Saranac Lake woman’s border woes revive questions about US-Canada security
We reported in May on the travails of Sylvie Nelson, the Saranac Lake woman who keeps getting handcuffed at the US-Canada border.
The Associated Press revisited her case in an article over the weekend.
In December, she was ordered from her car and handcuffed as she came back from a Montreal shopping trip with her children. Nelson was mortified and melted into tears but was soon told she was free to go.
It happened again in February at a different New York crossing. Agents surrounded her car and her husband also was handcuffed. Again, she was let go.
Among the most troubling aspects of this case is the Department of Homeland Security’s unwillingness to apologize and explain its repeated errors.
“They never apologize,” Nelson said. “They basically tell you that they’re doing their job for the better good of the world.”
Americans tend to give big government bureaucracies something of a pass when those bureaucracies (the Pentagon, the FBI, Homeland Security, etc.) are there to protect us.
But there are limits. There’s nothing that says a sense of humor, courtesy, and common sense are incompatible with vigilance.
On the contrary, those might be the most valuable tools we can deploy on our northern border, more useful than drones and spy cameras.
As a native Quebecois and head of the Saranac Lake chamber of commerce, Nelson is living proof of the need for a seamless and congenial border — for cultural reasons but also for the health of our region’s economy.
According to the story in the Watertown Times her name “is similar” to that of a wanted black man. One would think that prudence would dictate looking at the wanted person’s description before breaking out the handcuffs rather than cuffing any person who happened to have a similar sounding name. But then, I’ve worked in a bureaucracy and as a co-worker/friend often reminded me “You’ve worked here how long? And you still expect logic and reason?” Sadly I guess bureaucracy and common sense aren’t something we should expect in the same place.
We like to pride ourselves by saying this is a nation of law, not of men. The problem with law is that it prides itself on justice being blind. This is one part of the problem when it comes to all this “National Security” stuff.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, we as a nation have given up on the idea of “Live Free or Die.” We have allowed fear to be our unelected leader.
Our government doesn’t trust us but we are expected to trust it. As a government becomes less and less trustful of its citizens, its citizens will become less and less trustful of it.
Trust is a two way street.
I also was having major trouble at the border. I renewed my passport (which had expired) upon moving to the North Country. I could go into Canada without any trouble and people were very nice. When I tried to get back into the USA, my own country, where I pay taxes, have a job, vote, and am a good citizen, never commit crimes, live honestly, I was harassed, pulled over, searched, scowled at, asked the same questions over and over (like when is your birthday, when is your birthday, when is your birthday) and more. This was on pleasure trips and business trips (like being asked why I flew out of Ottawa instead of Syracuse—well, I explained that it was closer to my home as I live on the border–why would I drive an extra 90 minutes to another airport?). I felt like I was being treated like a criminal, it was infuriating, demeaning, and uncalled for. Even if they wanted to pull me over and be more thorough, that is fine. There is no rason to act like WWII Gestapo in the USA. I was never apologized to and only until I crossed at Rouse’s Point, and asked the border patrol officer there if there was a problem with my passport as I keep getting stopped (and I explained the problems I’d experienced hoping for his help), did this nice man finally tell me that I was similar to another woman of interest (in appearance apparently), that he knew I was not the criminal, and that he thought he corrected my record in his computer in such a way that I would no longer be hassled when crossing. Since then, I’ve been able to cross without being stopped but am certain to bring along additional supporting documentation as too why I am crossing like an email or directions to horse events. I don’t think that I should have to get into great details as to what I am doing but if that what it takes, I guess that is what it takes. This has helped. It is certainly not like in the old days when I’d travel over the border with my grandfather to buy gasoline or with my aunt to work at the horse race track. The border patrol was never as prying as they are today and frankly, I think it is a sad case of affairs. However, just take a look at the two borders and their set-up; note the US side is very intimidating and reminds me of WWII Germany whereas our sisters to the north, Canada, welcome you with open arms, smile at you, treat you with respect and dignity, when asking questions or reviewing your passport, etc. as it should be. I am not one to write about these issues but this one came way close to home. Hopefully I won’t be hassled now that I’ve spoken up!
My husband, son and I — all American born — moved to work & live in Canada over 10 years ago.
When we cross into the U.S. I can’t say that we’ve encountered a lot of unreasonable difficulty. But we are nearly always asked a set of questions that includes: “Where do you work? What is the purpose of your trip?” and “How long will you be here?”
I understand that much must be decided using only a few quick questions that check out the traveler’s ‘story’. But it rankles.
We are decent, law-abiding U.S. Citizens. We just presented valid US passports. To re-enter our own country. We retain our inherent right to travel, live and work anywhere in the US. Period. Furthermore, though we reside in Canada, we still file our US tax forms with the good old IRS each and every year. So our own tax dollars pay for us to be grilled like possible terrorists.
Who wants to know these things? Why should we have to reveal or justify personal plans — beyond demonstrating we are who we claim to be?
We are back in the states for whatever reason we want, or no reason at all, thank you very much. We can stay — or go — whenever we wish, without needing to pass inspection. Or so one might think.
Tempting as it is to refuse to answer, it’s generally unwise to engage in policy debates with front line personnel doing what their employment dictates. And, to be fair, most staff we enounter have conducted themselves with appropriate professionalism, while doing boring, but important, work.
So, as politely as possible, we say: “We are visiting the cousins at a family reunion” or “We are leaf-peeping in Vermont” or whatnot.
And then we drive off muttering about how much this sensitive topic needs to be discussed off-site, with decision makers who can actually render change. (Which is why I feel compelled to add my two-cents worth to this forum post.)
In contrast, when cross the border in the other direction, Canadian border staff typically only ask about the things that pertain to their function: “What is your status in Canada? How long have you been gone? Have you anything to declare?”
Oh, and they almost always include a friendly “welcome back”. Which sounds trite but always feels very nice.
I am dismayed by what sometimes approaches a paranoid police-state mentality at US border crossings. It runs contrary to what I consider bedrock American liberties and values. And remember, I am describing how the encounters feel as a life-long, natural-born US citizen. (What are non-citizens or foriegn-born Americans experiencing?)
As it happens, my maternal line is descended from one of Benjamin Franklin’s many siblings. So please indulge me whilst I affectionately drag out that much-used (but still valid) quote from great Uncle Ben:
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
I am also absurdly fond of New Hampshire’s blunt motto “Live Free or Die”.
Not sure I want to die at the border over a bunch of intrusive questions. But I am quite fond of living free.
How about you?
When I was a kid, growing up in Detroit, going to Canada was no big deal. The border crossing questions going were, “Where were you born? Where are you going? And when will you be back?”
Coming back, the usual question was, “Do you have anything to declare?”
Adults would usually say they were bring back a case of Canadian beer. Us kids would never tell them we had some fireworks in the trunk.
I don’t know if it’s true now but back then fireworks were illegal in Michigan and legal in Canada.
I wish those days would return.
Going further back before my time, my dad had an uncle who made a living running booze across the river. He made enough to open several bolling alleys.
I imagine there were people up here who made a living doing the same thing during Prohibition.
We are getting exactly what American’s want at our borders. The illusion of safety, the illusion of preventing the terrorists from entering our country. Yea Patriot Act! We all feel safe now!
We have a 4,000 mile border with Canada. Does anyone really believe that a determined terrorist is being prevented from entering the US from Canada?
We have become a very fearful nation. Can’t try terrorists in NYC, can’t keep terrorists in supermax prisons, hell, 55% of us are so scared we believe torture (sorry I mean enhanced interrogation) is ok.
I’m with Pete, Lucy and Ben Franklin, fear or safety are not a good enough reasons to give up liberty.
I’ve worked the Ports over the years. They have a different system than local law enforcement. I find their system very…….inflexible, lacking common sense. This woman needs to speak to a Supervisor up the ladder, get some Homeland Security documentation stating that she’s not the black male the BOLO is out on and move on from there.
I’m in agreement with PNElba in many ways. The borer and it’s ports are catching a few people, but that’s not where the problem is. The problem is places like Akwasasne or the length of the St Lawrence, or the places you just walk from Canada to the States through someones field. Border security is a joke.
I can understand, “What’s the purpose of your visit?” and “How long will you be in the country?”
But, when they ask which restaurant I am going to, I want to say, “Do you have any suggestions?”
I don’t mind the questions, the fact is when you are entering the US at the border coming in you could be anyone and the questions are part of our right as a country to check that out a little.
To me the bigger issue with the case Brian mentions is basic competence. It is not being “tough” to be so bad at the job that you don’t know who a women is over and over again. What it shows to me is that these guys have a very bad computer system and really don’t know what they are doing; they have no idea that this women from Saranac Lake is not a man. It shows that these guys are boobs who don’t know what they are doing and THAT is a big issue.
Well, they did have a huge hiring drive after 9/11. The standards were changed.