UK Family 'Traumatized' After Arrest at US-Canada Border

[Nithavela]

The Washington Post reports on the plight of David and Eileen Connors, who say they were driving near the US border close to Vancouver on Oct. 3 when an animal blocked their path, forcing them to take a detour on a smaller road. That's when the Connors say an American cop pulled them over, told them they'd crossed the border into the US, and took them all into custody. Where the family was flown to two days later: the Berks Family Residential Center in Leesport, Pa., which the Inquirer notes has been slammed by critics as being a "baby jail." "We have been treated like criminals here, stripped of our rights, and lied to. ... It is undoubtedly the worst experience we have ever lived through," Eileen Connors, 24, says in a sworn statement.

UK family 'traumatized' after arrest at US-Canada border

 

[JackRT]

US Customs is sometimes inexplicable. I recall a case where a Canadian was boating on the Niagara River below the falls. His boat was disabled and sinking so he swam to the nearest shore which was the USA. He was stranded at the base of a cliff and was rescued by the US Coast Guard and taken into custody by immigration. It took almost a week to get him back to Canada.

 

[Goonie]

In a sane world the officer after a brief search of the car for contraband, would have escorted them to the border with a warning.

 

[Ana the Ist]

In a sane world the officer after a brief search of the car for contraband, would have escorted them to the border with a warning.

That would be illegal.

 

[Goonie]

That would be illegal.

Whilst spending thousands of dollars shipping them thousands of miles to detention centres, separating and traumatizing them,because they accidentally crossed a border whilst on holiday, is legal and right?

 

[Ana the Ist]

Whilst spending thousands of dollars shipping them thousands of miles to detention centres, separating and traumatizing them,because they accidentally crossed a border whilst on holiday, is legal and right?

Yeah.

 

[Goonie]

Yeah.

Your sympathy for a family on holiday, with a 3 month old, accidentally cross a poorly marked(if marked at all) border and are treated as terrorists/drug runners, is noted.

 

[Nithavela]

Your sympathy for a family on holiday, with a 3 month old, accidentally cross a poorly marked(if marked at all) border and are treated as terrorists/drug runners, is noted.

The law knows no sympathy.

The law can also be very silly.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Your sympathy for a family on holiday, with a 3 month old, accidentally cross a poorly marked(if marked at all)

I missed that part of the article....

Who said it was poorly marked? The Canadian government or US government?

border and are treated as terrorists/drug runners, is noted.

They were treated as those who crossed the border illegally.

 

[ChristianGirl_96]

I missed that part of the article....

Who said it was poorly marked? The Canadian government or US government?




They were treated as those who crossed the border illegally.

Were they though?

 

[Aryeh Jay]

The last time we were invaded by England, they came down from CANADA! Good for our brave Border Patrol keeping us safe from the English Hordes that wish to defile our shores.

 

[ChristianGirl_96]

What does the article say?

 

[Ana the Ist]

The law knows no sympathy.

The law can also be very silly.

Yeah I can see complaining about one or the other...but not both.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Were they though?

As far as I can tell....

Seems like prosecutors decided not to prosecute....since it's a bit of a waste of time for them...they have that discretion.

Otherwise yes....seems the treatment was rather similar to what we've read in other situations.

 

[Nithavela]

Yeah I can see complaining about one or the other...but not both.

I think in this case it would have been better for everyone involved to ignore the law.

And besides that point, even if this is the law, the law certainly doesn't mandate the things this family went through, if their claims turn out to be true.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I think in this case it would have been better for everyone involved to ignore the law.

I wonder what story they would be singing then? Do you think it would be one of racial inequity and relative ease for "white people"?

I'm glad they were treated the same. Equality under the law and all that.

And besides that point, even if this is the law, the law certainly doesn't mandate the things this family went through, if their claims turn out to be true.

Such as?

 

[Nithavela]

I wonder what story they would be singing then? Do you think it would be one of racial inequity and relative ease for "white people"?

I'm glad they were treated the same. Equality under the law and all that.



Such as?

Yeah, you're propably right. This is just like with Ebola. As soon as it happens to white people, things are bound to improve.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Yeah, you're propably right. This is just like with Ebola. As soon as it happens to white people, things are bound to improve.

Do you believe their story?

 

[JackRT]

The last time we were invaded by England, they came down from CANADA! Good for our brave Border Patrol keeping us safe from the English Hordes that wish to defile our shores.

Throughout the War of 1812 Chesapeake Bay was basically an English Lake. The attack on Washington was launched from there in retaliation for burning of Newark(Niagara-on the Lake) and the sack of York (Toronto). Until then sympathy for the Americans was strong in Canada. The atrocities turned the tide.

 

[Goonie]

Do you believe their story?

It’s credible.