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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDetails of my CBP Detention at JFK Int. Airport
Source: Hassan Aden
After spending a lovely weekend in Paris celebrating my moms 80th birthday, I happily boarded my flight to return to the United States-something I have done countless times for 42 years after becoming a U.S. citizen. I had an enjoyable flight to New Yorks JFK International Airport. On all of my prior trips, I was greeted by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers with a warm smile and the usual, Welcome home sir. Not this time. I approached CBP Officer Chow who didnt say anything when I handed him my passport and looked at me with a gruff expression and simply stated, are you traveling alone?, I knew this was a sign of trouble, I answered yes, he then said, Lets take a walk.
<snip>
As I sat in the CBP detention center, numerous, at least 25, foreign nationals were also brought in and quickly released, their detentions were reasonable and appropriate, maybe 5 or so minutes while their passports were checked. I pointed out the irony of this fact to the CBP officer that was attempting to clear me for entry. I told him, as he avoided eye contact, how wrong this scenario was that the only US citizen, career US police officer and chief of police, out of the group of detainees, was the one with the longest unreasonable detention- I was held for an hour and a half. I asked several times, how long of a detention do you consider to be reasonable?, the answer I was given by CBP Officer Chow was that I was not being detained-he said that with a straight face. I then replied, But Im not free to leave-how is that not a detention? I was in a room with no access to my mobile phone to communicate with my wife and family about what was happening, my movements were restricted to a chair and they had my passport and he had the audacity to tell me I was not being detained. His ignorance of the law and the Fourth Amendment should disqualify him from being able to wear a CBP badge - but maybe fear and detention is the new mission of the CBP and the Constitution is a mere suggestion. I certainly was not free to leave. As former law enforcement, believe me, I agree that if certain criteria is met, a reasonable investigative detention is not inappropriate-the key here being reasonable.
<snip>
I spent nearly 30 years serving the public in law enforcement. Since I retired as the Chief of Police in Greenville, NC, I founded a successful consulting firm that is involved in virtually every aspect of police and criminal justice reform. I interface with high level U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Court officials almost daily. Prior to this administration, I frequently attended meetings at the White House and advised on national police policy reforms-all that to say that If this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone with attributes that can be profiled. No one is safe from this type of unlawful government intrusion.
<snip>
This experience has left me feeling vulnerable and unsure of the future of a country that was once great and that I proudly called my own. This experience makes me question if this is indeed home. My freedoms were restricted, and I cannot be sure it wont happen again, and that it wont happen to my family, my children, the next time we travel abroad. This country now feels cold, unwelcoming, and in the beginning stages of a country that is isolating itself from the rest of the world - and its own people - in an unprecedented fashion. High levels of hate and injustice have been felt in vulnerable communities for decades-it is now hitting the rest of America.
<snip>
As I sat in the CBP detention center, numerous, at least 25, foreign nationals were also brought in and quickly released, their detentions were reasonable and appropriate, maybe 5 or so minutes while their passports were checked. I pointed out the irony of this fact to the CBP officer that was attempting to clear me for entry. I told him, as he avoided eye contact, how wrong this scenario was that the only US citizen, career US police officer and chief of police, out of the group of detainees, was the one with the longest unreasonable detention- I was held for an hour and a half. I asked several times, how long of a detention do you consider to be reasonable?, the answer I was given by CBP Officer Chow was that I was not being detained-he said that with a straight face. I then replied, But Im not free to leave-how is that not a detention? I was in a room with no access to my mobile phone to communicate with my wife and family about what was happening, my movements were restricted to a chair and they had my passport and he had the audacity to tell me I was not being detained. His ignorance of the law and the Fourth Amendment should disqualify him from being able to wear a CBP badge - but maybe fear and detention is the new mission of the CBP and the Constitution is a mere suggestion. I certainly was not free to leave. As former law enforcement, believe me, I agree that if certain criteria is met, a reasonable investigative detention is not inappropriate-the key here being reasonable.
<snip>
I spent nearly 30 years serving the public in law enforcement. Since I retired as the Chief of Police in Greenville, NC, I founded a successful consulting firm that is involved in virtually every aspect of police and criminal justice reform. I interface with high level U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Court officials almost daily. Prior to this administration, I frequently attended meetings at the White House and advised on national police policy reforms-all that to say that If this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone with attributes that can be profiled. No one is safe from this type of unlawful government intrusion.
<snip>
This experience has left me feeling vulnerable and unsure of the future of a country that was once great and that I proudly called my own. This experience makes me question if this is indeed home. My freedoms were restricted, and I cannot be sure it wont happen again, and that it wont happen to my family, my children, the next time we travel abroad. This country now feels cold, unwelcoming, and in the beginning stages of a country that is isolating itself from the rest of the world - and its own people - in an unprecedented fashion. High levels of hate and injustice have been felt in vulnerable communities for decades-it is now hitting the rest of America.
Read more: https://www.facebook.com/aden1312/posts/10155813550429298
I initially found the story on Slate: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/03/19/retired_north_carolina_police_chief_hassan_aden_detained_at_jfk_airport.html
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Details of my CBP Detention at JFK Int. Airport (Original Post)
demmiblue
Mar 2017
OP
demmiblue
(36,903 posts)1. RawStory has picked this up, also:
lindysalsagal
(20,747 posts)2. Gestapo quote: Up is down, red is blue, you're not being detained...
And will they get away with this? I hope he hires a dozen lawyers. This is why i joined the aclu.
mountain grammy
(26,658 posts)3. The day is coming, I fear.
When people "being detained" will simply never re-appear..
calimary
(81,527 posts)4. I fear that, too, mountain grammy.
We saw not long ago that there are more beds being recommended for the "detention centers" already in existence. From 3500 to 20-THOUSAND.
FairWinds
(1,717 posts)5. Folks, this is how you do it . .
give sources for your posts, including dates, and
check for accuracy . .
BEFORE YOU POST !!
Thanks Demmiblue !
Kablooie
(18,641 posts)6. First they came for the...
You can finish the poem yourself.
FailureToCommunicate
(14,026 posts)7. RepubliCon Amerikkka