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In the news: told U.S. border guards she inhaled - now needs waiver

A B.C. woman who was denied entry into the U.S., and barred for life, for admitting she’d smoked marijuana can now cross the border again thanks to an I-194 waiver.

Jess Goldstein was asked at one point by the US border guard if she had ever smoked marijuana and admitted to smoking pot the week before. Despite having no criminal record, Goldstein was questioned for six hours and her car was searched, before she was told she could never enter the U.S. again.

Now Goldstein can cross the border but only because she was granted an official waiver, which cost her $585, $75 for finger prints and has to be renewed again next year.

There were likely addition fees not mentioned in the article, as Goldstein went through a lawyer.

See the rest of the article: B.C. woman who told U.S. border guards she smoked pot must pay $600 to cross again
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  1. Canada Temporary Resident PermitNovember 4, 2014 at 11:12 AM

    While it's easy to sit back and vilify the CBP for incidents such as this, similar things happen at the Canadian border all the time. The CBSA has a similar policy, and anyone who admits to extremely recent illegal drug use at the border risks being denied entry to Canada. I am surprised this person required a Waiver to cross the border again however. In general, anyone refused entry to Canada because of admitted drug use doesn't need a Temporary Resident Permit, they simply have to wait a few months and then enter again while not admitting to any recent drug use. Perhaps this is a difference in policy between the Canada border and the USA one?

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