What Happened to Canadian Sci-Fi Writer Amal El-Mohtar's Phone at US Customs?

Have literally never seen YOW busier than at 4:40 AM.

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

OMFG THERE IS A VERY SMALL DOG IN A ROLLY BACKPACK

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

Previously, on Amal Flies While Brown: JOYFUL SURPRISE at the first easy security screening in 7 YEARS of travelling to the US 3-5 times a year! https://t.co/lsqZNSZzGt

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

That dull, brassy sound you hear is the hollow ring of my broken laughter!

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

Then I got to Customs. Nice lady. All's Fine. & then, out of nowhere, "I have to send you to secondary, follow me." pic.twitter.com/RQkUuT1MvX

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

(Fun fact: also being detained was a man CURRENTLY EMPLOYED by Border Services, in his 29th year of work for them. He has a Problematic Surname. Super great system you have, friends, A++)

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

This time I was alone, they took my phone after forcing me to unlock it, asked questions about the friends I was going to see, wanted the birthdates of my siblings as well as parents, & rifled through all my belongings.

S l o w l y

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

Anyway, 2 hours go by, flight is definitely missed, & I'm wondering if I'm going to be allowed through at all, calculating the loss, wondering if I can still claim the expense on my taxes if I was prevented from going.

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

I wander to a United agent, ask if there'll be Delta people soon, explain I was detained. "Customs are supposed to call them for you," she says.

This is where I start crying.

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

I had nothing to do for 2 hours but read the walls telling me to KEEP DETENTION SAFE & REPORT SEXUAL ASSAULT if it happens while I'm detained, literally next to a photo of Trump's face.

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

Anyway, the United agent takes pity on me, finds a Delta agent, who also takes pity on me. She rebooks me on the only flight that won't cost me extra money: LGA via Detroit, departing at 4:40 PM, arriving at 10:00 PM.

Remember I woke up at 4:00. AM.

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

But first! I have to go through Customs again! Hahaha Customs. Where you'd think it'd be easy, since I just went through as much security as is literally possible? pic.twitter.com/IIQs8m5eyM

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

"I didn't know it was you. So I could do without the attitude."

He says this in a Threatening Tone.

Motherfucker, you know what I could do with?

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

I could do without hostility & violation & interrogation & detention & the theft of my fucking dignity & the theft of my fucking TIME.

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

I love my friends so bloody much. I genuinely thought, after May, that this country had squeezed all the blood from the stone of me, & I could just travel to see them. I was wrong, & everything is bad again, & I can't keep doing this.

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

That's all. Thanks for listening. Maybe that one agent will take up bullet journaling. I wish her well with it.

Oh, & of course they rifled through my phone, too. Maybe that's what took so much longer this time.

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

The thing that's really freaking me out right now is not knowing what they did to my phone. They must've turned it off & on, coz Bluetooth was on when I got it back–but weirdest is I got this when I tried to do banking.

I ONLY do mobile banking from this phone. pic.twitter.com/EYsystWQwI

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

In fact I have! I went through this process, got a Redress Number, & use it every time I book a flight. No difference. https://t.co/Rghx7I5UxF

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

Want to add–I didn't consent to a search. Agent asked for code, I said "do I really have to give you that," she said "we need to be able to identify it as your phone."

Then she took it away for the full 2 hours. https://t.co/L9mIvGMLfx

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) November 30, 2017

Look up "Pre-Clearance." US Customs does in fact operate in Canada, & Canadian travellers clear Customs while in Canada. There's legislation under Senate review to extend their powers. https://t.co/0Q4Fg4n3A9 https://t.co/8e1t0OzYFs

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) December 1, 2017

The check-in counters are outside the security area. In order to rebook my flight, I had to be escorted out of the security area, rebook, then come back through with a new boarding pass. https://t.co/XnuDjrGo3J

— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) December 1, 2017