To dovetail with JDiver's post, I was once (1999) on a bus from YVR to SEA (Yikes!!!) Even though I am an average white guy and with my parents, Customs almost refused me entry because I only had a military ID and orders on me and not a birth certificate.

Power hungry creeps can really ruin your day.

PS... after reading 7 pages of this over the past couple of days, I'm starting to wonder if the OP's wife and daughter said something to the AAgents which (accidentally) sent them down a bad road.