|
Australian author wrongfully detained at LAX
Mem Fox, a respected, award-winning, 70-year-old writer of children's books, who has travelled to the USA 116 times previously without incident, was wrongfully detained for 2 hours at LAX.
Full story here. Apart from all the other concerns regarding human rights and just plain decency, I wonder when the US government, businesses and people will wake up and realise how much this behaviour is going to screw the US tourist sector? |
She got off lightly at only 2 hours. Early last year I had over 4 hours at secondary at LAX. Needless to say I went from roughly monthly USA visits to none since.
|
She can't have been "wrongfully detained" as there's effectively no rules for detention - perhaps "stupidly detained" would be a better choice of words
|
Originally Posted by alanR
(Post 27955722)
She can't have been "wrongfully detained" as there's effectively no rules for detention - perhaps "stupidly detained" would be a better choice of words
|
It sounds to me like they detained her for the purpose of investigating/questioning her about whether she was traveling on the correct visa. At the conclusion of the investigation they allowed her to enter. Much of the two hours she spend in secondary was probably sitting quietly waiting for her name to be called.
I don't think it's stupid or wrongful for CBP officers to detain foreigners at the border for the purpose of determining whether they should be allowed to enter. |
Sounds like a fairly normal check on the visa type.
Not to be cynical or anything :cool: she just happens to have released a new book as well. Timely bit of exposure you could say. |
Here's another detention of an innocent traveler, 10 hours this time:
Another detention But things did not go according to plan: Rousso — an Egyptian-born French citizen — was “mistakenly detained” by U.S. immigration authorities, according to Richard Golsan, director of the Glasscock Center for Humanities Research at Texas A&M. |
We now have a similar case of a Frenchman.
I think it's CBP trying to crack down on people who are working on tourist visas, but they don't know what they're doing. |
Originally Posted by Loren Pechtel
(Post 27967402)
We now have a similar case of a Frenchman.
I think it's CBP trying to crack down on people who are working on tourist visas, but they don't know what they're doing. Henry Rousso is a scholar whose work covers the Holocaust in France. Mem Fox is best known internationally for Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, a children's book that celebrates cultural/racial diversity. Neither of these seem likely to be popular subjects with the current administration. |
Originally Posted by Loren Pechtel
(Post 27967402)
We now have a similar case of a Frenchman.
I think it's CBP trying to crack down on people who are working on tourist visas, but they don't know what they're doing. Excerpts The issue, Mr. Rousso said, appeared to be an honorarium of $2,000 that he was being paid to participate in the conference. Such payments are allowed for academics visiting the United States, but Mr. Rousso and those involved in securing his release said the customs agents appeared not to realize that at first. “With a tourist visa, I’m not allowed to work,” Mr. Rousso said. “This is true — except for scholars.” The agent who was questioning Mr. Rousso was “concerned that he was giving a lecture and was getting a good stipend to do that,” said Richard J. Golsan, a professor at the university who also had planned to have Mr. Rousso speak to his class last week. *** It was after 1 a.m. Thursday when Mr. Rousso was given back his passport and cellphone, taken to a public area of the airport and told he was free to go. He said he was told that the agent who originally held him was “inexperienced.” *** Mr. Mills said the treatment Mr. Rousso experienced was unusual, but representative of a shift in how some border agents are approaching their jobs. “Now they’re looking really hard for reasons to deny, instead of reasons to admit,” he said. |
Originally Posted by mauve
(Post 27967542)
Alternatively, CBP is trying to crack down on people whose politics differ from theirs.
Henry Rousso is a scholar whose work covers the Holocaust in France. Mem Fox is best known internationally for Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, a children's book that celebrates cultural/racial diversity. Neither of these seem likely to be popular subjects with the current administration. |
Originally Posted by Loren Pechtel
(Post 27971537)
That would only make sense if the people were for some reason flagged, not something I think Trump would be stupid enough to do.
|
I find it laughable that some here think the average CBP officer has even ever heard of any of those authors, and is wanting to prevent them from entering because of their writings. Relax and take a chill pill, you are letting your imaginations run wild.
|
Originally Posted by rolling_stone
(Post 27971986)
I find it laughable that some here think the average CBP officer has even ever heard of any of those authors, and is wanting to prevent them from entering because of their writings. Relax and take a chill pill, you are letting your imaginations run wild.
Rather, I think this is CBP trying to crack down on people working on tourist visas but not knowing the rules. |
Originally Posted by rolling_stone
(Post 27971986)
I find it laughable that some here think the average CBP officer has even ever heard of any of those authors, and is wanting to prevent them from entering because of their writings. Relax and take a chill pill, you are letting your imaginations run wild.
|
| All times are GMT -6. The time now is 6:17 am. |
This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.