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 乌鸦传媒� who said he or she personally interrogated a number of U.S. citizens with Iranian background at the border that weekend 乌鸦传媒� said the 乌鸦传媒渟ole reason乌鸦传媒� 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 乌鸦传媒渄oes not discriminate based on religion, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.乌鸦传媒�
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.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a total cover up,乌鸦传媒� 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乌鸦传媒檚 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 乌鸦传媒淧ersian-looking people乌鸦传媒� patiently waiting.
乌鸦传媒淚 asked one of the officers, I乌鸦传媒檓 like, 乌鸦传媒榳hat乌鸦传媒檚 going on here?乌鸦传媒� And he goes, 乌鸦传媒榚very single Iranian born applicant is being sent inside for (extra) vetting.乌鸦传媒�
Contacted Monday, CBP wrote in an email that they 乌鸦传媒渄on乌鸦传媒檛 have anything to add乌鸦传媒� to their previous statement.
乌鸦传媒淣ow you have a whistleblower who basically gives a detailed account of what happened and for them to still deny it, I乌鸦传媒檓 shocked,乌鸦传媒� Saunders said. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 shocked at the unethical behaviour of the U.S. government, and what乌鸦传媒檚 preventing (it) from happening again?乌鸦传媒�
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