Should U.S. Border Agents Deny a Canadian Speaker's Entrance into America for Conference?

Townhall.com ^ | November 7, 2015 | Mark Skousen

[Kaslin]

A travesty of justice occurred at this year's New Orleans Investment Conference. One of the speakers, a veteran Canadian investment writer, who has presented at the event almost every year since the 1970s, was denied entrance into the United States because he didn't have a "work permit" to give a speech in America.

When questioned by U.S. immigration officials before taking his flight in Toronto, he was asked about the purpose of his visit to America. The man said, "To give a speech in New Orleans." Then they asked if he would be compensated for the speech, and he said "yes." The U.S. immigration officials at the airport insisted that he needed a "work visa" to be a paid speaker in the United States. Therefore, the Canadian speaker was denied boarding onto the airplane to New Orleans, even though he was traveling first class and had a NEXUS travel card, which identifies card holders at border crossings by having them undergo a retinal recognition scan.

The border patrol also lied to the Canadian speaker, saying that if he voluntarily gave up his seat on the plane, the U.S. authorities would not revoke his U.S. travel card. Even though he agreed to give up his seat, the U.S. authorities sent him an overnight letter revoking his U.S. travel card anyway. He's fighting now to get it back.

Can you believe this travesty? Has anyone ever heard of requiring a foreigner coming into the United States to present a speech to have a work permit? Unbelievable! What is this country coming to? It is scary to see how much arbitrary power U.S. border agents carry.

[Kaslin]

We have enough people that speak Spanish here...we don’t need a person that speaks Canadian too

You know you sound like that arrogant pos occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, who asked "How do you say that in Austrian"?

No aren't you embarrassed? And by the way (btw) they speak English in Canada and French in Montreal

[Kaslin]

Why don't you ask that of Mark Skousen who wrote the article published @ Townhall, instead of the FReeper who posted it? Posters are not responsible for articles' content or omissions. If you really want to know, send a message to Skousen.

Exactly, and that is why I didn't answer the question

[Nevadan]

re: We have enough people that speak Spanish here...we don't need a person that speaks Canadian too

I could be wrong, but I think his comment was tongue-in-cheek.

[spodefly]

He was obviously white ... not enough melanin to get a free pass across the border.

[Kaslin]

I hope so, but than you never know.

[Kaslin]

Darn quit being so nosy. BTW why don't you ask him? If you absolutely have to know because not knowing will give you the fits

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[RCFlyer]

[BobL:] We have enough people that speak Spanish here...we don’t need a person that speaks Canadian too

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[Your response to his comment:] You know you sound like that arrogant pos occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, who asked “How do you say that in Austrian”?

No aren’t you embarrassed? And by the way (btw) they speak English in Canada and French in Montreal

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BobL is making a joke. Why didn’t you politely ask him if it was a joke? Instead you dumped on him, thereby sounding yourself, what you *say* he was doing...being an arrogant and all knowing pos.

[Cyman]

We have enough people that speak Spanish here...we don�€™t need a person that speaks Canadian too.”

There goes my morning coffee.

[bgill]

Yes. He should follow the rules just like everyone els... uh, well, he should follow the rules, period.

[BobL]

Thanks RC. Back in college I ran into an Australian at a party and just happened to be able name all of the states (except one, I think) in his country, same with a South African (only 3 states there, so that wasn’t too hard). Memorizing every Republic in the Soviet Union was a bit more challenging, but me and a friend did just that.

When a person has 20,000 posts here covering just about everything, it’s a pretty safe bet that they know the national languages of Canada, just as I suspect this person knows that Montreal is part of Canada, instead of a separate entity, as implied here:

“...speak English in Canada and French in Montreal”.

But yea, I like to have some fun once in a while, just as Rush has mentioned Hispanic-speaking Americans a number of times...and I know I risk get banged around because of it. It’s worth it.

[Darth Reardon]

They made me get a work permit when I went to Canada to help design a process that would be executed by Canadian citizens (though honestly the design was billable work). Fortunately they processed it right at the border. As the work I was doing was for the Canadian government and I was billing expenses, the fee was a wash.

[RCFlyer]

I smiled at the “Canadian” language comment, as did others here. Glad you “risked” it. You were just like Rush’s Hispanic-American :) Did Kaslin *really* think anyone on FR would take offense?

I posted just because I’m getting tired of media bias and everyone’s “gotcha” (PC) attitude. Seems worse now days with University students shouting down speakers, as if we were Mao’s China.

Surely Kaslin knew what’s up, and if not, does he know he is contributing to the nasty atmosphere in our society? Guess he was just having a bad day; he was sharp with several on his own thread (not the best way to get more posts).

[BobL]

Thanks much! It was all fun. Kaslin is an OUTSTANDING FReeper, posting way more times than I do...I’ll take punishment from contributors like him and 2nd any day of the week.

[Impy]

Ridiculous.