Australian author wrongfully detained at LAX
Feb 24, 2017 | 8:56 pm
#1
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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?
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?
Feb 25, 2017 | 7:56 pm
#4
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You can be wrongly detained if the reason for the detention is false. It sounds like they incorrectly said she was on the wrong visa. That makes it wrongfully detained.
Feb 25, 2017 | 10:16 pm
#5
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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.
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.
she just happens to have released a new book as well. Timely bit of exposure you could say.
Feb 26, 2017 | 2:07 pm
#7
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Here's another detention of an innocent traveler, 10 hours this time:
Another detention
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.
Feb 27, 2017 | 8:03 pm
#9
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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.
Feb 27, 2017 | 8:14 pm
#10
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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, Im 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 theyre looking really hard for reasons to deny, instead of reasons to admit, he said.
***
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 theyre looking really hard for reasons to deny, instead of reasons to admit, he said.
Feb 28, 2017 | 3:12 pm
#11
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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.
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.
Feb 28, 2017 | 3:32 pm
#12
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I doubt that for this purpose she was flagged down prior to flying to the US. That said, I wouldn't take that as a sign of competency one way or the other when it comes to the chief cheerleader of "extreme vetting" and the EO ban that got stopped by the courts. Nor would I take it as a sign that passengers aren't being hassled due to perceived affiliations of some sort, even when the affiliations are nothing illegal.
Feb 28, 2017 | 5:11 pm
#13
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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.
Feb 28, 2017 | 9:40 pm
#14
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Rather, I think this is CBP trying to crack down on people working on tourist visas but not knowing the rules.
Feb 28, 2017 | 10:53 pm
#15
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The hassles in secondary (or even primary) inspection can be done as a result of even internet -- say Google -- searches done at the airport at the time at which the individual is at the airport of entry seeking admission.