A Personal Blog
Issues with Immigration
I’ve pulled my posts on the immigration issue, on the friendly (if stern) advice of friends that this kind of thing won’t help my case if someone does find it.
It’s archived (for me). And if this issue blows over, I’ll release them. If it dies down, I’ll release them. If I go through, I’ll release them.
Either way, they will be back at the previous URL’s. Just might take a few days.
And, no, I wasn’t trying to kick up a fuss. I was just shellshocked at what happened. And then I figured I’d keep people up to date.
Thanks to “folk” for reminding me that I have responsibilities beyond simply telling people what happened. Like to not get thrown in jail. And to keep putting bread on the table.
Yay bread. I like bread. Especially on the table.
Update: Please see the end of this story for more details.
About the author
| Print article | This entry was posted by Jeremy Wright on March 16, 2005 at 1:23 pm, and is filed under General. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |
Comments are closed.
about 7 years ago
:)
about 7 years ago
Your decision is very understandable in light of what just happened to you and what can be extrapolated from that.
Freedom of speech is out as well :(
When I read your recount, bitter rage rose up in me. A while later, I cooled down enough to just wishing you some judge awarding you a nice fat chunk of money as a compensation for what you suffered. Regaining my sobriety even more, I’m now afraid that even that is asking too much, as “USA” and “civility” are obviously incompatible. Hopefully you will be able to publish your report again later, so the world can see what it has come to.
about 7 years ago
Chin up, Jeremy. You can at least know you aren’t the first (and probably not the last) Canadian to have had this mistreatment happen to them. I’ve heard other stories of horror regarding this kind of treatment of Canadians at the border for no other reason than the complete ignorance of the border guards.
about 7 years ago
I was just reading the posts in my aggregator and about to post about them on my site, but will refrain from doing so now.
That’s absolutely horrendous, I’m just as shellshocked as you are/were and I live in these “great” United States. I just hope it all gets sorted out in the end.
Talked to McGraw Hill online at all?
about 7 years ago
RE: “Still in aggregators”.
That doesn’t bother me so much. I haven’t taken the posts down because I was asked to or was embarrassed by what I have to say. They were very visceral and reactionary. Honest, authentic… But maybe not the best way to get into the states.
Call it self censorship. I’d prefer it if people didn’t mirror them or email them around, at least until I know what’s going on.
But, obviously, I can’t stop you :)
about 7 years ago
Dude,
I read your posts and was simply shocked and frankly embarrassed.
I’m sorry you had to endure such treatment and sincerely hope that things get ironed out soon.
Keep your chin up.
-KHD
about 7 years ago
I’ll self censor myself for a little while too
about 7 years ago
It happens going the other way also. When I was 9, our car was pulled over and fully searched by a customs agent. Being Detroiters, we used to go to Windsor for dinner – the custom’s agents pulled over the car with a Mom and three young kids. Yep, we fit the criteria.
You couldn’t pull the “student” line, or just meeting friends? Geez.
And, for your sake, I hope it wasn’t a full body cavity search.
about 7 years ago
Hi Jeremy:
I can fully appreciate your caution.
The rest of us bloggers, knowing you were detained, can step forward and let the US embassy know we are concerned on your behalf and on ours.
I also contacted the Committee to Protect Bloggers, Pierre Bourque, Neale News and Blogs Canada.
I am so sorry. I’ve been hassled at the border, but never to the extent you were. Blog on!
about 7 years ago
Ironically, here’s the Canadian flip side:
I couldn’t find my birth certificate in my bag when coming through Canadian customs this evening, so they had to ask a few more questions as routine. The guy asked what I did, I sad we made websites and consulted about them. He seemed bored and asked what kind. When I said “blogs” he perked up, smiled, handed me my documentation, gave a cheery “have a good evening” and sent me on my way.
about 7 years ago
I have lived in dictatorships for many years.
The most depressing phenomenon I experienced was the self-censorship. Fear for the 3am knock-on-the-door. Bread, on the shelf.
Your swallowing of your indignation and pulling the posts is more telling than the DHS story itself.
about 7 years ago
I have heard of this numerous times, now. This is common practice for US Immigration. The usual thing is to hold the person for 1 month without charging the person, and then deport them without possibilty of reentry to the US. Many forms of psychological torture happen during that month. Cutting your hair, good cop/bad cop interviews, etc. The US is specifically targeting United Nations personnel, also.
about 7 years ago
Don’t you people know there’s a war? The last thing we need are beady-eyed Canadians pouring over our border! Think first.
about 7 years ago
I have dual Canadian/US citizenship, and have travelled back and forth many times, since I was quite young. While I wasn’t able to read the original posts, let me just say ths–nothing would surprise me.
I have been subjected to personal and innappropriate questions coming back into the US, epecially when I was still under 18. I’ve always said (and my family on both sides of the border agree) that US customs officers have bad attitudes, which have only gotten worse post-September 11th.
about 7 years ago
I look forward to reading the story.
My sister has been searched without reason, and i’ve been denied entry in the past.
about 7 years ago
…and furthermore, “blogging” is not a job. It’s a hobby for self-obsessed pimply fat losers. You are not a journalist. You are a dork with Macromedia Dreamweaver.
Next time I hope they force you to renounce hockey as a sport whilst giving you a cavity search.
about 7 years ago
“My sister has been searched without reason, and i’ve been denied entry in the past.”
That’s odd, I’ve heard that she permits entry rather easily.
about 7 years ago
sorry guys; I’m an ass, i live in a trailer in southern texas, please forgive my ignorance
about 7 years ago
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.
about 7 years ago
you are being a pussy by not posting these.
about 7 years ago
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
about 7 years ago
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.
about 7 years ago
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.
about 7 years ago
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.
about 7 years ago
Whoops!
‘skaing’ should read ‘shaking’.
Cheers!
about 7 years ago
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!
about 7 years ago
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.