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