Journalist stopped by US border agent 'for being part of fake news media'
independent.co.uk
independent.co.uk
To clarify for those (kindly) saying this was illegal detention, I wasn’t detained or taken into a room. This all happened at the visa/passport/fingerprint check and only lasted a couple of minutes. He made no attempt to physically detain me beyond the questions (and lecture).
I'm just saying that the descriptions are inaccurate, the reality was different, and people are reacting to those inaccurate headlines rather than to what actually happened.
I'm not condoning the actions of the officer, but I prefer the truth be discussed, rather than people reacting to the inaccurate headline.
By all means be outraged, but at least be outraged by what actually happened.
He wasn't stopped
He obviously was stopped, even if only to be questioned, and berated for being a journalist. Which should never have happened.
it was part of the questions he was asked as he was being fingerprinted
You say that trying to make the encounter somehow 'routine'. It's not.
He wasn't detained, or taken away for questioning
He didn't say he was, and went out of his way to make sure that was clear.
The headline is accurate, it's what actually happened, and worthy of outrage. Unless you agree with the agent.
I entirely agree that the border agent acted in a manner that was incredibly unprofessional and completely inappropriate.
>> He wasn't stopped.
He obviously was stopped, even if only to be questioned, and berated for being a journalist.
My apologies, I was incomplete. He wasn't stopped for being part of fake news media.
He went through the usual (in my experience) process of having his fingerprints taken when entering the country. That involves stopping, having your documents checked, being fingerprinted, and being questioned. This happens to me pretty much every time I enter the USA.
Which should never have happened.
Being berated obviously should not have happened. Being stopped happens all the time. Being stopped for being part of a fake news network would be outrageous, but that didn't happen. It's not why he was stopped. He stopped as a normal part of the entry process.
>> it was part of the questions he was asked as he was being fingerprinted
You say that trying to make the encounter somehow 'routine'. It's not.
With respect, it is. I'm stopped and have my finger-prints checked pretty much every time I enter the USA. The encounter he reports is not routine, being berated is not routine and is obviously wrong, but being stopped and having ones prints taken is routine.
The headline is accurate,
Again, with respect, the headline is:
Journalist stopped by US border agent 'for being part of fake news media'
That's incorrect. He wasn't stopped for being part of fake news media. He was stopped as part of the normal process for entering the USA.
What is unusual is for him to have been berated. And yes, that's utterly outrageous. And no, I don't agree with the agent.
But the headline is inaccurate.