Expect extra questions, take a phone to the burner: immigration lawyers weigh travel in the United States
Among the stories of travelers who face obstacles or even be detained on the US border, some immigration lawyers say that the Canadians should expect extra interrogations, have many documents at hand at hand and bring a burner phone.
Two lawyers interviewed by CBC News say that they are deploying many questions about air and terrestrial trips to and from the United States, with many worried about eraseing US customs and borders protection while the rules change under President Donald Trump.
Heather Segal, immigration lawyer and founding partner of the Segal Immigration Law in Toronto, said on Monday that his mailbox is flooded with questions.
“There has been much more intense security and intense investigations on the border,” he said. “There is only a huge fear, fear for numerous reasons. First of all, there is a fear of being arrested. There is fear of not entering the United States.”
Segal said people are afraid of being stopped, worried about what will be asked and worried that will say or do the wrong thing. The questions were asked by Canadian citizens who enter the United States, American citizens who return to the United States, in transgender people, as well as permanent residents from Canada and Canadian immigrants with work permissions.
“There is a fear, but nobody is exactly sure of what they are afraid. They don’t know what they did wrong. There is a sense of guilt, but I don’t know what I did.”
Segal recommends to Canadian travelers that the United States start from an airport where they can erase US customs while in Canada. He said that crossing the “preclearance” offers the rights of the Canadians while they are on the Canadian soil.
“You could be detained to be questioned, but you can say at any time, ‘you know what, I don’t want to travel anymore.’ And as long as you tell them that you are not interested and give a good reason, you can leave.
The Canadians can be arrested in a terrestrial entrance port when crossing the US customs, however, because they are on US soil and do not have the same rights they would have in Canada, he said.
Global Affairs Canada, in a statement on Monday, said that the Federal Department updated its guide on March 21 to advise the Canadians a new American requirement that those who visit the country for more than 30 days are recorded with the citizenship and immigration services of the United States.
Segal said he is also feeling worries from Canadians on recording and if they are recorded for longer stays.
Immigration lawyers are warning the Canadians to expect extra questions, have many documents at hand and bringing a phone to the burner before traveling to the United States, both on the ground and by air. Lorenda Reddekopp by CBC explains why.
When the Canadians fly to the United States, a copy of their I-94-is arrival recording form that indicates how long can remain in the United States, he said. The form indicates that they are recorded and documents their “entry and exit date” from the United States
But the Canadians entering the United States on the ground is not issued a copy of their I-94 module, said Segal. He said that travelers can get a copy or request them in advance, going to the US dogano website and border protection I-94.
Cell phones can be sought, lawyers say
Segal also suggests that people travel with a burner phone and leave their real phones at home.
US customs officials can look through a cell phone, check the comments made on social media and look through a laptop, he said. They can also take devices or download all their content, he added.
“To protect you, especially since ever, I think it’s an excellent idea to take a burner phone, do not take your technology, do not take anything about your technology that you would be afraid of any government entity that knows or has,” he said.
“The concept of privacy is completely different when you enter the United States.”
Canada should issue a travel notice for us, says the lawyer
Ravi Jain, lawyer and founder of immigration and founder of Jain Immigration Law in Toronto, told CBC Radio Morning Metro Monday that agrees on the fact that people should take burner phones when they go to the United States, he said that cell phones, tablets and laptops can be searched.
Give the changes on the border, Jain thinks that the Canadian government should issue a travel notice to the United States
“It’s a very frightening moment,” he said. “I think people should be a little more aware of the fact that the United States are not kidding.”
Jain said he is noting his customers, including those who have been critical of the Trump Administration on social media or who were born in Iran and Syria, who is not a good idea to go to the United States
A travel agent says that traveling to the United States among its customers is running part of the concerns of crossing the border.
Azin Mohajer, director of Atlas Travel in Toronto, specialized in trips to Iranian Iranian, said that the people born in Iran or who have recently been questioned on the border and his customers simply no longer travel there.
“I can say that it has perhaps been zero in the last four weeks in which we have not even sold a single ticket for the United States or transit in the United States”
Mohajer said customers are spending hundreds of dollars more for tickets to avoid a stop in the United States.
If his customers fly south of the border now, Mohajer said he recommends arriving very early and being prepared.
“Having extra documents showing that you are working here, you have houses here and some extra documents on top of the Canadian passport.”
