Beware. Border Patrol Searching Phones.

[adventurous old guy]

Pretty much spot on what happened to me when I was trying to fly to Miami. Agent asked way too many personal questions, the last being how much money I had on me and how much money I had in my bank accounts, credit card. I talked back and said thats none of his damn business. That triggered him and he told me I'm not making my plane. Eventually lead to them ransacking my suitcase, ripping clothes, then going through my phone.

 

Missed my flight, came back the next day and was denied again.

OMG, this is way worse than what happened to me. Same behaviors, but results were so much more disruptive for you.

[DMICS]

OMG, this is way worse than what happened to me. Same behaviors, but results were so much more disruptive for you.

 

Yeah that was the short version, was a long, emotional, humiliating moment. Actually broke down crying after being escorted out by an officer. A ticket agent saw what happened and she gave me a ticket for the next day (free of charge). Told me to come back and try again. The whole mess started when a different ticket agent gave me a one-way ticket (I purchased a round-trip ticket). I didn't notice the ticket was one-way so when I got to customs that started the whole drama, and pretty much the immigration officers thought I was going to Miami to work, make money and not come back.

 

I said many times I can go into my phone and show I purchased a round-trip ticket with confirmation but they didn't want to hear it. Got fingerprinted, photo taken etc etc etc. And it's a long ass process to go in and make an appointment to clear my name following that incident. So now when I travel to the USA I just do the 90-min drive (or bus) to Buffalo (from Toronto) or Vermont (from Quebec) and catch a plane from there.

Edited August 28, 2019 by DMICS

[+ tassojunior]

They wouldn't be able to stop a US Citizen from returning home. I wonder if they can require a US Citizen to open their phone without strong suspicion of criminal activity.

 

Gman

 

Yes.

 

Erin Rock explains that “While US citizens will ultimately be allowed to enter, their phones and electronic devices are still subject to search and seizure at the border.”

[+ tassojunior]

I thought the American agents are pretty strict too.

 

"Sex workers", even cam models and masseurs, are getting turned back a lot:

 

""I was at an industry event in Miami where several sex cam models on the Canadian side of the boarder were denied entry into the United States after they had their social media profiles examined, which outed them as cam models. They had to forfeit their tickets and hotel accommodations.""

https://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2017/11/17/sex-workers-social-media-scrutinized-at-uscanada-border/

[+ FrankR]

They wouldn't be able to stop a US Citizen from returning home. I wonder if they can require a US Citizen to open their phone without strong suspicion of criminal activity.

 

Gman

You may find this of interest: https://www.aclu.org/blog/privacy-technology/privacy-borders-and-checkpoints/can-border-agents-search-your-electronic?redirect=blog/free-future/can-border-agents-search-your-electronic-devices-its-complicated

[adventurous old guy]

Hmmm, I wonder if they're looking at client profiles yet? And are they just examining cell phones, or diving deeper, e.g. website memberships, search histories?

 

Brave new world.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

As much as it pains me to say this, just do what they say. In these particular instances, they have all the power and can easily make it one of the longer days of your life if they want to.

 

That said, I'd also recommend having the number to a good attorney memorized if you have something to hide.

[+ tassojunior]

Hmmm, I wonder if they're looking at client profiles yet? And are they just examining cell phones, or diving deeper, e.g. website memberships, search histories?

 

Brave new world.

I think I may move a lot of photo/video stuff to my micro-sd card and remove it before entry and hide it. Also, if stuff is in the cloud it world be harder and possibly illegal for them to search it. Email is mostly in the cloud but there are stories they've searched WhatsApp accounts and social media that would be in the cloud. I wonder if texts and social media can be moved to the micro-sd card? (of course Apple users who don't have sd slots are fucked.)

 

Removing the sim card is a terrible idea. It looks suspicious and doesn't stop accessing stored stuff.

[DMICS]

I think I may move a lot of photo/video stuff to my micro-sd card and remove it before entry and hide it. Also, if stuff is in the cloud it world be harder and possibly illegal for them to search it. Email is mostly in the cloud but there are stories they've searched WhatsApp accounts and social media that would be in the cloud. I wonder if texts and social media can be moved to the micro-sd card? (of course Apple users who don't have sd slots are fucked.)

 

Removing the sim card is a terrible idea. It looks suspicious and doesn't stop accessing stored stuff.

 

As far as videos and pictures, I move everything to my iXpand flash drive before travelling. And I log out of all my social media accounts so there's no trace back.

 

Also when I’m planning to hire I don’t contact until I land in the US. Also scrub any RM history off my phone and laptop.

Edited August 28, 2019 by DMICS

[adventurous old guy]

What a world. I've made my peace with the fact that I have no privacy, that every digital place I visit, every phone call I have is being monitored. So, basically I don't care what people know about me. Just haven't wrapped my head around the post-Rentboy/CraigsList fact that governments care enough about consensual sex transactions between consenting adults to actually intervene.

[KeepItReal]

[+ VictorPowers]

Entering Canada (Vancouver specifically) has proved difficult. I’m sure I hit all the red flags. Short visit, traveling alone, no known friends in the country. I know how to answer the varying questions effectively but it sure was intimidating.

[+ Gar1eth]

Entering Canada (Vancouver specifically) has proved difficult. I’m sure I hit all the red flags. Short visit, traveling alone, no known friends in the country. I know how to answer the varying questions effectively but it sure was intimidating.

 

About 10 years ago I took an escort on a clipper ship from Seattle to Victoria, BC. When we arrived in Victoria, Canadian Customs separated us to ask us questions. As I recall, the questions weren't particularly invasive-well no more than asking what my purpose was in Victoria and how long I'd be staying. I can't remember asking the escort what they asked him, but I probably did. I've always wondered if we were singled out somehow for being two guys with an obvious age difference (I would have been around 45, the escort was in his early to mid 20's-old enough to drink) traveling together, or if they could have somehow determined that I was the one who paid for both tickets. Perhaps it was just a random screen.

 

Gman

[+ tassojunior]

Entering Canada (Vancouver specifically) has proved difficult. I’m sure I hit all the red flags. Short visit, traveling alone, no known friends in the country. I know how to answer the varying questions effectively but it sure was intimidating.

 

2 things most Americans don't know about entering Canada:

 

1. You're barred from entering Canada with a record of any crime which is a felony in Canada and DWI is a felony in Canada. My ex and I had to do a u-turn at the Vancouver highway border control because of a DWI he had 15 years ago in Florida, which of course was a traffic citation there. He has to apply to Canada to be "rehabilitated" if he ever wants to visit Canada. This causes a lot of u turns and hard feelings. They will also detain you and send you back at an airport 100%.

 

2. Canada is the only country that has the US's NCIC FBI database of records, and they use it. Any crime you have on your US record shows up at the Canadian border. So (1) above gets enforced nearly 100%. Driving through small towns like the Vermont border is the only way they often don't check NCIC.

 

And yes, the guys at Campus and Stock are worth the risk driving up.

[+ VictorPowers]

2 things most Americans don't know about entering Canada:

 

1. You're barred from entering Canada with a record of any crime which is a felony in Canada and DWI is a felony in Canada. My ex and I had to do a u-turn at the Vancouver highway border control because of a DWI he had 15 years ago in Florida, which of course was a traffic citation there. He has to apply to Canada to be "rehabilitated" if he ever wants to visit Canada. This causes a lot of u turns and hard feelings. They will also detain you and send you back at an airport 100%.

 

2. Canada is the only country that has the US's NCIC FBI database of records, and they use it. Any crime you have on your US record shows up at the Canadian border. So (1) above gets enforced nearly 100%. Driving through small towns like the Vermont border is the only way they often don't check NCIC.

 

And yes, the guys at Campus and Stock are worth the risk driving up.

Man that damn 5 MPH over speeding ticket is really causing a pain still?!

[+ GregM]

I love visiting Canada, but their border and customs people can be real assholes.

 

Theirs is the only country I've had a blip getting into.

 

Yup. And why I will never go to Canada. US border coming back can be just as bad through Washington state.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[Mocha]

I haven’t visited the US since 2010, and in the current atmosphere, I don’t think I want to.

 

I don’t blame you. BUT...

 

Don’t let the whole border “crisis” scare you for too long. We’re the land of the free...to do what you want behind closed doors. When push comes to shove, despite everything political that seems to be going on, people still doing what they want to do. Plus it’s just so much ground to cover. I travel 2 to 3 weeks out of the month, and there’s still several cities I’ve not been to in months and years.

 

And remember, there’s Palm Springs, which is in the lovely state of Mexifornia...which is surrounded by CaliBama. But when you’re there, the atmosphere certainly isn’t political in the sense of things.

 

If I were a tourist to the US, the only reason I wouldn’t want to come is because it’s so expensive for a night in a hotel everywhere. But seems like most tourists from overseas use air bnb to offset the high hotel costs.

Edited August 29, 2019 by Mocha

[DMICS]

2 things most Americans don't know about entering Canada:

 

1. You're barred from entering Canada with a record of any crime which is a felony in Canada and DWI is a felony in Canada. My ex and I had to do a u-turn at the Vancouver highway border control because of a DWI he had 15 years ago in Florida, which of course was a traffic citation there. He has to apply to Canada to be "rehabilitated" if he ever wants to visit Canada. This causes a lot of u turns and hard feelings. They will also detain you and send you back at an airport 100%.

 

2. Canada is the only country that has the US's NCIC FBI database of records, and they use it. Any crime you have on your US record shows up at the Canadian border. So (1) above gets enforced nearly 100%. Driving through small towns like the Vermont border is the only way they often don't check NCIC.

 

And yes, the guys at Campus and Stock are worth the risk driving up.

 

Yup. A few years ago a group of friends were driving up from the tri-state area. When they got to the Fort Erie Canadian border in Buffalo. One wasn't allowed in due to a vandalism charge (graffitti) on his record from 15 or years prior. So he was denied entry. The rest of the group ended up coming while the 1 guy had to turn around and catch a bus back home.

[+ tassojunior]

Yup. A few years ago a group of friends were driving up from the tri-state area. When they got to the Fort Erie Canadian border in Buffalo. One wasn't allowed in due to a vandalism charge (graffitti) on his record from 15 or years prior. So he was denied entry. The rest of the group ended up coming while the 1 guy had to turn around and catch a bus back home.

 

I drove with my same ex another time to Montreal through Vermont and the border booth didn't check his NCIC. It was a tiny booth on an un-busy road. Airports and big busy booths always check NCIC.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

2 things most Americans don't know about entering Canada:

 

1. You're barred from entering Canada with a record of any crime which is a felony in Canada and DWI is a felony in Canada. My ex and I had to do a u-turn at the Vancouver highway border control because of a DWI he had 15 years ago in Florida, which of course was a traffic citation there. He has to apply to Canada to be "rehabilitated" if he ever wants to visit Canada. This causes a lot of u turns and hard feelings. They will also detain you and send you back at an airport 100%.

 

2. Canada is the only country that has the US's NCIC FBI database of records, and they use it. Any crime you have on your US record shows up at the Canadian border. So (1) above gets enforced nearly 100%. Driving through small towns like the Vermont border is the only way they often don't check NCIC.

 

And yes, the guys at Campus and Stock are worth the risk driving up.

 

You're not barred. It's discretionary. A little more info:

 

https://www.ezbordercrossing.com/the-inspection-experience/prior-criminal-offenses/crossing-canadian-border-with-a-dui/

[Beancounter]

You're not barred. It's discretionary. A little more info:

 

https://www.ezbordercrossing.com/the-inspection-experience/prior-criminal-offenses/crossing-canadian-border-with-a-dui/

To-may-to.......To-mah-to.

[curiousbynature12]

I go to Canada sometimes for business and it is intimidating. Some of those border agents are hot, but their questioning quickly makes that very irrelevant. Glad I learned to keep my answers short and direct.

 

The only other country that gave me grief is the UK, where they can be assholes about accommodation details.

[DMICS]

Some of those border agents are hot, but their questioning quickly makes that very irrelevant. Glad I learned to keep my answers short and direct.

 

Man, the ones I encountered recently at Fort Erie border....2 of them were complete studs.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

To-may-to.......To-mah-to.

 

Let's call the hole thing off

[adventurous old guy]

To-may-to.......To-mah-to.

 

Let's call the hole thing off

 

Too fun! Thx for the smile.