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pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
Mon Oct 14, 2019, 09:51 PM Oct 2019

British holidaymakers 'traumatised' after arrest at US border

Source: BBC News

A British couple say they have been detained in the US after accidentally crossing the border from Canada.

David and Eileen Connors say they are being held in Pennsylvania with their three-month-old baby - which has left them "traumatised".

They say were driving with relatives on 3 October when, to avoid an animal, they veered onto a small road.

A police officer then pulled them over, told them they were in the US state of Washington and arrested them.



Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50050467?fbclid=IwAR37dE0waU1Ag__5GLrjeVWZq8nzUpkfzhAo9LvyhQUERVpeJvu_lQHyNaQ



After first being separated and put in two cells in WA, they are now in the same cell in the family detention center they were flown to in Pennsylvania. They say that the conditions are "frigid" and they can't keep their baby warm. They say that the facility refuses to turn on the heat till the end of November.


UPDATE. Another story. This has many more details and is HORRIFYING.

https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/nation/uk-family-held-at-detention-center-after-accidentally-crossing-canadian/article_eb9d2a69-8dd9-5218-ac40-5c5c8e682d77.html

PHILADELPHIA -- A couple from England who was visiting Canada and took a wrong turn into the United States -- swerving to avoid an animal in the road -- has been detained with their 3-month-old baby and shipped to the Berks Detention Center in Leesport, Pa., according to their attorneys.

The baby boy has been subjected to frigid and filthy conditions, developing blotchy skin and what seems to be an eye infection, his mother wrote in a sworn statement. At one point the child was left naked and exposed for several hours in the cold jail, after all his clothes and blankets were taken for washing, she said.

SNIP

The first night in custody, near the border with Canada, David was taken to a males-only cell, while she and the baby were placed in a women's cell. Both were given thin, metallic-looking emergency blankets, and left to sleep on the floor, she wrote.

She put the baby on top of her, to try to keep him warm, but he kept sliding off. "The memory of our little baby having to sleep on a dirty floor of a cell will haunt us forever," Eileen Connors wrote.

SNIP
46 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
British holidaymakers 'traumatised' after arrest at US border (Original Post) pnwmom Oct 2019 OP
Just horrible. uberblonde Oct 2019 #1
When in the hell have we started arresting people at the Canadian boarder? napi21 Oct 2019 #2
Arresting people thatcross unauthorized isn't something new with Trump. PoliticAverse Oct 2019 #26
I can't believe either Canada or the US arrests people who obviously strayed across the boarder napi21 Oct 2019 #32
I can't be the only one that thinks there's a little something fishy about the... PoliticAverse Oct 2019 #34
Sounds like they strayed Turbineguy Oct 2019 #3
Sadly, it does PatSeg Oct 2019 #5
One more despicable act done by our Border Gestapo. patphil Oct 2019 #4
American Gestapo. Not being allowed to call their embassy is banana republic type shit TeamPooka Oct 2019 #11
Bastards. orangecrush Oct 2019 #6
"Dude, where's my country?", BigmanPigman Oct 2019 #7
Exactly thinking. WTF This is my country? rickyhall Oct 2019 #19
WTF is happening? All these Nazi wannabes making arrests. Pepsidog Oct 2019 #8
The police have upped their anti-citizen mojo as well DemocracyMouse Oct 2019 #9
Has the British Embassy gotten involved? nt Progressive Jones Oct 2019 #10
The British Embassy? Ghost Dog Oct 2019 #25
yes steve2470 Oct 2019 #41
Coming back from Europe a week ago, an Italian man I met who travels to the US for business kimbutgar Oct 2019 #12
We even had a rude customs agent when we came back from Ireland (at the Dublin airport) LisaM Oct 2019 #33
My husband's company has offices in 4 EU countries and India. Pacifist Patriot Oct 2019 #36
This is just not my country any more. I'm out of words. Hekate Oct 2019 #13
I feel that too. Pacifist Patriot Oct 2019 #37
A similar though not as devastating thing happened to me at Point Roberts near Vancouver in 1989 OnlinePoker Oct 2019 #14
they are out of control KT2000 Oct 2019 #22
This message was self-deleted by its author geralmar Oct 2019 #31
If you read trump's tweets SCantiGOP Oct 2019 #15
Makes one think that "The Wall" is to keep people IN. mwooldri Oct 2019 #23
When I visit relatives in Canada, I'm ashamed to admit that I'm American these days. George II Oct 2019 #16
Terrorist (sarcasm warning) courtjester Oct 2019 #17
Your tax dollars at work. Mz Pip Oct 2019 #18
Again, these are CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. We are in the darkness now, with the orange traitor PatrickforO Oct 2019 #20
I'll have what you're having! dchill Oct 2019 #21
Leesport!!! they flew them to Leesport PA onethatcares Oct 2019 #24
East/West Germsny wnylib Oct 2019 #27
It's super easy to cross the norther border without realizing it IronLionZion Oct 2019 #28
This is one more reason why I, as an Asian American yuiyoshida Oct 2019 #29
That is so sad that you feel that way, but I completely understand. pnwmom Oct 2019 #30
Breaks my heart that I completely understand your decision. Pacifist Patriot Oct 2019 #35
Wait a minute. Igel Oct 2019 #38
CBP: Jailed British tourists entered US 'deliberately' Eugene Oct 2019 #39
This is just too horrible and stupid for words steve2470 Oct 2019 #40
US border patrol says they tried to send UK family back after illegal crossing but Canada..... steve2470 Oct 2019 #42
"Accidentally" inwiththenew Oct 2019 #43
British family deported after saying they accidentally crossed US border Eugene Oct 2019 #44
Here is the video of the crossing inwiththenew Oct 2019 #45
How does that moving blob in the dark show you anything is "deliberate"? n/t pnwmom Oct 2019 #46

napi21

(45,806 posts)
2. When in the hell have we started arresting people at the Canadian boarder?
Mon Oct 14, 2019, 10:29 PM
Oct 2019

This HAS to be Trump's doing! He making EVERY Country except the dictatorships HATE the USA!!!

WE HAVE TO GET HIM OUT OF OFFICE!

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)
26. Arresting people thatcross unauthorized isn't something new with Trump.
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 08:11 AM
Oct 2019

Even Canada arrests people that cross into their country unauthorized.

napi21

(45,806 posts)
32. I can't believe either Canada or the US arrests people who obviously strayed across the boarder
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 02:54 PM
Oct 2019

in error! If there was no actual boarder crossing & it's easy to just drive down a road into another Country, why wouldn't they just turn them around and tell them to get back outta here?

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)
34. I can't be the only one that thinks there's a little something fishy about the...
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 03:02 PM
Oct 2019

"veered onto a small road" to "avoid an animal" story.

I'm going to follow this story and see what happens. It's either an overreaction on the part of U.S. border authorities or something else is going on that we don't know yet.

patphil

(6,035 posts)
4. One more despicable act done by our Border Gestapo.
Mon Oct 14, 2019, 10:59 PM
Oct 2019

Last edited Tue Oct 15, 2019, 01:01 AM - Edit history (1)

It appears to me to be a purposeful act of cruelty inflict on a family of British tourists who inadvertently crossed the border from Canada to the United States.
They actually flew this family all the way across the country to a holding facility outside Philadelphia...from Seattle...after holding them there for a couple days!
They were treated like criminals, subjected to inhumane conditions, and not even allowed to contact their embassy!
Ever since Trump became President there has been an effective green light to escalate simple situations into major ones. It's just one more example in a long list of excuses to inflict brutality on innocent people.
All the people involved in this have to be fired...at least fired, if not subject to criminal action for their behavior.

This shit has got to stop!

Patrick Phillips

rickyhall

(4,889 posts)
19. Exactly thinking. WTF This is my country?
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 12:43 AM
Oct 2019

Just watching Neal Brennan on Daily Show said Trump thinks he wasn't elected but bought our country. Sounds right to me.

steve2470

(37,457 posts)
41. yes
Wed Oct 16, 2019, 10:55 AM
Oct 2019

In her statement, Connors said conditions at the facility slowly improved after she was able to speak to someone from the British Embassy on Oct. 8. Still, she wrote that the experience will haunt them.

"We have been treated like criminals here, stripped of our rights, and lied to," she said. "We will be traumatized for the rest of our lives."


https://www.npr.org/2019/10/15/770321744/british-family-detained-by-ice-after-unlawfully-entering-u-s-from-canada

kimbutgar

(20,882 posts)
12. Coming back from Europe a week ago, an Italian man I met who travels to the US for business
Mon Oct 14, 2019, 11:38 PM
Oct 2019

Frequently Said the experience of visiting America has become harder, more intrusive and the custom border people are more ruder these days, is now is moving his business interests to Canada more. ( he owns a vineyard and sells his wine internationally)

LisaM

(27,762 posts)
33. We even had a rude customs agent when we came back from Ireland (at the Dublin airport)
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 02:56 PM
Oct 2019

We bought a pretty minimal amount of alcohol to bring back, and purposely stayed under the limit we were told was legal. There is a US Customs at the Dublin airport, so you can go through it there, and when we declared it, the woman insisted I was over the limit. I just said, "oh, I thought we were under the limit from what they told us", and she interrupted me, and said, "you're over the limit, but I'm going to let you through anyway!"

I said thanks, but it was so frustrating because I really wanted to pull out what I had and ask her what the limit was and how it was that I'd gone over it, but I frankly was afraid to.

I don't know what is going on to make the agents so surly and me, a perfectly law-abiding, non-threatening U.S. citizen loaded with all kinds of enhanced ID, so afraid, but I don't like it.

Pacifist Patriot

(24,647 posts)
36. My husband's company has offices in 4 EU countries and India.
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 06:10 PM
Oct 2019

If they need to have an in person meeting, it's held in one of the EU locations. They won't risk bringing any of their foreign associates here. The implications and repercussions of that are staggering.

OnlinePoker

(5,702 posts)
14. A similar though not as devastating thing happened to me at Point Roberts near Vancouver in 1989
Mon Oct 14, 2019, 11:42 PM
Oct 2019

I was only "detained" for 3 hours but it was iffy. I had a rusty old 1969 VW Van and was heading for the ferry terminal at Tsawwassen to go to Vancouver Island. I got turned around and ended up on the road to Point Roberts. I realized my mistake when I found I was approaching the customs checkpoint. Not wanting to go to the States, I saw a road to the right so took it to look for a turnaround. Next thing I know, I have 3 border patrol vehicles on my ass and am stopped with guns in their hands. It turns out that road, even though it was on the Canadian side of the checkpoint was actually in the U.S. and I had illegally entered the U.S. They went over my van and all my possessions with drug dogs and had me in a little interview room reading me the riot act. The only thing that saved me was I was on my way to a new posting with the Canadian Navy and had a leave pass that actually said I could enter the States during the leave. If I didn't, I would have been in shit with my superiors as well. In the end, they let me go and I wasn't allowed into the States for 20 months.

I looked on Google Earth and that road is still there. I can't get to Street view, but it looks like there is now a barricade there. I'm sure I wasn't the first nor the last person to make that mistake.

KT2000

(20,544 posts)
22. they are out of control
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 01:26 AM
Oct 2019

years ago I got mixed up at the Point Roberts border. We accidentally went on a road on the Canada side but we were just waved through. It likely happens all the time.

When rump goes - this must be repaired.

Response to OnlinePoker (Reply #14)

SCantiGOP

(13,856 posts)
15. If you read trump's tweets
Mon Oct 14, 2019, 11:52 PM
Oct 2019

He will have the Mexico wall finished in a few weeks.
Then he can divert all the money from Medicare and start on the Canadian wall.

mwooldri

(10,291 posts)
23. Makes one think that "The Wall" is to keep people IN.
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 02:36 AM
Oct 2019

The Berlin wall has that effect. Maybe we need to refer the wall as being an iron curtain. We know how effective that was....

courtjester

(43 posts)
17. Terrorist (sarcasm warning)
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 12:17 AM
Oct 2019

Our heroic Rambo wantabes are still waiting for the promised terrorist invasion from Canada !

Mz Pip

(27,404 posts)
18. Your tax dollars at work.
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 12:29 AM
Oct 2019

How much is this mess costing us? A simple, easily correctable mistake results in a damn international incident. It’s stupid. Going down an unmarked road at night should not result in the full force of the US government messing with your lives like this.

Last year a young woman jogging without her passport crosses into US territory and was detained for 2 weeks even after her mother brought her passport to officials.

How does this make anyone safer?

PatrickforO

(14,516 posts)
20. Again, these are CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. We are in the darkness now, with the orange traitor
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 12:55 AM
Oct 2019

at the helm, but dawn will come soon, and with it the light of day will be shown on these concentration camps, which I believe are worse than has been reported. I think, in fact, that many more people have died than have been reported. I think the government is hiding the true horror and scope of these camps.

It will come to light.

There will be arrests.

There will be trials.

People from Trump on down will be held accountable.

Some will escape, and will need to be tracked down so they can stand before the tribunal and face justice.

onethatcares

(16,133 posts)
24. Leesport!!! they flew them to Leesport PA
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 07:16 AM
Oct 2019

gaud damn, that's a long flight.

I'm from around that area, Reading to be exact and I don't go back. I just don't understand the people there anymore.

Hell, Leesport was a farmers town at that time, now it looks like it's part of the detention run amok scam.

wnylib

(21,146 posts)
27. East/West Germsny
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 08:23 AM
Oct 2019

Reminds me of the warning signs that used to be posted on the West side to let people know when they were getting too close to the border between east and west.

Does Canada need to post warning signs all along its southern border now to protect its citizens and visitors?

Will it say, "Caution, you are now leaving the free world"?

IronLionZion

(45,262 posts)
28. It's super easy to cross the norther border without realizing it
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 11:18 AM
Oct 2019

they've punished hikers and other innocent people from Canada who clearly didn't intend to invade our country or steal anyone's job.

Why fly them across the country to PA instead of just sending them back to Canada? It seems a bit unnecessary.

I feel if an American accidentally crossed over to Canada, there would be less punitive measures taken by the Canadian government.

yuiyoshida

(41,765 posts)
29. This is one more reason why I, as an Asian American
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 01:02 PM
Oct 2019

will not travel outside the US...because despite having a US PassPort, I am too foreign looking
to be allowed back in...Imagine the horrors, of being a US Citizen. even born here, and not allowed to enter my own country cause I am a suspect, just being Asian? No thanks...I will stay home.

pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
30. That is so sad that you feel that way, but I completely understand.
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 01:09 PM
Oct 2019

I wouldn't trust the current regime, either.

Igel

(35,197 posts)
38. Wait a minute.
Tue Oct 15, 2019, 06:28 PM
Oct 2019

Doesn't that mean they arrest white people illegally crossing the border with Canada, and put them in detention cells?

Eugene

(61,595 posts)
39. CBP: Jailed British tourists entered US 'deliberately'
Wed Oct 16, 2019, 08:58 AM
Oct 2019

Source: BBC

Jailed British tourists entered US 'deliberately'

16 October 2019

A British family detained in the US after crossing the border from Canada intentionally entered the country illegally, officials have said.

They said the vehicle was captured on video "slowly and deliberately" driving through a ditch to enter the US.

Two adults in the vehicle had previously been denied travel authorisation to the US, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said.

One couple involved claimed the group had crossed the border accidentally.

David Connors, 30, and his wife Eileen, 24, said they were travelling with their young baby and family members - two more adults and young twins - on 3 October when, to avoid an animal, they veered on to a small road.

But CBP said that remote video surveillance captured the vehicle crossing a ditch before pulling back on to a road in Lynden, Washington state, and continuing west. The group was pulled over by a border patrol agent shortly after.

-snip-


Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50067575

steve2470

(37,457 posts)
40. This is just too horrible and stupid for words
Wed Oct 16, 2019, 10:44 AM
Oct 2019

1- I am assuming they are not terrorists of any stripe and did not possess weapons.

2- They had a 3 month old baby, for god's sake.

3- Even if they crossed into the USA deliberately, is it worth so much of the taxpayer's money to prosecute and torture these people like this ? Hell, give them a fine, and send them back to Canada

What has happened to common sense and decency ? What's next, barbed wire and armed soldiers and search lights at the Canadian border ? Shoot to kill orders ? Jesus.

steve2470

(37,457 posts)
42. US border patrol says they tried to send UK family back after illegal crossing but Canada.....
Wed Oct 16, 2019, 10:59 AM
Oct 2019

US border patrol says they tried to send UK family back after illegal crossing but Canada wouldn't take them


https://www.insider.com/us-return-connors-family-detained-illegal-crossing-canada-refused-2019-10


US border patrol officials say they tried to return a vacationing British family caught illegally crossing the border, but Canada wouldn't take them.

On October 2, seven members of the Connors family were detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents after they drove down an unmarked track spanning the border between British Columbia and Washington state.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was passed control of the family, and have detained them at a Pennsylvania location since October 5.

But CBP officials say they made every effort to send the Connors back to Canada, and even the UK.



I'm no expert in these matters, but this all sounds like a LIE.

inwiththenew

(972 posts)
43. "Accidentally"
Wed Oct 16, 2019, 11:22 AM
Oct 2019

Uh huh. The road they were on run due east-west and there is no connection to a road in the US outside of the checkpoints. There is a grassy median area that separates the US roads from Canada. There is no way that you could not realize that if you headed south you would be in the US.

That said this could have been cleared up easier but Canada refused to allow them to reenter. I don't know if that is standard operation procedure or not.

Eugene

(61,595 posts)
44. British family deported after saying they accidentally crossed US border
Thu Oct 17, 2019, 10:08 AM
Oct 2019

Source: Associated Press

British family deported after saying they accidentally crossed US border

Associated Press
Wed 16 Oct 2019 22.05 BST
Last modified on Thu 17 Oct 2019 00.10 BST

Lawyers for a British family who made an unauthorized crossing from Canada into the United States say the family have been deported after nearly two weeks in federal custody.

Bridget Cambria says US Immigration and Customs Enforcement told her all seven members of the family, including an infant and toddler twins, were headed back to England. Ice declined comment Wednesday afternoon, saying it did not discuss “removal arrangements” before deportees are back in their own country.

The family say they mistakenly crossed the border into Washington state while trying to avoid an animal in the road. An affidavit says family members were “treated like criminals” by their US jailers.

US officials say the family crossed the border on purpose, adding that two of the family members had previously been denied entry to the US.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/16/british-family-deported-after-saying-they-accidentally-crossed-us-border
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