Dispute over Legal Protections for CBP Officers at Canadian NEXUS Enrollment Centers
 

I have never understood why CBP agents need to be armed unless they are working in the field (i.e, trying to arrest someone).

I've also never understood why the people who check passports in the airport must be fully uniformed law enforcement officers...It affects the hiring because it eliminates a whole swathe of potential candidates who might otherwise have the communication/language/social skills needed in such a position.

I hope the Canadians stick to their guns on this gun matter and don’t cave to USG/CBP pressure.

If the Canadians don’t feel their own people need guns in such circumstances, then they most certainly shouldn’t allow foreign agents to have them there either.

This is just another one of the many pushes to allow more Americans abroad to carry guns abroad.

Is it such a big deal to allow them to be armed - they already are at Preclearance facilities.

Not that I've seen

At any rate, I expect the U.S. (or what becomes of it) to have a lot less clout in as little as 3 years.

Armed foreign agents with immunity benefits is the kind of thing I would rather see less of than more of — especially when they are in roles that involve daily dealing with the host country’s civilian public on grounds not protected by the relevant multilateral conventions for diplomatic and consular immunities.

CBP officers under the Preclearance Act 2016 are allowed to be armed in Canada. The issue, as I understand it, is that CBP want this extended to NEXUS offices, where they are present.

Generally speaking, individuals have a lot more rights in Preclearance, ie. you can simply withdraw your request to entry, and refuse to be searched (things that are difficult at a POE). I don't think CBP officers in Preclearance are afforded diplomatic immunity in the classic sense, but rather are afforded protections under the specific agreements themselves.

See also: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/t.../index-en.aspx

Here's the treaty. Firearms are referred to as "Regulated items."
https://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text...aspx?id=105453

I was against that even when it was a bill there. From 2016:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chec...dian-soil.html

And my position on that is the same even after it cleared into law.

I also see no logical need for officers in enrolment centres to be armed.

And as for preclearance, USCBP officers in DUB and SNN manage fine without guns. Their agreement and section 5 (7) of the the Aviation (Preclearance) Act 2009 specifically states they have no right to carry them.

Are CBP resources in Ireland airside or landside?

Those who play Civilization VI will realise what the term suzerain means.

Airside. They show you a photo of your checked baggage at the desk and you confirm it's yours.

There are also CBP employees -- some of whom work CBP Preclearance, but others who do not -- who can be on "land-side" assignments in the country. At least IME they too don't go around the country armed with firearms.

Never played that video game, but suzerainty is indeed a concept that comes to mind for such international dynamics too.

In their (limited defense) if you are airside you know the other person isn't armed. That isn't the case at an airport enrollment center--nor at a land center in the US, but they are armed there. I don't understand why they were fine with not being armed prior to 2019 though and not now.