
Journalist stopped by US border agent 'for being part of fake news media' - Gaelan
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/james-dyer-journalist-us-border-patrol-lax-airport-fake-news-trump-a9076016.html
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ColinWright
He wasn't stopped, it was part of the questions he was asked as he was being
fingerprinted. He wasn't detained, or taken away for questioning:

 _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)._

[https://twitter.com/jamescdyer/status/1164662896141512704](https://twitter.com/jamescdyer/status/1164662896141512704)

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kjs3
And...what? That makes it in any way OK?

~~~
ColinWright
??

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.

~~~
kjs3
What "actually happened" was that a US Border Agent acted in an incredibly
unprofessional manner. That was accurately reported.

 _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.

~~~
ColinWright
_What "actually happened" was that a US Border Agent acted in an incredibly
unprofessional manner._

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.

