of conflict.

 

[Woody]

Originally posted by OTIS
I think it's perfectly understandable that they've increased border security.. I recently went through US customs and they were nothing but curteous and almost overly-polite. All the people of colour in my lineup got the same treatment. Although I can't say the same for all customs crossings, my dealings have been particularly pleasent. It's the locking away without right to a lawyer, charge, or trial that is draconian. The increased security is quite normal during heightened times of conflict.

I have been pulled in to secondary myself, and although they cause me to miss my flight, they were polite enough, but I would hardly call this a heightened time of conflict, unless of course one believes most of the bullshit that the US government likes to sprout to justify their actions.

A short aside, that is not really related to this topic,

One of the vendors at the show that I am at, came back to our area with a unit that we rent out at shows that didn't work, and basically threw it at one of our employees saying that it wasn't working properly. Our guy said ok no problem, we can swap it out for you and get you another unit. To this the vendor replied and I quote "This is the United States son, not Canada, we do things right the first time here" our guy thought he was just joking around at first and started laughing, but when he looked up, he saw that the guy was serious about it. The guy then said to him, that "the US is the number one country in the world" and that we should get our act together if we wanted to succed here. Now granted this is only one person out of the 15000 or so that we have at the show, but it's typical of how ignorant that some of the people down are about what is going on outside of their own little worlds.

 

[Dirtymatt]

When I came through customs and immigration I didnt have any problems and they didnt ask to look at my laptop- Just made me wait for about an hour and a half until they questioned me about my intentions- which were all perfectly honourable...mostly

 

[Mike Richards]

Originally posted by Woody


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.

They could have asked him if they could go through it but they do reserve the right to deny entry so I say if you got nothing to hide, cooperate!

 

[ChROmE]

Originally posted by Woody
I

One of the vendors at the show that I am at, came back to our area with a unit that we rent out at shows that didn't work, and basically threw it at one of our employees saying that it wasn't working properly. Our guy said ok no problem, we can swap it out for you and get you another unit. To this the vendor replied and I quote "This is the United States son, not Canada, we do things right the first time here" our guy thought he was just joking around at first and started laughing, but when he looked up, he saw that the guy was serious about it. The guy then said to him, that "the US is the number one country in the world" and that we should get our act together if we wanted to succed here. Now granted this is only one person out of the 15000 or so that we have at the show, but it's typical of how ignorant that some of the people down are about what is going on outside of their own little worlds.

In my recent trip to the Dominican (WOW! I need to go back). I met quite a few Americans and most were quite liberal and polite. They were first to say that they did not agree with Bush and his policies. One girl form New York never heard of Micheal Moore so upon completion of "Dude, Wheres my Country?" I passed the book on to her and asked if she coudl do the same once she was done. Here and to of her friends were stationed in West Pointe.

Near the end of the week she was on board with Mr.Moore and the both of us met a dude from Rochester who started spewing grabage about how on Sept 12th Bush should have pressed the button and eliminated 100,000 people in the middel east to show that the US is not to be reckoned with. My new american friend asked if this included women and children his reposne was "EVERYBODY" and if the "terrorists" do it again we eliminate another 100 000 until the "violence" stops. "No one messes with AMericans!"

I got up and walked away.

 

[OTIS]

Originally posted by Woody
but I would hardly call this a heightened time of conflict,

They are occupying a nation where their troops are dying every day and have adopted a doctrine of imperialism. Despite what they say they have (predictably) increased terrorism and it's chances of being felt in the US again. Despite what you think about their policy, the reality is they have to have some type of measures in place to increase security domestically. Being delayed for a flight is tolerable, and quite normal in the circumstances.

As far as the colour codes, they are really just a joke and only act a deterrent, they do not actually provide any concrete increased security. Of course their political value is another story, how their effect as a fear meter can be used in a manipulative fashion is obvious.

 

[quantumize]

Originally posted by ChROmE
I met quite a few Americans and most were quite liberal and polite. They were first to say that they did not agree with Bush and his policies

this is great but unfortunatley there is a problem. why don't all these alleged liberal americans vote ? ralph nader and teh green party may not be the best political party out there but of they had gotten more than 4 votes mabye he could have at least been a pain in the ass legislative branch

did you know that more american people voted in the last reality series poll than voted in the last federal election.

the masses of america are good people. their problem is they are apathetic, if they begin to show voter turnout then mabye i will change my opinion of them



until then i say let the flock have whatever sheppard is choosen for them

 

[OTIS]

Originally posted by quantumize
this is great but unfortunatley there is a problem. why don't all these alleged liberal americans vote ? ralph nader and teh green party may not be the best political party out there but of they had gotten more than 4 votes mabye he could have at least been a pain in the ass legislative branch

did you know that more american people voted in the last reality series poll than voted in the last federal election.

the masses of america are good people. their problem is they are apathetic, if they begin to show voter turnout then mabye i will change my opinion of them

until then i say let the flock have whatever sheppard is choosen for them

The voter apathy doesn't stem from laziness but rather elections run by PR firms that carfully carve out what the candidate will say based on what the reaction will be from saying it. So what you essentially have is a group of people who blab out a series of heavily scripted lines full of memes like "values" and "family" and "hope" which may sound nice for a 6 o'clock news soundbyte, but do nothing to pinpoint where a candiade stands on specific issues that Americans really care about. This is nothing new, elections have run like this forever. But if you look carefully at the 2000 election, policy recognition among the candidates was at a horribly low level and this is directly linked to what to expect of the turnout at the polls. You can't just brush off the whole American public as being lazy when the whole political process has been sculpted to make them feel like spectators.