Comments on: Issues with Immigration

By: david Hume

david Hume — Mon, 21 Mar 2005 14:09:13 +0000

I was once deported in handcuffs from Japan, after a two month jail “visit” in detention while awaiting trial for, you guessed it, immigration problems with the Japanese immig people. This was before 911. I spent 41 days in jail, tried in court, deported at Narita airpot in handcuffs, all for a minor visa violation with a US passport. It’s not only the USA that is weird about borders, the entire world is full of border troubles. I think it’s best to get rid of borders and passports and let’s all be friends. You will get back into the USA later, when all this blows over; it has happened to a famous Canadian writer too, Morley somebody, the wildlife guy. And that BRitish reporter last year in LA. Just grin and bear it and never, repeat, never, play games in Japan. You think the US immig police are bad, don’t go near Japan. I got three years hard labor. Fortunately, they were nice enuf to suspend it and then blacklist me for life. Not like I murdered someone or embezzled lots of yen. I was just a guy with a minor visa problem. You were a guy with an immigration snafu. Sad.

By: ReBlog

ReBlog — Mon, 21 Mar 2005 06:49:27 +0000

Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration
Xeni Jardin: Via Declan McCullagh’s politech list: William Knowles writes about a Canadian blogger who claims he was harassed and strip-searched by US immigration officials when he told them his profession was “blogger.” Snip: This sounds like an u…

By: harold i

harold i — Sun, 20 Mar 2005 23:17:01 +0000

you should know, that a lot of american’s are terrified at what this nation is becoming. and i’m not talking about extreme-left wing, pacifica-radio listening zealots. i’m pretty centrist myself, but the signs aren’t good.

it’s times like these that ‘make the man’, as they say- it’s up to us to shape our governments and how we do things- abuse of power, fueled by ignorance is unnaceptable. i think you’ll find no end of people in the US who support you and would go to the mat for you!

good luck!

By: omegajuice

omegajuice — Sun, 20 Mar 2005 17:07:47 +0000

Whoops!
’skaing’ should read ’shaking’.

Cheers!

By: Michael Rubin

Michael Rubin — Sun, 20 Mar 2005 17:06:46 +0000

It’s a shame. Had you said you were a journalist, which all bloggers should be (I believe in accuracy and sources, even for opinion pieces), then you probably would not have been harrassed so.

I would strongly recommend contacting the Canadian Ministry of State as well as the ACLU in the US.

This is a sad issue.

We should never deny our neighbors to the north access to our great nation.

On behalf of the United States, please accept my apologies.

By: omegajuice

omegajuice — Sun, 20 Mar 2005 17:06:36 +0000

As someone who lives within skaing distance of the bridge (meaning my house shakes from the insane volume of commercial trucks passing within 100 meters of my house) I can see how the US customs officials would have done that. Most poeple around this area have never even HEARD of blogging, let alone realize that it is basically the same as being a writer. Sad, sad, sad people working those booths, living in fear thats being poured into them by those above them.

By: SimilarGuy

SimilarGuy — Sun, 20 Mar 2005 14:00:34 +0000

Yerp, The good ol’ USA is sure making themselves an attractive place to want to go right now. I’ve just come back to Australia from 18mths abroad in Europe and Canada without a single hassle (there was one timed I had to pay excess baggage..but that happens) and I was forced to submit fingerprints and retina scan to the Gestapo US Customs officer. Funny thing was, I crashed the whole network by placing my right finger on the scanner when it should have been left. 20 mins later, with a lot of snide remarks from the LA assholes behind me, and a good lecture from said Gestapo.. I casually asked (was ‘afraid’ to give anymore cheekyness) why I had to go on permanant record, even though I was only going to be in the “country” (Honoluou) for a 25 minute flight transfer. Bad Move. Take BackPacks, Passport, and Anus to that room there – Bend Over – Where are the Bombs ??
Fuck Me. 25 Minutes in America was about half an hour too long. What a Great Country, and thanks for the welcome.

By: Jean Dudley

Jean Dudley — Sun, 20 Mar 2005 13:59:59 +0000

Jeremy,

I’d like to offer an apology for the goons at the border. Unfortunately, I’m not a part of the hiring and training process.

If I were, they’d have been trying to recruit you for citizenship.

US needs more Canadians.

Jean

By: jim bob

jim bob — Sun, 20 Mar 2005 05:56:17 +0000

you are being a pussy by not posting these.

By: Drew

Drew — Sun, 20 Mar 2005 03:48:08 +0000

Keeping cool right now is the right thing to do. Customs officials are an anal bunch that can’t see beyond what they are programmed to absorb. If you don’t fit in any of their holes, something ain’t right so it has to be you. I was unjustly detained years ago even though I was only headed home after vacationing in Canada. May I personally extend an apology from what used to be the most respected country in the world.