An email from a U.S. Customs Border Protection whistleblower says agents were under a directive to detain and question people of Iranian ethnicity at the Peace Arch crossing earlier this month.
On Jan. 4, at least 60 people of Iranian background were reportedly detained at Peace Arch border for up to 16 hours while heading back to the U.S. from a concert in Vancouver. The detention came shortly after the Iranian government pledged retaliation for the U.S. killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.
In the email obtained by Black Press Media the whistleblower B次元官网网址� who said he or she personally interrogated a number of U.S. citizens with Iranian background at the border that weekend B次元官网网址� said the B次元官网网址渟ole reasonB次元官网网址� that travellers were detained and questioned was due to their national origin.
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In a statement to Black Press issued Jan. 6, CBP said that it B次元官网网址渄oes not discriminate based on religion, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.B次元官网网址�
The statement also said reports that CBP or the Department of Homeland Security issued a directive related to detaining and questioning Iranian-Americans was false.
As soon as the detentions made national news, the operation was suspended, the whistleblower wrote.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a total cover up,B次元官网网址� immigration lawyer Len Saunders said Sunday.
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Saunders was the first to receive the whistleblower email. He said he confirmed the identity of the writer as a CBP employee before forwarding it. The whistleblowerB次元官网网址檚 name was not given to Black Press.
Saunders visited the Peace Arch border in the midst of the mass-detainment on unrelated business on Jan. 4. He said he saw 75 B次元官网网址淧ersian-looking peopleB次元官网网址� patiently waiting.
B次元官网网址淚 asked one of the officers, IB次元官网网址檓 like, B次元官网网址榳hatB次元官网网址檚 going on here?B次元官网网址� And he goes, B次元官网网址榚very single Iranian born applicant is being sent inside for (extra) vetting.B次元官网网址�
Contacted Monday, CBP wrote in an email that they B次元官网网址渄onB次元官网网址檛 have anything to addB次元官网网址� to their previous statement.
B次元官网网址淣ow you have a whistleblower who basically gives a detailed account of what happened and for them to still deny it, IB次元官网网址檓 shocked,B次元官网网址� Saunders said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 shocked at the unethical behaviour of the U.S. government, and whatB次元官网网址檚 preventing (it) from happening again?B次元官网网址�
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