As tensions rise between the U.S. and Iran, an Iranian-Canadian family said they were detained at the border. And as it turns out, they weren’t the first.
More than 60 Iranians and Iranian-Americans have been detained at the Peace Arch Border over the weekend, said the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
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“Many more were reportedly refused entry to the United States due to a lack of capacity for Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to detain them,” CAIR wrote in a statement.
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Questioning at the U.S. Border
North Vancouver’s Sam Sadr has been a Canadian citizen for the last two years, he told Global News.
But when Sadr and his family headed to Washington on Saturday, they were held for more than eight hours.
“There was only one washroom; you had to line up. Kids were crying,” he said to Global News.
When border officials saw Iranian places as their birthplace, they pulled the family aside. The Sadrs had to answer questions about their birthplace, education or any connection to Hezbollah members.
“They questioned me, sometimes my dad, sometimes my family,” said Sadr. “Have you been in the military? Does your family belong to terrorism? Politics.”
CAIR stated many of the families detained were asked similar questions, regarding their politics.
The family was eventually let go, but they returned to Canada after an hour, upset by the questioning.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection denies there was any order to detain Iranian travellers.
CAIR has published a Know Your Rights letter on their website, in several languages.
A report has recently shown more Canadians are being held at the border as well. If you liked this story, you may be interested in this possible B.C. bylaw to ticket people for racist behaviour.
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