http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/...9-9793c2209445

i find this story interesting and noteworthy and surprising because of several points.

from what is described in the article, it looks like the chap will have to be deported from canada because he committed an offence (attempting to enter canada without valid travel documents) that the american border police obliged him to commit (by confiscating his travel document and thereafter sending him back across the border, to a country he is not a citizen of).

1. how can the american border police seize your travel documents on suspicion of fraud and yet not detain you while they investigate? it seemed to me that the two classic cases of problems at the border lead to either (1) detention or (2) being sent back whence you came, but with your documents.

2. i wonder how often this happens. theoretically the same situation could happen at an airport (although i presume the airplane companies wouldn't carry you back without a travel document) or at an airport pre-screening facility (thanks for your passport. it's ours now. go back there and get arrested now. - although those facilities are staffed by regular police and not border police of the expediting state.)

3. thought i would post.

al