Airport Security in Detroit creates 'international incident'

[Canadian Visitor]

In today's Toronto Star, a discussion about an incident that occurred a while back at Detroit's airport.

A Canadian cabinet minister was asked/ordered to remove his turban.

The details are below:

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...f-protest.html

[Jimaz]

Then there was this:
Ontario woman arrested, jailed in U.S. for driving with a Canadian licence. [[That may have been posted here already.)

Land of the not-so-free, home of the not-so-brave.

[Canadian Visitor]

Then there was this:
Ontario woman arrested, jailed in U.S. for driving with a Canadian licence. [[That may have been posted here already.)

That got publicity in the UK and around much of the world.

The local Sheriff was called on the carpet by the consul general in Georgia.

In looking at their response [[the Sheriff) it appears they still don't get what they did wrong.

Jailing someone for 17 over, when they had a legally valid license no less.

Even if she hadn't, I can't imagine someone being jailed for driving w/o a license in Canada. You get one hell of a ticket, your car might be impounded [[though you'd likely get the chance to call someone to pick it up).

[JBMcB]

Jailing someone for 17 over, when they had a legally valid license no less.

The problem was that she said that she lived in Tennessee. If you live in Tennessee then you need a Tennessee driver's license, or some kind of proof that you live there. A Canadian license is meaningless in that case.

Not sure why she said that, maybe she was out of sorts after being pulled over. Maybe the officer misheard her. Who knows. But she certainly wasn't jailed *only* for having a Canadian driver's license.

Besides which - who on earth goes 17MPH over the speed limit in a foreign country? 87MPH on I-75 in Georgia with Canadian plates? Are you nuts? I don't go over 80MPH on I75 in Michigan, which is only 5 over, and I live here.

[Canadian Visitor]

The problem was that she said that she lived in Tennessee. If you live in Tennessee then you need a Tennessee driver's license, or some kind of proof that you live there. A Canadian license is meaningless in that case.

Not sure why she said that, maybe she was out of sorts after being pulled over. Maybe the officer misheard her. Who knows. But she certainly wasn't jailed *only* for having a Canadian driver's license.

Besides which - who on earth goes 17MPH over the speed limit in a foreign country? 87MPH on I-75 in Georgia with Canadian plates? Are you nuts? I don't go over 80MPH on I75 in Michigan, which is only 5 over, and I live here.

There were multiple issues here.

but her requests to speak to the Canadian Consulate or her parents went unanswered.

That is serious violation of international law.**As to the original issue. According to the Georgia Department of Driver Services website, "non-U.S. citizens holding a valid foreign driver's licence are allowed to drive in the state of Georgia."

What she stated was that she a student in Tennessee. That does not obligate her to obtain a Tennessee License. She may obtain such a license. But her Canadian license was valid there.


***

Apart from those 2 rather glaring issues, this remains an unreasonable arrest. You don't arrest people for driving w/o a license, you ticket them, and prevent them from driving their car away.

However, as noted, her license was valid under Georgia law.

[Bham1982]

Why are so many Americans scared to death of foreigners right now? It's bizarre how millions have been conned.

Border patrol and airport security have always been bad [[and not only in the U.S., I've seen some stupid stuff in Canada and Western Europe too), but it seems the idiocy has really ramped up in recent years. Gee, I wonder why...

[Richard]

There were multiple issues here.

but her requests to speak to the Canadian Consulate or her parents went unanswered.

That is serious violation of international law.**As to the original issue. According to the Georgia Department of Driver Services website, "non-U.S. citizens holding a valid foreign driver's licence are allowed to drive in the state of Georgia."

What she stated was that she a student in Tennessee. That does not obligate her to obtain a Tennessee License. She may obtain such a license. But her Canadian license was valid there.


***

Apart from those 2 rather glaring issues, this remains an unreasonable arrest. You don't arrest people for driving w/o a license, you ticket them, and prevent them from driving their car away.

However, as noted, her license was valid under Georgia law.

You wrote that she may obtain such a license but the state of Tennessee disagrees with you.

Anyone who is not a U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident will not qualify for the issuance of a driver license or identification only license.

https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services/classd.html

Every state has different rules and it is the responsibility of the traveler to know those rules for each state before traveling.

Yes some states will arrest you for driving with no license and actually have a law about it,something about you must be leagly licensed to operate a motor vehicle on public roads.Oddly enough when you break that law they arrest you,go figure.

My friend uses his U.K. Passport and British license and has never had any problems in the country when getting pulled over,he shows his proper documents and they send him on his way.

From the provided link

In the meantime, he has some advice for Canadian drivers.
"Make sure that you have your passport or supporting documents along with your driver's licence," said Bennett. "I know I would if I was in a foreign country."
Know the law


It is Georgia,everybody should know that if your are driving on I-75 without Georgia plates or DWB you need to make shure you have your ducks in a row and follow the law to the t,turn signals when changing lanes,do not speed like she was and give people a reason to pull you over.

Unless you are going through downtown Atlanta,then if you are not comfortable doing 90 then it is better to stick to the side streets.

[iheartthed]

The problem was that she said that she lived in Tennessee. If you live in Tennessee then you need a Tennessee driver's license, or some kind of proof that you live there. A Canadian license is meaningless in that case.

Not sure why she said that, maybe she was out of sorts after being pulled over. Maybe the officer misheard her. Who knows. But she certainly wasn't jailed *only* for having a Canadian driver's license.

Besides which - who on earth goes 17MPH over the speed limit in a foreign country? 87MPH on I-75 in Georgia with Canadian plates? Are you nuts? I don't go over 80MPH on I75 in Michigan, which is only 5 over, and I live here.

I'm not sure how long she lived in TN, but foreign licenses are generally good for driving in the U.S. anywhere from 6 months to a year. Since she is a student, she also may not have been required to get a TN license at all, since she is probably not considered a full-time resident.

There was no reason for the officer to arrest her, which is why the case was dismissed. The officer should probably have been reprimanded because s/he also most likely did not have the authority to request her passport.

[Canadian Visitor]

I'm not sure how long she lived in TN, but foreign licenses are generally good for driving in the U.S. anywhere from 6 months to a year. Since she is a student, she also may not have been required to get a TN license at all, since she is probably not considered a full-time resident.

There was no reason for the officer to arrest her, which is why the case was dismissed. The officer should probably have been reprimanded because s/he also most likely did not have the authority to request her passport.

I always enjoy your posts.

Nice to see thoughtful people who make measured statements on here.

Cheers!

[Meddle]

Besides which - who on earth goes 17MPH over the speed limit in a foreign country? 87MPH on I-75 in Georgia with Canadian plates? Are you nuts?

You've never driven I-75 in Georgia, have you? If you're not running 15 over, you're not only obstructing traffic, you're probably causing a serious traffic jam.

That was the only state on my runs from MI to FL that I routinely had to increase speed just to be safe.

[Honky Tonk]

You've never driven I-75 in Georgia, have you? If you're not running 15 over, you're not only obstructing traffic, you're probably causing a serious traffic jam.

That was the only state on my runs from MI to FL that I routinely had to increase speed just to be safe.

"Bullshit..."

[Honky Tonk]

In today's Toronto Star, a discussion about an incident that occurred a while back at Detroit's airport.

A Canadian cabinet minister was asked/ordered to remove his turban.

The details are below:

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...f-protest.html

"never pulled out his diplomatic passport except at the very end, when a security supervisor demanded that he show official documents to confirm his identity"

I guess they didn't know WTF he was....

[Canadian Visitor]

"never pulled out his diplomatic passport except at the very end, when a security supervisor demanded that he show official documents to confirm his identity"

I guess they didn't know WTF he was....

Not until the end.

He says in the article he wants to be treated like an ordinary traveler so he knows what everyone else goes through.

He pulled out his papers when they demanded them.

He pointed out that that what they did wrong was treat anyone that way.

[Honky Tonk]

He says in the article he wants to be treated like an ordinary traveler so he knows what everyone else goes through.

He pulled out his papers when they demanded them.

He pointed out that that what they did wrong was treat anyone that way.

And now he does.

So the agent says "Let me see your papers to see if you're a dignitary?" I'm sure Mr. Bains brought his position up in an attempt to get the agents to back down after he pissed them off.

And yet hundreds of people are detained @ Airport security centers daily, mutter something about the guy's mother under their breath, and move on.

[Canadian Visitor]

And now he does.

So the agent says "Let me see your papers to see if you're a dignitary?" I'm sure Mr. Bains brought his position up in an attempt to get the agents to back down after he pissed them off.

And yet hundreds of people are detained @ Airport security centers daily, mutter something about the guy's mother under their breath, and move on.

He told me: ‘You have to take off your turban.’ I responded politely that it was not a security threat and that I had passed all the security controls. Then he asked for my name and identification. I reluctantly gave him my diplomatic passport.”

He was traveling on official duty having met your governor, he provided his diplomatic passport, the one on which he was traveling when his identification was demanded.

Please read the article fully and properly.

[Honky Tonk]

Please read the article fully and properly.

Please get the agent's side of the story, also, please look up passive-aggressive.

[EastsideAl]

I know Canadians, including some of my family members, who will go out of their way not to fly through Detroit because the TSA and Customs agents here are such jerks.

[Richard]

It is called a discussion,you want to call it an argument if others do not agree with you,stop being such a pompous ass.

If she had the correct documents,Canadian drivers license and passport like everybody else does,it would have not been an issiue from the start.

So who's fault was it that she could not properly identify herself?

[iheartthed]

I entered the country through DTW back in December and was a little surprised at some of the conversations I could hear the customs agents having while standing in line. It was unprofessional to say the least, and some may have interpreted what they were discussing as racist. I've come across quite a few jerk customs agents at entry points across the country, but that was a first.

[Bham1982]

I entered the country through DTW back in December and was a little surprised at some of the conversations I could hear the customs agents having while standing in line. It was unprofessional to say the least, and some may have interpreted what they were discussing as racist. I've come across quite a few jerk customs agents at entry points across the country, but that was a first.

In three separate incidents, I've heard outrageously racist comments from border patrol agents or airport security. Like white supremacist-level awful.

And the three incidents were directed at three separate groups: Mexicans, Muslims and [[bizarrely) German nationals.

[Richard]

I-75 is the drug and money conduit and that erea where she was at is a well known and published as a trap for stops and cash seizures,illegal or not.

DWB used to be the main target so orgainizers switched to useing white girls to run pills to Tennessee,which is kinda the distribution point.

She was speeding,most likely profiled and gave them a reason to pull her over,she presented her IDs in picture form on the phone.

She is an educated grad student,anybody knows that a picture on a phone is no substitute for a license or official document,Everybody knows the first thing that LEO is going to ask you for is your license and registration,if your going on a trip the first thing most do is make sure they have their documents.

If you are not operating a motor vehicle you are not required to have an ID on you but you are required to properly ID yourself when asked by LEO,if you do not or can not you can be subject to arrest so they can ID you.

We can go by what is printed and do not know the whole story but nowhere does she say or accept any responsibility on her side for not haveing the proper documents that she was well aware that she was required to have.

Did she get belligerent with the officer which guaranteed her a trip?

For years thousands of Canadians make that drive in the fall and back in the spring but yet we see one case,is there more? You would think we would have heard about it.

But yet here we are supporting and justifying yet another case of lack of personal responsibility and blaming it on everybody else,with the newspaper starting out with a woman from Quebec and adding that she was a grad student that has been in the country for several years,long enough to know what the deal is,as an afterthought.

[Canadian Visitor]

I-75 is the drug and money conduit and that erea where she was at is a well known and published as a trap for stops and cash seizures,illegal or not.

DWB used to be the main target so orgainizers switched to useing white girls to run pills to Tennessee,which is kinda the distribution point.

She was speeding,most likely profiled and gave them a reason to pull her over,she presented her IDs in picture form on the phone.

She is an educated grad student,anybody knows that a picture on a phone is no substitute for a license or official document,Everybody knows the first thing that LEO is going to ask you for is your license and registration,if your going on a trip the first thing most do is make sure they have their documents.

If you are not operating a motor vehicle you are not required to have an ID on you but you are required to properly ID yourself when asked by LEO,if you do not or can not you can be subject to arrest so they can ID you.

We can go by what is printed and do not know the whole story but nowhere does she say or accept any responsibility on her side for not haveing the proper documents that she was well aware that she was required to have.

Did she get belligerent with the officer which guaranteed her a trip?

For years thousands of Canadians make that drive in the fall and back in the spring but yet we see one case,is there more? You would think we would have heard about it.

But yet here we are supporting and justifying yet another case of lack of personal responsibility and blaming it on everybody else,with the newspaper starting out with a woman from Quebec and adding that she was a grad student that has been in the country for several years,long enough to know what the deal is,as an afterthought.

First off, she had her physical license on her, it was her passport that she had the picture of on her phone.

Second, the officer was capable of verifying her ID w/the on-board computer in the cruiser.

Third the onus is NOT on a civillian to prove they have done nothing wrong.

The onus is on the officer to prove they have.

Arresting someone is legally sanctioned kidnapping [[definition, to compel someone to go somewhere against their will) and jailing them is 'forcible confinement' . We allow officers the privilege of such power, so that they can detain those who ARE criminals and whose crimes are sufficiently serious they merit the heavy handed use of the law.

Even if she was guilty [[which everyone concedes she was not) arrest and jail was inherently unreasonable to the offense.

Where's the personal, nay, professional responsibility of the officer? Clearly there was none.

I would favour jailing the officer for the offense of false arrest and unlawful detention. I'd settle for the officer being fired.

Police are useless when they cause the citizens they are charged with protecting more fear than the criminals do.

Lastly, you have no basis for your suggestion she gave lip to the officer [[which would not excuse the officer's conduct at all) no such allegation has been made against her by the police, who concede they were in the wrong.

Now, I'm going to be pompous ass and tell you to be quiet. Your ignorance is obnoxious and your defense of unprofessional and illegal conduct by cops unforgivable.

[Richard]

First off, she had her physical license on her, it was her passport that she had the picture of on her phone.

Second, the officer was capable of verifying her ID w/the on-board computer in the cruiser.

Third the onus is NOT on a civillian to prove they have done nothing wrong.

The onus is on the officer to prove they have.

Arresting someone is legally sanctioned kidnapping [[definition, to compel someone to go somewhere against their will) and jailing them is 'forcible confinement' . We allow officers the privilege of such power, so that they can detain those who ARE criminals and whose crimes are sufficiently serious they merit the heavy handed use of the law.

Even if she was guilty [[which everyone concedes she was not) arrest and jail was inherently unreasonable to the offense.

Where's the personal, nay, professional responsibility of the officer? Clearly there was none.

I would favour jailing the officer for the offense of false arrest and unlawful detention. I'd settle for the officer being fired.

Police are useless when they cause the citizens they are charged with protecting more fear than the criminals do.

Lastly, you have no basis for your suggestion she gave lip to the officer [[which would not excuse the officer's conduct at all) no such allegation has been made against her by the police, who concede they were in the wrong.

Now, I'm going to be pompous ass and tell you to be quiet. Your ignorance is obnoxious and your defense of unprofessional and illegal conduct by cops unforgivable.

You must be related to her,you both think the world was placed here for your benefit,my guess is that she responded just like you did and that is why she got arrested.

She had her drivers license,big deal,Anybody can fake a foreign drivers license because the cop on the side of the road is not connected to the Canadian database to confirm.

So the law is you must have your drivers license of your country along with your passport so they can be used to validate each other.

But here you are alongside of her saying,hey I do not need to follow the law and this is what I have and it should be good enough for you.

She got a reality check and the only reason she got a pass now is because she cried on the Internet instead of accepting responsibility for her actions,the state gave her a pass because it was not worth the publicity and probably figured she embarrassed herself enough in front of the world.

It is not complicated,the law is drivers license with passport,not either or and not what you feel you should have to present.

10s of thousands of your fellow Canadians travel and have no problem following that law but as they say,there is always somebody.

Your law is clear,Americans with felonies cannot pass the border,you can enforce your laws but cry when we enforce ours.

Please feel free not to respond,nobody cares what you favor.

[Canadian Visitor]

Y

She had her drivers license,big deal,Anybody can fake a foreign drivers license because the cop on the side of the road is not connected to the Canadian database to confirm.

Wrong, as ever.

Canadian licenses ARE in the U.S database. Look it up.

Sigh.

You are so profoundly lazy, you make statement after statement as if you know something when you know nothing.

Hush!

Your law is clear,Americans with felonies cannot pass the border,you can enforce your laws but cry when we enforce ours.

I don't recall crying. Nor do I think the United States should feel obliged to allow those convicted of indictable offences [[equiv. to felonies) into to your country.

That of course, was never at issue.

The officer's conduct was illegal, under U.S. Law, and under Georgia law, as was verified by a U.S. judge who not only dismissed the charges but ordered her arrest expunged.

Americans and Canadians are agree, when Richard speaks, something wrong is being said.

[iheartthed]

So the law is you must have your drivers license of your country along with your passport so they can be used to validate each other.

This is not true. A Canadian citizen is not required to carry a passport in Georgia while driving. From the Georgia Department of Driver Services:

Non-US citizens holding a valid foreign driver’s license are allowed to drive in the state of Georgia for tourism or business purposes. In the case of a driver license issued by the driver's licensing authority of a foreign country, a law officer may consult such person's passport or visa to verify the validity of such license, if available.

Emphasized the important part of the passport being "available." The officer may request a passport to be presented, but it is apparently not an arrest-able offense or else the Georgia DOT would explicitly state that it is mandatory.

The passport also does not hold any information that would verify the validity of a drivers license. If fact, there is nothing on the two documents that would connect them to each other, besides the name of the holder. The only reason I can think of why an officer would need to use a passport to verify a driver's license is if the driver's license is printed in a language other than English. This wouldn't be an issue for a Canadian drivers license, obviously.

Think of this situation. A U.S. citizen moves to Canada and obtains a Canadian driver's license but retains U.S. citizenship. That person then drives into the U.S. and gets pulled over in the U.S. on the Canadian license. What good would presenting a U.S. passport do for validating this U.S. citizen's Canadian drivers license?

Since local police do not enforce immigration and border control, I do not see what other reason a local police officer would have for looking checking a passport.