U.S.-Canada border could get security upgrades

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http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...urity-upgrades

Look, I'm all hip to keeping illegals and terrorists out, but any more security at the Detroit-Windsor crossing and it might as well be an impregnable wall. Seriously, 99.999% of the people who travel between Detroit and Windsor are engaged in legitimate activities, i.e. work, school, entertainment, vacationing, etc.

My girlfriend and I recently got Enhanced Drivers Licenses, which double as passports to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean nations. We have been taking the Tunnel Bus across to Windsor so we can go to dinner and have a few drinks at some different places. Sometimes we'll stop off at the casino.

Personally, I've always thought of Windsor as a borough of Detroit, sort of like the relationship between Brooklyn and Manhattan. But, I must say that the intensity of crossing the border is a real turn off. I understand that they need to be careful who they let in/out, but sometimes the intense questioning is ridiculous. Going in, they want to know what restaurant we'll be eating at, what cab company we're using, what streets we'll be walking down, how many hours we plan to stay, etc, etc... Hell, I don't know the answers to all those questions! I don't plan my Friday evenings with military-like precision. Coming back, it's the same thing, and I've even seen a few people be detained for actual interrogation.

It's intimidating, that even as a born U.S. citizen, I am worried about being held up for hours, or worse yet, wrongfully accused of something coming home from an innocent night on the town. It's a real deterrent to spending time/money in Windsor. I was quite surprised how quiet it was over there recently compared to years past. The security levels at the border must be putting a damper on travel and commerce. Maybe it's needed. I don't know. I just hope they are reasonable. The economic and cultural relationship between Detroit and Windsor is so important and I'd hate to see it get all messed up because of unnecessary, heavy-handed measures.

Anyone have additional experiences, good or bad?