Canadian travel to the U.S. has plummeted. One reason why: fear
When the Professor of Political Science Arash inhambadeh listened last month that foreign travelers were arrested on the border with the United States, he canceled the plans to speak in a next academic conference in Durham, NC
He believes that a growing control on the US border makes the journey into the country too uncertain.
“Why should we undergo this?” Aatingah asked, who teaches McGill University in Montreal.
“We can say to ourselves: ‘Well, I didn’t do anything wrong,’ But then you have to ask questions like … ‘I said something about social media that the current regime could find critic with them?’ “
Abizadeh joins an increasing number of Canadians who cancel the plans to visit the United States.
The number of return trips between the Canadians traveling in the United States in February precipitate Compared to the previous year: down 13 % for air travel and a huge 23 % for land trips. The March data, which Statistics Canada will be released later this morning, should show further decline.
One of the reasons for the drop in travel is anger for the commercial war of the President of the United States Donald Trump. Another reason to earn ground: concern for the safety of the boundaries strengthened following the commitment of Trump to repress immigration.
Recent reports of foreigners detained for more than a week, too Two German touristsA Backpacker from Wales AND Canadian Jasmine MooneyThey created a cold among many Canadians who traveled to the United States without hesitation.
Mooney was arrested for 11 days last month after trying to enter the United States and his work visa demand was denied on the border between the United States and Mexico.
“I was put in a real prison. So it’s just like movies, two levels, the cells on each side,” he said in an interview with CBC News last week. “I didn’t leave my cell phone because, I think, 24 hours, to tell the truth. I was so upset.”
The Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney tells the CBC News of her 11 -day ordeal in the detention of the ice after trying to enter the United States to renew her work visa. Mooney describes what he saw as “disgusting”, saying about his detention cell: “That place breaks you”.
The immigration lawyer of the United States, Len Saunders, advised Mooney on his case. He says that, in previous administrations, when the visa questions of travelers did not meet the bar, generally would be postponed to their country of origin.
“You would never have seen them in custody, especially more than perhaps one day,” Saunders said, whose office in Blaine, Wash., He is close to the Canadian border.
“It seems that there is absolutely no discretion,” he said. “It is almost as if the pendulum had gone 180 degrees with low application to maximum application.”
To the question about recent prisoners, customs and the protection of US borders (CBP) responded in an e -mail that the Trump administration is repressing the people who try to enter the United States with fraudulent claims or with mischievous intentions.
“Legitimate travelers have nothing to fear from these measures, designed to protect the safety of our nation,” wrote Hilton Beckham, assistant commissioner of the CBP.
Concerns by those who criticize Trump
Despite the message of CBP, Jennifer Love, professor of chemistry at the University of Calgary, canceled the plans to speak at a next conference in Honolulu.
Love has a double citizenship in Canada and the United States. Even so, he worries about possible problems on the border, because he is openly critical of the Trump Administration on social media and a supporter of diversity, equity and inclusion (gods).
Trump is Riding on the initiatives ofcalling them “illegal and immoral discrimination programs”. In JanuaryHe directed that all the federal staff of the were put on a paid leave and finally fired.
“I don’t want to raise my particular status, but having a detained professor who is truly favorable to [DEI] Problems and was very critical of the administration, they could use it as a message to other people, “said Love.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if at this point there was a profile on me.”
Iranian-Canadians “feel unwelcome” in us
There are also concerns in the Iranian Canadian community during travel to the United States
The Trump administration, which has the relationships stretched with Iran, has a travel prohibition proposed on the citizens of the country.
Atlas Travel, based in Toronto, who serves the Canadian Iranian community, used to book several flights per week in Los Angeles-Sede of the largest Iranian community outside Iran.
But manager Azin Mohager says that most customers no longer want to travel in the United States, fearing that they are targeted on the border.
“They feel unwelcome.”
He says that the feeling is justified, since he has heard of several customers who have recently been questioned by US border officials.
“In some cases they even asked them to open the phone and access their social media,” said Mohager. “Just because [of] Your name or only for the place of your birth, you have to go through this. “
McGill’s professor is an Iranian Canadian. But it says it is difficult to predict why he or any other Canadian who cross the border could be targeted.
“We simply don’t know,” he said. “It’s not transparent.”
Abizadeh observed that even talking to CBC News for this story could make it a goal.
“If I thought I went to the United States, would I do this interview? Absolutely not.”
Last week, the Federal Government has safely updated its online travel tips to the United States under the item “Entry and exit requirements”, Ottawa now recalls travelers “Remove control” on the US border, including smartphones.
He also says that the denied inputs could be temporarily detained.
