This sounds like an unbelievable story, but it happened to Canadian blogger Jeremy Wright last week.
As already reported on quite a few blogs, Jeremy was detained and interrogated by US Immigration when he arrived in New York last week for a meeting with McGraw-Hill to discuss a great business opportunity for Jeremy in the area of blogging.
It appears that the immigration people simply did not believe that Jeremy could make a living as a blogger. And they gave him the third degree – including an humiliating strip search – as a result for some hours. And banned him from entering the US.
Incredible. Jeremy wrote detailed commentary on his blog about his experience, but he’s now pulled those posts (this post explains why).
While the details aren’t yet clear on exactly why Jeremy had such an awful experience at the hands of the guardians of freedom and liberty (hard to get true irony here), this appears to be disgraceful behaviour on their part.
I met Jeremy in the US in January. Shel and I interviewed him for a podcast. You couldn’t meet a nicer and more honourable bloke!
Hang in there, Jeremy. I bet McGraw-Hill will find a way to have that meeting with you.
Update 17 Mar: Jeremy has posted The End of The Story.
Yeah, I wonder what the requirements to be a border security/immigration person are?
Maybe this would be one of them 🙂
“Ability to petrify and terrorize anybody entering the US, no matter what their purpose and/or intentions might be, whether business or pleasure, fitting the profile or not. The incumbent needs to seem angry at all times and make people feel intimidated, preventing them from every thinking nice things about a border/immigration person”
Darren, that’s what you’ll think when you read Jeremy’s closing post – includes a snip from the questions and answers that he went through with the immigration person.
That person would fit the requirements, no question.
Neville! Why do you hate freedom so much?
😉
Heh! This is the kind of thing that’s great for digging out your favourite quotations.
For instance:
“I came to America because of the great, great freedom which I heard existed in this country. I made a mistake in selecting America as a land of freedom, a mistake I cannot repair in the balance of my lifetime.” – Albert Einstein.
Or:
“If you tremble indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine.” – Ernesto “Che” Guevara.
And this:
“The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right.” – William Safire.
Then, of course:
“You have zero privacy anyway. Get over it.” – Scott McNealy, CEO, Sun Microsystems.
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration (NevOn via Politech)…
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration (NevOn via Politech)…
Department of Homeland Stupidity
As you’ve probably heard, blogger Jeremy Wright was strip-searched, threatened with jail time, and ultimately prevented from entering the US (and flagged should he ever try to enter again) because DHS didn’t believe he could write a weblog for a living…
TSA strikes again: you can’t make a call without a phone number
(this one comes via Neville Hobson , via Declan McCullagh ) The flap over the TSA screener who denied Canadian blogger Jeremy Wright entrance into the US
The questions Jeremy Wright was asked sound “invented” to me. What I wonder is if the INS police have quotas. It looks to me like Mr. Wright was arbitrarily selected for harassment in order to meet a rejection quota. That is the kind of interrogation that DIs in boot camp pull on a raw recruit whom they mean to harass. Perhaps they were hoping for a display of anger from him so that they could jail him and confiscate his possessions.
I realize that most commenters think it is technological ignorance on the part of the INS police. But if they have quotas to meet technical education isn’t going to help.
This is something that from the US side Congress needs to take up with the Administration, and Mr. Wright should take up with his MP for government to government resolution.
Brain Donors Of US Immigration
Canadian blogger Jeremy Wright was detained and interrogated by US Immigration when he arrived in New York last week for a meeting with a media company to discuss a business opportunity in the area of blogging. It appears that the…
Brain Donors Of US Immigration
Canadian blogger Jeremy Wright was detained and interrogated by US Immigration when he arrived in New York last week for a meeting with a media company to discuss a business opportunity in the area of blogging. It appears that the…
Blogger denied entry by DHS – “Blogging ain’t a job”
Blogger Jeremy Wright was denied entry to the United States and was strip searched by the US Department of Homeland Security. One of the reasons for the suspicion was that the officer didn’t believe blogging was a profession. “Blogging ain’t…
Immigration Keeps Close Eye on the Border
US Immigration prevents a blogger (Jeremy Wright) from entering the US….
John, interesting point. From reading Jeremy’s ‘end of the story post,’ it looks like it was one individual immigration person who was the catalyst for Jeremy’s disgraceful treatment.
If that’s the case, then I would imagine the individual concerned is doing something else now.
This kind of thing happens elsewhere, too, not just in the US. Over-zealous customs or immigration people. Or just plain nasty people.
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration
Via Declan McCullagh’s politech list, William Knowles writes: This sounds like an unbelievable story, but it happened to Canadian blogger Jeremy Wright last week. As already reported on quite a few blogs, Jeremy was detained and interrogated by US Immi…
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration
Via Declan McCullagh’s politech list, William Knowles writes: This sounds like an unbelievable story, but it happened to Canadian blogger Jeremy Wright last week. As already reported on quite a few blogs, Jeremy was detained and interrogated by US Immi…
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration
Via Declan McCullagh’s politech list, William Knowles writes: This sounds like an unbelievable story, but it happened to Canadian blogger Jeremy Wright last week. As already reported on quite a few blogs, Jeremy was detained and interrogated by US Immi…
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration
Via Declan McCullagh’s politech list, William Knowles writes about a Canadian blogger who reports having been harassed and strip-searched by US immigration officials when he told them his profession was “blogger.” Snip: This sounds like an unbelievable…
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration
Via Declan McCullagh’s politech list: William Knowles writes about a Canadian blogger who claims he was harassed and strip-searched by US immigration officials after he told them his profession was “blogger.” Snip: This sounds like an unbelievable stor…
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration
Via Declan McCullagh’s politech list: William Knowles writes about a Canadian blogger who claims he was harassed and strip-searched by US immigration officials when he told them his profession was “blogger.” Snip: This sounds like an unbelievable story…
Yes, customs people are dicks. I spent 3 hours in Canadian immigration once. On my way to meeting a friend, I made the mistake of being honest and stating what my true purpose was, which was followed with “how did you meet her?”.. “The internet” I said, “but this isn’t the first time I’ve been with her, and we’ve been friends for years”. I was directed to the baggage search area and had all of my things sprawled across a table. They searched my person, looked in my wallet and asked “Do you have skin problems?” after seeing a dermatologist’s card. Asked me if I was in a gang when they found a red scarf (We’re talking 145lb nerd here).. they ran criminal record checks on me, coming back with “How many fingers do you have?”… Fantastic
Bloggers not allowed
The worrying tale of a blogger strip-searched and then barred from entering the United States because the guy on the border didn’t believe he could make a living from the internet.
Don’t say ‘blogger’ to US Immigration
Xeni Jardin: Via Declan McCullagh’s politech list: William Knowles writes about a Canadian blogger who claims he was harassed and strip-searched by US immigration officials when he told them his profession was “blogger.” Snip: This sounds like an unbe…
troglodata troglodyte
Canadian blogger Jeremy Wright was invited to New York to discuss online business opportunities. There he collided with an immigration official who didn’t believe he could make a living from blogging. For some reason this led to a two hour…
Bloggers are Journalists: The Down Side
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the Apple v. Does case and have already written a few posts and will be writing more in the future. I’m not a big fan of the “are bloggers journalists?” debate, particularly…
Bloggers are Journalists: The Down Side
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the Apple v. Does case and have already written a few posts and will be writing more in the future. I’m not a big fan of the “are bloggers journalists?” debate, particularly…
Blogger Meets Love Glove
This is just absolute craziness…
Blogger Meets Love Glove
This is just absolute craziness…
Bloggers are Journalists: The Down Side
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the Apple v. Does case and have already written a few posts and will be writing more in the future. I’m not a big fan of the “are bloggers journalists?” debate, particularly…
“(class action suit by Candians for Candians in COO/OASA)” A bunch of people at a private gathering wondered how much interest their would be in a taxpayers class action suit to recover the money that we had overpayed into the EI fund and was taken by the Canadian government. We would sue for that money to be repaid into the CPP/OAS for the current receipents as a raise in funding, this was taken by the L:iberal Government without our permission and under unlawful pretext
THE TRUTH:
All immigration is not equal. The European stock that arrived on the shores of America and built this country was reared by Western Values: advance through higher education, work hard, advance ones self, build a grand society, fear God. Thus the rise of the United States of American began.
Immigration: From 1920 to 1964 the United States of America had a near zero immigration policy. America did however still let people of European stock enter the United States and apply for citizenship. In 1920 for instance we specifically banned all immigration from Asia, less Japan, because too many Asians were coming to America as the U.S. Congress stated. America has enjoyed long periods of very little immigration where the assimilation process was allowed to work its magic.
1964 CHANGED AMERICA FOR GOOD: The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1964 changed the face of America forever. This act was signed by President Johnson and was drafted by a very liberal congress. It stated that America would no longer allow a bias toward the European Immigrant. That is, no favoratism would be made toward people built of European stock. You can find this act by running a search on Google.com. The discussions are legendary and the usual suspects are all over it. Ted Kennedy was his usual and of course voted in favor of this act. Anyone who still thinks women are not as smart as men really needs to read this. A wonderful female analyst argued with all the passion God gave her in opposition to this Act. I often wonder where she is today and how she feels about this cultural destruction we have been watching take place in America since 1964.
AMERICA IN 2005:
Today the United States of America is facing a cultural crisis. We have a huge number on uneducated, unskilled people pouring into our country from Mexico. This huge influx of people is creating a country within a country. The racial, cultural, and language differences of the Mexican people, combined with their huge numbers have created a situation where by they do not need to assimilate. It is as if they are simply extending the size of Mexico by simply breeding and moving north. The Mexican government actually encourages and promotes this exercise.
WHAT MUST BE DONE:
We must seal the border with Mexico. We must drive all illegal Mexicans out of the United States of America. Further, we must be prepared to strip every Mexican/American of their citizenship. This will not be an easy task. First, they will burn much of Southern California when we force the illegals to leave. Huge protest rallies will rise up all over the West. It will be very ugly. NAFTA will be cancelled in this process as well. The United States Military will be placed on the border. The Mexicans who have U.S. Citizenship will turn against America in droves. This should be met with a stripping of their U.S. Citizenship. When will what I am suggesting happen, if ever? The seeds have been planted for this kind of final confrontation, but it is decades away. The Mexicans will only have themselves to blame when this happens. Groups like La Raza want Mexico to take back, through their massive birth rate and migration north, control of the west. La Raza holds summer camps where it teaches young Mexican /Americans that California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas belongs to them. Thus, when they reach for empire and are driven from this land, they will only have to blame themselves for being thrown from America. We will not be controlled by these people forever. Our culture and way of life will not be ruined by these un-American savages who hate the white man and do not assimilate because of their hatred and racism against whites. It should be noted that I am often called a racist. The truth is, I am in favor of immigration from all parts of the world except Mexico . No other group that comes to this country dreams of taking it back, killing whites in the process, and destroying America. END ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION NOW OR FACE WAR DECADES FROM NOW.
Wow, what a rant, Ames!
I don’t see what any of that has to do with the post. But you’re entitled to your opinion. 1st amendment, etc, I guess.
Anyone who thinks illegal immigration from Mexico is good for American progress is complete moron. We are creating generational poverty because of this take-over. America will not be a sound country in 50 years. You must have a massive majority polulation of the same race, creed, religion, language and culture to succeed. You cannot have a massively mult-racial society and think you will propser culturally or economically. Japan, South Korea, China, Denmark agree with me. Even Holland is pulling their head out. If you were starting a county from scratch would you want it to be 30 % x, 20% y, 15 % z, 35 % w? I doubt it…You would spend all of your time fighting to the death…..
I told you this would happen. Traitor Mexicans with American citizenship attack a Minuteman support rally. Read this and just wait another 5 decades when the western USA is Mexican run. Can you say the end of a 50 state union? It will happen if the US Government does not wake up. When will people listen?? YOU CANNOT CREATE A NATION WITHIN A NATION AND HAVE EVERYTHING WORK OUT JUST FINE!!!!!
May 26, 2005
latimes.com : California
E-mail story  Print  Most E-Mailed
Violence Erupts at O.C. Protest
Crowd gets rough and police swarm in after a Minuteman event in Garden Grove.
By Monte Morin and David Reyes, Times Staff Writers
Three people were injured and at least eight arrested Wednesday in Garden Grove after a motorist drove into a crowd of 300 demonstrators protesting a speech by the founder of the Minuteman Project, authorities said.
The Minuteman Project is a citizens group that patrols the U.S.-Mexico border in an effort to stop illegal immigration.
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The demonstrators had gathered at the Women’s Civic Club of Garden Grove on Chapman Avenue about 7:30 p.m. to protest an appearance by James Gilchrist, charging that he and his group were racist.
Gilchrist has denied those claims and insists the group is stopping only illegal immigration. His talk was sponsored by Citizens for Action Now, an anti-illegal immigration group.
The motorist had attended Gilchrist’s speech and was leaving when protesters began hitting his van with placards and other objects, said Garden Grove Police Lt. David Kivler. The driver, who was not identified but spoke to a KCAL-TV Channel 9 reporter, said he gunned his car engine to get away from the crowd. The man was arrested.
Authorities said the incident occurred when 100 listeners attempted to leave through the crowd of demonstrators. Kivler said protesters gathered around one of their cars.
“They surrounded it and started beating on it,” Kivler said. Then, a second car tried to get through the crowd as well.
“As he was doing so he hit at least three people,” Kivler said. All three were transported to a local hospital. None had major injuries, he said.
Kivler said the crowd grew increasingly boisterous after the injuries.
He said protesters began throwing filled soda cans at the assembled Garden Grove, Anaheim and CHP officers. At least eight people were arrested on suspicion of felony assault, while others were booked for disturbing the peace.
A witness, Eric Garcia, 22, of Anaheim said the evening turned ugly about 9 p.m. after the talk.
He said some protesters were in a driveway when someone in a car tried to leave and made contact with the group. “Then all hell broke loose,” Garcia said. “People started throwing things, like rocks and bricks and stuff.”
Within minutes, he said, there were about 30 police cars, and dozens of officers on horseback or wearing SWAT gear.
Protester Jose Gonzales, 27, a graduate student at UCLA, said he noticed dozens of additional police officers, some of them on horseback, arriving on the scene. He said they began making arrests and dispersing the crowd, which had been marching in front of the building where Gilchrist was speaking.
“When the meeting let out … police dragged people, men and women,” Gonzales said. “There were men and women and children running away…. I ran. I lost my shoe.”
By 10 p.m. police ordered the crowd to disperse, saying they were part of an unlawful assembly. If they refused, police said, they would be arrested. Within half an hour, the streets were nearly empty of protesters.
Ok, so enough. Ten days since the last xenophobia rant, time to close this off now. I decided to leave all this stuff here rather than delete it, mainly because I’ve not yet deleted any comment from this blog. But if anyone takes major offence to anything posted here, just email me and let me know.