TARGETED AT BORDER?
Denied because ‘I was gay’
A Windsor man detained by U.S. Customs officers in Detroit for three hours, placed in a cell, body searched and denied entry claims he was targeted because he is gay and married — a type of profiling that a local member of Parliament says is becoming all too frequent.
Michael Potter, 46, said he was initially pulled over at 11:30 a.m. on Friday at the Detroit-Windsor tunnel after declaring to a primary inspection officer for U.S. Customs and Border Protection he had purchased a bottle of vodka and box of cigars at the duty-free shop in Windsor.
It was the first time he mentioned at the border he was married — telling the customs officers that he made the purchase for his husband Matthew Allsopp, who he has lived with in Windsor since moving here 18 months ago.
Potter, who crosses the border once or twice a month, was planning an overnight stay at a Detroitarea hotel so he could do some shopping and enjoy the nightlife with some friends.
After next being directed inside the U.S. Customs secondary inspection office, Potter alleges for over an hour he was repeatedly called back and forth to the front desk by officers, asked one question at a time, then told to sit back down.
“They were rude and belittling to me,” he said. “They would call me up and then send me back to my seat.”
He was asked why his husband was not with him. He had his phone and wallet searched and was asked about their contents. They asked about his hometown of Olds, Alta., and why he relocated.
Potter alleges he was then taken into a small cell where he sat for about 15 minutes.
Officers entered and next told him to remove his jacket, shoes and belt and to put his hands on the wall. Officers frisked him on “every part of his body,” he said.
“I was given no reason at all,” Potter said. “I asked and they would not answer.”
Soon after, he was offered a chance to speak with a supervisor. But after being told it would take an hour or two, he refused.
Potter alleges he was taken back to his seat in the waiting area, questioned some more, before being told at around 2:30 p.m. by customs officers they were denying him entry into the U.S.
He was escorted back to his Jeep where he discovered his small suitcase and all his personal belongings had been dumped and strewn throughout the vehicle.
Potter was directed back through the tunnel to Windsor.
“I felt like I was profiled and didn’t get in because I was gay,” he said, adding that he had done the exact same thing on previous trips across the border — made purchases and declared them. “This time, I added that I had a husband.
“I am very upset. I feel worse than being bullied or beaten up because you have no rights and couldn’t fight back.
“It didn’t matter how polite I was, nothing was good enough. I will never cross into the U.S. again. I have family and friends there, but they will have to come here.”
A spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Detroit said Tuesday he could not comment on Potter’s experience at the border.
“Due to privacy rules we cannot make comments about any individual,” said Chief Ken Hammond.
“It’s unfortunate he feels that way. There can be issues with each individual situation. He was well within his rights at any time to speak with a supervisor.”
Potter has written a letter to local MPs and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
He is calling for Canada to reject Bill C-23, pending legislation that would allow for U.S. customs officers to be stationed at select Canadian airports where they would have full power.
Potter travels frequently with his husband, including to Cuba, Dominican Republic and Barbados, and never encountered anything similar to his experience with U.S. customs in Detroit, he said.
“My goal would be to stop this from going through and giving Americans power on our soil,” he said.
Local MP Brian Masse (NDP — Windsor West) said Tuesday there has been an increase recently of complaints by people in Windsor about treatment by U.S. customs agents at the border in Detroit.
“Right now, such stories are happening more often than before,” he said. “We are hearing about a couple a week.
“We have heard similar things before where there have been feelings a denial in crossing the border was based on sexual orientation.”
Masse has expressed concerns in the past to the U.S. ambassador to Canada. Recently, Masse’s office became aware of another case involving a family with young children detained up to six hours.
“The reality at the end of the day is (U.S. customs) is on sovereign American land, so there is little we can do except make sure things don’t go past their mandate,” he said.
Potter, should he wish to pursue the matter, would have to come to his office and fill out an official complaint that would launch a review of his incident at the border, Masse said.
Some are unwilling to go that far, because it involves an intrusion into their personal lives, “but the protocol is there,” the MP said.
“We help them make the complaint, we would track their file and what happens to that complaint,” he said.
Given the glaring spotlight on immigration and rule changes at U.S. border checkpoints, Masse said: “I can’t emphasis enough that everyone makes sure they have everything in order with your paperwork or electronic devices when you cross the border.”
I am very upset. I feel worse than being bullied or beaten up because you have no rights and couldn’t fight back. I will never cross into the U.S. again.