Denied entry to USA for being Muslim?

The Peace bridge border crossing where 4 men were denied entry to the US

Another recent article this time by CBC highlights the continued difficulties many people endure when travelling to the US from Canada. Four men of Turkish decent (3 of them Canadian citizens) were held and questioned for 6 hours at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Fort Erie before being refused entry to the US.

Two of the men work full-time, one owns a business and one is a student. All of the men are well educated and they all own homes in Toronto. So why were they denied entry?

According to Guidy Mamann, an immigration lawyer quoted in the article, racial profiling at the border is not new: "The idea that immigration officers don't racially profile is nonsense," he said. "No matter how unsettling or intimidating, that type of questioning is perfectly legal."

During the questioning the men held in separate rooms were asked about the war in Syria, fingerprinted and photographed. Ultimately the men say they were told the officers didn't believe their ties to Canada were strong enough that they would return. The official reason?

Tourist visitors must be able to demonstrate that they have significant ties to their resident country (see: denied entry to the US).

So what's the takeaway? The article suggests that racial profiling does occur at the border crossings (and it probably does), but it begs the question if the individuals had been properly armed with paperwork documenting their employment status, property ownership and other ties to Canada, if this confrontation would have happened in the first place. It's a lesson for everyone that we should always have sufficient evidence at hand when crossing into the US.

Source: Does racial profiling exist at the Canada-U.S. border?

Do you have an I-194 waiver?

Thanks to those who participated in my recent poll "Do you have an I-194 waiver?". It turns out that of those who participated over half have applied or intend to for the I-194 waiver (Advance Permission to Enter as a Non-Immigrant). It is also interesting to note that the amount that have 1 year or 5 year waivers are very close (3 to 4). I had read somewhere that the waivers were granted as 1 year or 5 based on the degree or seriousness of the past offenses. If this is true, then wouldn't a person expect that if he/she were granted a 5 year waiver, he/she should always expect the 5 year waiver? I'd be happy to hear your comments and personal experiences on this. Update: See I-192 Waiver Application Process

Check Your Waiver Application Status

I've never tried, but apparently there is an email address to check your waiver application status. CHECKING THE STATUS OF YOUR WAIVER REQUEST: Please allow at least 120 days from the date of submission of your I-192 before making an inquiry about the status of your application. As stated earlier, a full review of your circumstances can take up to a year, and requests for status updates may add to that timeline. However, if for some reason you are concerned about the status of your request, and you filed at a CBP Preclearance location or at a land border port of entry after August 26, 2007 you may ask for an update by emailing inquiry.waiver.aro@dhs.gov . In the email, be sure to provide your full name, DOB and your A number. If you filed at a land border port of entry prior to August 26, 2007, please contact them directly. Phone numbers are on our Web site. Attorney inquiries: attorneyinquiry.waiver.aro@dhs.gov If you have submitted an application and you have had a chang

I-194 waiver renewal - another 5 years!

Great news! Today in the mailbox, just 3 months and 2 weeks after submitting my I-192 application with a Saturday interview at the Ottawa pre-clearance facility, I received my renewal (my second 5 year I-194 waiver) . This second 5 year waiver once again allows me to travel to the US for business and pleasure (B1/B2) for a maximum period of stay as determined by the admitting officer (the CBP officer on entry) . Have waiver, will travel! See updated information about renewals: I-194 waiver renewal recap

AnonymousNovember 21, 2014 at 11:46 AM
Is this about racial or religious profiling? The article suggests they were refused because of their skin colour. As your blog post title points out - seems to be more about religious profiling. Either way, I agree about your main point: The burden of proof remains with the US visa applicant that they are not entering the US illegally.
denied entry to usaNovember 25, 2014 at 3:53 PM
To suggest that any border crossing doesn't profile people is ignorant. The very nature of assessing security threats at the border involves profiling. It affects every demographic differently. For example: young white males driving from BC to Washington are often profiled as potential marijuana tourists, especially if they have long hair or dress a certain way. The best thing to do is to bring plenty of paperwork with you, after all the onus is always on the applicant to prove they are admissible.

US Waiver for Canadians

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