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 含羞草研究社� who said he or she personally interrogated a number of U.S. citizens with Iranian background at the border that weekend 含羞草研究社� said the 含羞草研究社渟ole reason含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社渄oes not discriminate based on religion, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.含羞草研究社�
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.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a total cover up,含羞草研究社� 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 whistleblower含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社淧ersian-looking people含羞草研究社� patiently waiting.
含羞草研究社淚 asked one of the officers, I含羞草研究社檓 like, 含羞草研究社榳hat含羞草研究社檚 going on here?含羞草研究社� And he goes, 含羞草研究社榚very single Iranian born applicant is being sent inside for (extra) vetting.含羞草研究社�
Contacted Monday, CBP wrote in an email that they 含羞草研究社渄on含羞草研究社檛 have anything to add含羞草研究社� to their previous statement.
含羞草研究社淣ow you have a whistleblower who basically gives a detailed account of what happened and for them to still deny it, I含羞草研究社檓 shocked,含羞草研究社� Saunders said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 shocked at the unethical behaviour of the U.S. government, and what含羞草研究社檚 preventing (it) from happening again?含羞草研究社�
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