Anyone drove recently into the United States from Canada? (Experiences)?

Question

Last month we drove from Detroit to Windsor On (Canada). We had no trouble getting across the border. Basically we were just waved in. But on the way back going into Detroit (America) we sat in traffic for two hours and when we finally got up to the border check we were given the 3rd degree and asked the same questions over and over and over.

Finally the angry border guard decided he did not like our answers and escorted us like criminals to a secordary inspection area where they tore our car apart and made us wait in a waiting room for an hour. They also took our passports and did a full background investigation on us.

Finally after an hour they gave us our passports and told us to go and had nothing else to say. What an angry group of people.

Any similar experiences?

Answer 1

I have a punjabi co-worker who experienced something similar at the Detroit-Windsor border. He was going to visit relatives in a Detroit suburb and the border guard started with an attitude on him.

My friend just said "Good afternoon" to him and his reply was "What's that supposed to mean?" go figure.

He then got all suspicious when my friend told him they were going to Madison Heights. He says "You just told me you were going to Detroit", and my friend then had to explain that Madison Heights was a suburb of Detroit, even though the guy works at the Detroit border so he should definitely have known the area.

I have not seen or heard about that heavy-handed approach at any other border crossing yet, and I have customers and employees that have to cross the border almost weekly.

Perhaps they just need a hug?  ;-)

Answer 2

Perhaps you should ask other Americans on the travel US site.

Your government has taken the lead in border security and you are merely  being treated like the rest of us at the American border.

Answer 3

You are not alone in being harrassed at the US Border.  This has happened to several friends, all of whom are respectable, normal-looking people.  They won't put themselves through it again by driving across.  It doesn't seem to be as bad when flying.

Answer 4

i cross the border quite frequently and have had no real problem...yes there are sometimes that you feel kind of squirmy...like why did he ask me that...But I find that it is when you cross back into your own country that you get the hardest time...I don't know why this is...but it just is.  The crossing guards are just doing their jobs.   After all it is they that keep the undesirables out.

Answer 5

I haven't crossed from Windsor to Detroit lately, but we crossed at Port Huron last summer and the guy there was very nice and personable.  He just asked questions about the kids and I think he had us pop our trunk, can't remember.  Only two out of five of us had passports.  Maybe try crossing at Port Huron next time, if it's not too much of an inconvenience.