CBP says some ‘may experience increased wait times and subsequent interviews’
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Friday issued a statement saying that it “leverages all available tools and information to ensure that individuals who seek entry into the United States are appropriately screened.”
The statement was issued in the wake of last weekend’s reports that dozens of Iranian-Americans were detained for hours while attempting to cross from Canada to the U.S. at the Peace Arch Border Crossing in Blaine. CBP denied those claims Sunday, Jan 5, in a statement to The Bellingham Herald.
On Wednesday, a group of U.S. legislators led by representatives and senators from Washington state, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security asking for answers. Gov. Jay Inslee also issued a statement Monday stating, “What Americans endured over the weekend in Blaine is unacceptable.”
The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations reported Friday that it has received reports of CBP profiling Iranian-Americans at JFK airport.
Friday’s CBP statement said the agency, “remains vigilant and is operating with an enhanced security posture at U.S. ports of entry.”
CBP went on to state that Iran and its allies have been a “capable adversary” for a while.
“As part of a multi-layered approach to security, CBP officers may refer for additional screening individuals who present a known risk or individuals about whom we need more information to make a determination of risk,” the statement said. “These referrals are based on factors that could include the individual’s activities, associations and travel patterns. As a result, some travelers may experience increased wait times and subsequent interviews.”
CBP also said that it is committed to protecting the civil rights and liberties of any travelers attempting to cross the border and to follow all constitutional and statutory requirements.
“Our officers are trained to enforce U.S. laws uniformly and fairly and they do not discriminate based on religion, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation,” the statement concluded.
Word of Saturday’s delays at the border emerged when the Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations sent out a news release Sunday saying it was assisting more than 60 Iranians and Iranian-Americans who had been detained and questioned for a lengthy time in Blaine.
Blaine immigration lawyer Leonard D.M. Saunders told The Herald that he personally witnessed 75 to 100 people of Persian descent waiting to be questioned in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office at the Peace Arch Point of Entry Saturday afternoon.
Saunders said CBP officers were being polite to those waiting. They even brought food and drink to them — something Saunders said he hadn’t seen in 20 years of going to the CBP office except for people being held in detention cells.
“I asked an officer, ‘What’s going on?’” Saunders said. “He rolled his eyes and said, ‘They’re all waiting to be vetted. Nobody who is Iranian by berth is allowed in until they’re approved by the port director.’ He said it was taking hours to get them through.”
This story was originally published January 10, 2020 at 11:58 AM.
