INSIDE

Stories from the border

Publisher note: This is the second installment of readers’ comments regarding their border-crossing experiences. Do you have a story you would like to tell? Send it to publisher@allpointbulletin.com. All requests for anonymity will be strictly observed. Accounts will also appear on the newspaper’s website for the benefit of readers who are out of the area.

I had no idea she even wrote up a warning because she seemed very sympathetic that I blew it at Christmas time, and I doubt she would have written it up if she had known it would cause me not to be able to get a renewal. It was one small mistake over five years of more than daily crossings, and I have appealed but after reading the stories don't have much hope there. The "food police" thing is so very apt.

I will hasten to say that my experience with border guards has been no problem at all except for this stupid incident. Other than when people are new they can be obnoxious until the other guards or perhaps complainers work them over and they relax. My poor husband got caught in a "new guy" thing that was totally not his fault and that he is appealing, but maybe that won't work either.

What we did was write away for the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) material offered to us when we received our denial. That gave us the exact information as to what caused our denials and then we wrote an appeal with another application, after waiting 90 days. We are now waiting to hear an answer.

What a huge mess. I wonder if anyone who can do anything about it read the October issue of APB? Are you sending copies to anyone who will help? There is so much truth in everything everyone says. And of course, being business owners ourselves, we sure hate to see people being treated so unfairly.

By the way, when I asked once at the border about why they were so understaffed, I was told that their academy can't graduate new guards as fast as the attrition rate is happening. So that's why, I guess, we had only one lane plus NEXUS open all summer. I liked one person's idea of a separate line for passport holders. Surely they wouldn't take away your passport for a food violation!

Anyway, I was so mad when they declined my renewal (and I wasn't even planning on being in the country much this year) I was stomping around for days. I just had to distract myself with other things to finally get over it. The whole thing is quite sad.

Here’s my "Story from the Border".

My Nexus renewal was declined because of a 1985 customs infraction.
Over the 27 years since then, I've made hundreds of crossing in the regular traffic lanes, PACE and Nexus lanes. I'm a dual citizen who has lived and worked on both the North and South shores Semiahmoo Bay since 1980. I'm a U.S. combat veteran. Recently retired from U.S.Customs where I worked in Nexus office. Can it get much stranger?
Anonymous

I have a border story, but first let me say that all of the staff are always polite and professional to me. I have been going across the border to our summer camp in Boundary Bay since before I was born. I have never had a problem.

One morning in August when I presented my passport, something different showed up on the computer. I still don't know what to this day. Everyone got a bit alarmed/excited and asked me to go sit down. Sometime later my name was called up to the counter. I was then “interrogated” for one half hour. Some things I felt were none of their business and hardly relevant. When I questioned her, I was told “We are the United States government and we can ask/do as we want.” I was then made to sit and wait again. Eventually I was fingerprinted and photographed for their files and then asked to sit and wait some more.
After two hours of this, I was then told I was being refused entry. I was also told from then on, each and every time I come through I was expected to show my rent receipt, bank statements, utility bills, etc. I was told my passport didn’t prove where I was residing, even though it has my address in it. Now when I have to go across the border I get very stressed, but I do have responsibilities at our summer home.
Incidentally, I am a 63-year-old grandmother. Please omit my signature as I have enough trouble at border already.

Interesting subject. Well I can endure for now the surly border guards and all the silly restrictions on what you can and cannot bring into Point Roberts. However lets get the Nexus lane open at 9 a.m. I cannot feel sorry for those in the long line-ups, too cheap to become a member of Nexus.
You can sign me A.R. Delta,B.C.

I'd like to know how the heck mad cow disease (which has not surfaced forever!) could possibly live in processed (beyond all processing) corned beef brisket! It is cooked, spiced , processed & then pounded into something that barely resembles food anymore. But because my grocery receipt (which I voluntarily surrendered) said “beef,”I was hauled inside to be 'written up' by the border Gods!

They were very polite to me, I have to admit, then made jokes at me for quite awhile after the incident. If it was so funny, and worthy of joking, why didn't the border officer simply say “have a nice day?” Thank you for sharing my story.
A Pt.Roberts resident.

After crossing the Point Roberts border for 60+ years, I have more than a few stories. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly.

I had to wait for the anonymous to have their say, hell, I was kicked out of AA for not being anonymous. I believe that the meek will inherit the world and the anonymous will leave it with blank looks on their faces.

Now, back to the border. Does anybody seriously think that the front line people make up the rules, the rules change so fast they don’t even know what they are. Do people think these officers sit around thinking up ways to make their jobs more difficult? They know 99 percent of what they have to do is B.S. and serves absolutely no useful purpose.
The orders they have to follow come down from on high from people appointed by paranoid George and his posse of Mensa rejects. It is not mandatory to have knowledge of the work, just be a political hack or be related to someone on the inside.

If you don’t like what’s happening, take your complaint to the port director, if you don’t get satisfaction there, go regional or to Washington, D.C. to a congressman. Stay away from Nancy Pelosi, if that isn’t Satan in a sundress I’ll burn my pen.

Since 9/11 the terrorists must be doubled over laughing at what Dubya and his dunces are doing to their own people all in the name of hopeless insecurity

If you want changes, put forth the effort in the right places. The wrong way is to ridicule the “front line people.” That can only cause a normal human reaction like doing everything by the book and imagine the lineups then.

Already I have noticed subtle changes like Jerry wearing surgical gloves. This could bring a whole new meaning to search and seizure.

Better wear clean undies, folks.
Ron Calder
Point Roberts

The Editor:
Your mighty republic is at war on terror, drugs, and illegal immigrants seeking work. The ensigns of the INS and U.S. Customs have been struck and the ensign of Homeland Security flies at the masthead, problem is none of us are saluting it. The war torn U.S.A. is fighting a battle in Iraq, has taken casualties close to 3,000 dead and over 40,000 wounded or dismembered physically and mentally, plus Afghanistan casualties.

On the home front, we are faced with combat dressed and armed officers from Homeland Security at every port of entry, land, sea or air, not a single combat booted one of whom intends to be the person who allows a single terrorist another chance to attack the U.S.A.

Remember that the attacking terrorists on 9/11 entered the U.S. legally, were legally and happily pursuing qualifications as commercial pilots and now cannot operate openly as before.

With teenage memories of six years of WWII in Scotland, rationing, closed schools, evacuation from the cities, air raids and air raid shelters, which brought us all together, we did see VE Day (Victory in Europe) and VJ Day (Victory in Japan) coming and rejoiced in the euphoria of May 7, 1945.

Sadly VT Day (Victory over terror), VD Day (Victory over drugs) and VII Day (Victory over illegal immigration) are nowhere in sight and the Homeland Security personnel no longer “facilitate entry to the U.S.A.” as the INS did before 9/11, but have to operate daily in changed careers, with a character that is the antithesis of every American value since 1776.

One Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at 1945 at the Point Roberts port of entry, when attempting privileged entry to the U.S.A. as a walk-in applicant, I was tasked at age 76 with proving I was not an illegal seeking work. My briefcase was emptied and some of the contents taken inside for closer examination, an additional case was emptied and some of the contents taken inside.

My passport, NEXUS card and B.C. driver’s license were also handed over. The examination was meticulous, the officer courteous, polite and fault free and finally after 90 minutes I was allowed to proceed to my house in Point Roberts, to rest over night before an appointment the following day for a NEXUS renewal, which was granted.

A pleasant experience? No. A meaningful experience? Yes. The advice I was given was sound for my particular situation, those residents who have known me at the Point since 1992 are all aware of my activities when visiting for an R & R.

Back in 1950 when serving in the Royal Navy of King George VI as a junior officer, Prime Minister Clement Attlee got me into a “police action” to assist President Harry S. Truman and General Douglas MacArthur (in a very small way) under the banner of the young United Nations Organization, thwart the ambitions of Joseph Stalin in far away Korea.

We are at it again in far off lands, but it could strike close to home, so be patient with the black clad personnel who are determined it will not.

Commander (R) G.R. Telfer CD, A de C, CAF (retd)
Victoria, B.C.

In response to all those border stories, I, too, would like to keep this anonymous!

My biggest frustration at the border is the Point Roberts locals and summer residents who feel it is thoughtful to drive through the residential area and cut in near the front of the line coming into Pt. Roberts. I’ve gotten out of my car a few times to ask them very nicely why they do it (knowing I have done some very selfish things myself).
One mother yelled at me; another with her two small children agreed with me but still stayed in line; and the third was a big tough-looking biker on his Harley - I was nervous! He said, “You know, you're right!” and he turned around and went to the back of the line!

(Ed. note: A few letters have been edited for length while others were not able to be included this issue due to space restrictions.)