I Was Denied Entry to U.S. - How Can I Gain Entry

[alcatraz]

On June 1/09 I was denied entry to U.S.at the Maine border on the grounds that I was a drug user,I live on a small island in n.b.where you have to pass through this border to go anywhere and am of Canadian citizenship.Since Sept/09 I have been clean,I have shown border agents clean drug tests and was told if I would be an informant for them they might put in a good word for me.I turned them down.There is 1 small store here no gas station and I have relatives in the states I can no longer visit.I have no criminal record.I foolishly told the truth about my activities which did not happen in their country,big mistake,honesty not the best policy.i can only pass through for med. reasons where I have to show up hours early and be processed every time,this takes about two hrs.I am not allowed to take my children through for these reasons only me.Has this happened to anyone else and what can I do to fix this?,I am going mad on this rock

[jk]

so, you are saying one day you were simply heading to the US and the border guards asked you if you were a drug user and you said yes and you have been restricted ever since.

right?


Curious as to what right's were you speaking of? As a Canadian National, you never had any rights to enter the US.

[Dogmatique]

You don't have an inherent right to enter the US; if border control finds that you're inadmissible, they have the absolute right to refuse you entry.

Have you thought about applying for a visa?

[alcatraz]

I was on my way to grocery store on the day it happened,i have crossed this border at least 4 times a week for 36yrs.(I've lived here all my life,these people have watched me grow up)I was taken into custody,search very well, held for 3 hrs. questioned by 3 officers about drug activity i knew nothing abou,they knew I was a user because you can't fart around here without somebody telling you what it smells like.I was not told I was being barred by telling them about my personal habits.I was told I could not file for a visa or waiver.I may not have any god given right to enter the u.s. but this border is my only way off this island.I have a canadian visa,but I should not be considered inadmissible anymore.Has this ever happened to anyone else?

[LawResearcherMissy]

I have a canadian visa,but I should not be considered inadmissible anymore.

How do you figure?

You can be considered inadmissible because it's Wednesday.

It appears that your option is to file form I-192, at a cost of $545, with a waiting period that can stretch to as long as a year. You can read more about it here.

[jk]

I was on my way to grocery store on the day it happened,i have crossed this border at least 4 times a week for 36yrs.(I've lived here all my life,these people have watched me grow up)I was taken into custody,search very well, held for 3 hrs. questioned by 3 officers about drug activity i knew nothing abou,they knew I was a user because you can't fart around here without somebody telling you what it smells like.I was not told I was being barred by telling them about my personal habits.I was told I could not file for a visa or waiver.I may not have any god given right to enter the u.s. but this border is my only way off this island.I have a canadian visa,but I should not be considered inadmissible anymore.Has this ever happened to anyone else?

so, you are an admitted drug user. They apparently had a suspicion you were involved in something you claim is not true but as border guards, they have a wide latitude to investigate so it is what it is. Based on their knowledge of you, they now refuse to allow you come into the US.

For some reason I'm not seeing a problem here. It sounds like they are doing their job to me.

and no, crossing the border is not your only way off the island. It is simply the easiest way. There is no reason you could not go to the Canadian mainland from the island. It might be easier to go the way you have for so long but a boat will get you to Canada.

and if you have such disdain for where you live, you can move. Until you do, realize that you have chosen to live where you are now and as a result, will have to deal with the problems that come with that choice.

[alcatraz]

Yes I will just put a car on my back and hop in my dingy.When you hit the mainland there is a half hour drive to be anywhere.I am no longer "danger" to the u.s. and was looking for an answer different than moving away.I love the place that I live just not it's neighbor.I was trying to find out if this could be fixed,I've done nothing wrong in the u.s.I stopped in sept/09.They were not doing their job they were fishing for rats.

Thank you, I was told by border agents there wasn't anything I could do.

[jk]

=alcatraz;413868]Yes I will just put a car on my back and hop in my dingy.When you hit the mainland there is a half hour drive to be anywhere

You choose to live where you live. If you don't want to figure out how to escape through some means other than crossing an international border, I guess you are just stuck on your island.

.I am no longer "danger" to the u.s.

that is not your decision to make. You can have your opinion but as you have found, it does not carry any weight.

and was looking for an answer different than moving away

Missy provided a link

.I love the place that I live just not it's neighbor

it's neighbor, such as the US? If that's the case, you are more than welcome to never set foot on US soil and if that is what you mean, then I would suggest you are being treated quite fairly.

.I was trying to find out if this could be fixed,I've done nothing wrong in the u.s.I stopped in sept/09

.Just so you don't feel so bad, Osama BinLaden can't travel to the US either and he has never done nothing wrong in the US either.

They were not doing their job they were fishing for rats.

and you have their job description and allowed actions and limitations in hand? They are there to prevent a person from crossing that is not allowed to cross. If that is based on their personal justification or some standing order is irrelevant as they have the authority to enforce either.

[Dogmatique]

OP, you would be astonished at exactly how much discretion Border Patrol agents actually have....

[jk]

OP, you would be astonished at exactly how much discretion Border Patrol agents actually have....

when I was in Detroit attending a school, we were warned about if you go to Canada, do not piss of the border guards. Well, some dummy wanted to joke around about drugs so the guards made the kids set in a room while they essentially disassembled their car. Of course there were no drugs found so the guards brought the kids out and said "ok, you're free to go across". The kids looked at their pile a parts that somewhat resembled the car they came in and said "what about the car?" The guards said "take it with you"

The kids go "aren't you going to put it back together"

guards kind of looked at them, shook their heads indicating "no" and walked away.

do not piss off the border guards.