
French jogger detained after crossing US-Canada border - isostatic
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44588643
======
loeg
> A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection said that anyone
> crossing into the country outside an official port of entry was breaking the
> law

Surprisingly, this isn't quite true!

You can pre-register for entry from Canada via small boat ("Canadian Border
Boat Landing Permit (I-68)")[0]. You make land anywhere and then call CBP and
report your entry[1].

[0]: [https://www.cbp.gov/travel/pleasure-boats-private-
flyers/ple...](https://www.cbp.gov/travel/pleasure-boats-private-
flyers/pleasure-boat-overview)

[1]:
[https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/67/~/pleasure-b...](https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/67/~/pleasure-
boats---procedures-for-entering-the-u.s).

------
runarberg
The first time I entered Canada—as an Icelandic citizen—was through the
borders between Quebec and Vermont[1]. I had some troubles crossing the
borders because the border police claimed I didn’t have the means to support
my self once on the Canada side (I did), and that I didn’t have travel
insurance (which I also did). To cross I needed to gather some paper to
persuade the police that I was legit. Funny enough the library in town (where
I could access a printer and internet, back in 2011) sits on both sides of the
borders. The police had warned me not to exit the library on the Canadian
side, or risk being arrested for illegal entry. I don’t remember any warnings
inside the library, so I was thankful for the border police for giving me that
advice beforehand.

[1]:
[https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/45.0047/-72.0941](https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/45.0047/-72.0941)

------
salex89
A side note, Europeans have a less strict attitude towards borders (I mean
once you are a citizen :-)). You can easily find yourself in another country
just because of a wrong turn. Or like when I was in Norway, we would go
grocery shopping to Sweden. Germans go for haircuts to Poland. Swedes go for
alcohol to Denmark. Even between the ex-SFRY countries (except Croatia and
Slovenia) the border passes are a formality, no passport needed for the
residents.

~~~
simonsarris
And then there's the Baarle-Nassau border in the Netherlands and Belgium:

[http://www.amusingplanet.com/2012/11/the-curious-case-of-
baa...](http://www.amusingplanet.com/2012/11/the-curious-case-of-baarle-
nassau-and.html)

~~~
Fnoord
The border between The Netherlands and Belgium has been open for "ages" (as
long as I can remember); way longer than the EU.

~~~
somabc
The Benelux Union was really the precursor model to the EU.

------
isostatic
I love stories like this because I love borders and other artificial
constructs.

First time I left Europe was to Vancouver. During the trip I drove down the a
road that runs along the border with Washington state. Pulled over to loom at
the markers. On the other side of the ditch was another parallel road, with
occasional traffic, and a speed limit in mph rather than kph.

~~~
technothrasher
When I was in Northern Namibia, we illegally crossed the border into Angola to
have our evening cocktails. This entailed simply rowing across the river to
the sandy shore on the other side.

While we enjoyed our drinks and our illicit behavior, we talked about how the
Namibian government had come to the area back when the country was founded and
told the local Himba people about where the border was and how they couldn't
cross it. The local's response was basically, "WTF are you talking about? We
don't recognize any border. Go away," and the government basically did.

------
Fnoord
I like to judge people on how they treat their guests; same for countries.

This paranoia, suspicion and lack of hospitality is telling. I mean, its not
unreasonable for a jogger to not have ID with them, and its not unreasonable
for a jogger to get confused there (more so for a foreign jogger).

All this drama, misunderstanding, and costs on society could've been avoided
if the US border patrol contacted Canada before throwing this 19 year old
French woman in jail for 2 (!!) weeks. Meanwhile, that border patrol could've
potentially caught real criminals.

~~~
technothrasher
I get treated better by the border agents when entering the EU than I do when
entering the US, and I'm a US citizen. I saw them treat a German citizen so
rudely once that I felt I had to apologize to the guy and buy him a beer once
we both got through.

------
muzz
I'd love to see the stats on how many are simply told to go back rather than
arrested

------
BlackLotus89
Dupe of
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17375552](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17375552)

