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John Henson shared this post via CopBlock.org’s submit page.

Yesterday, my wife and I went out for a drive to look at a house near the Canadian border and enjoy the scenery.

We drove over to the Canadian border because we are close and figured we would go there and get the stamp because we have stamps from all of the continent and we are close, so hey let’s get to Canada and see some sights.

As we were coming back into USA, a guard there greeted us and asked how long we were there. We told her and did the normal nice conversation things, then she scanned my passport.

BLAM, I heard her call for backup. I was like, “Okay, what the heck, did I do something wrong?” Two more guards ran out of the office. She asked me to step out of vehicle and put my hands up where she could see them. I complied of course. This was surreal to me, I couldn’t believe it.

I was handcuffed, and taken inside the building. They said my passport was stolen – I informed her that no, that was my previous passport issued in 1997, and this one was my current passport. She said, “Okay, no problem, but we have to fingerprint you and make sure you are who you say you are.”

I informed her that the treatment was ludicrous but I understood they were following procedures. I have military ID’s, state ID’s tons of ID’s including a passport. She took me in front of the counter and said, “We have to fingerprint you.” I said, “I’ll comply but don’t scare my wife and two-year old, they don’t understand what’s going on.”

They fingerprinted me, waited a few minutes, then BLAM, started treating me like terrorist AGAIN. I was handcuffed again, only rougher this time. I asked what was going on, and said, “You know who I am and as a US citizen this is ridiculous.” They told me nothing, and just stared at the computer screen. I asked why I was being detained. They said that my fingerprints were coming back to a Canadian, not me and that I’m not who I said I am. I told them I couldn’t believe it; it was surreal, like something out of a movie.

They just told me that they have to investigate it and they will straighten it out. They put me in holding cell, handcuffed me to a steel bench, and I asked about my wife and son; they said they were free to go. I asked if they would tell them to go to hotel and wait so my son isn’t out in the heat. The guard told me he would tell her that, and asked me some questions about where we met, when we met, etc. I told him where I was born, when I served in the Marines, what combat I was in, etc. The guy wrote everything down. He came back in few minutes to ask more questions. I gave answers again, and I told him the way they were treating me was wrong. Then, I asked to speak to an attorney, but he said I couldn’t. Border Control didn’t have to allow it because I was not proven to be a US citizen, because my fingerprints came back as Canadian.

He informed me an ICE agent was on the way; She would determine what to do with me.

An hour or so later, he and the guard who initially handcuffed me came back and questioned me again. I gave her the answers to her questions, then informed them again that because of my constitutional rights I was requesting an attorney. They said I had no rights. I said, “Okay, so my prints are not coming back as me, and I’m not the guy the computer says I am, so I’m a nobody, huh?”

She said yes, that was the best way to put it. I then told them I wanted my request for an attorney put on the incident report, and I was making a formal complaint about the treatment now. They said so noted.

I asked what happened next, and they told me ICE might have to transport me to Spokane, to sort it out, and then if they figured out I’m who I say I am they would release me.



My thoughts are constantly of my wife and son, what are they going to do? I asked that question; they told me they were free to go, but my wife can’t drive because she doesn’t have a driver’s license. I told them to tell her to call a taxi and go to where we are staying. They said they would tell her and left.

An hour later, they came back again. The guard told me he was going to reprint me. I said, “Fine, but my prints didn’t change, and they never will, so unless the COMPUTER system has been manipulated or changed, I’m always the same US citizen I told you I was.” He said, “Well, lets print you again and see what happens.” He handcuffed me again, lead me out to the front, and printed me again.

This time, the prints came back as me. I told him, “Okay, you know I’m a US citizen, I want to be released.” He said, “You can look this up later, but we don’t have to allow it.” I told him I wanted to invoke my constitutional right and speak to an attorney; he said they don’t have to allow that either.

I asked why I was being detained, if I was accused of committing a crime, or if I was being investigated? He said we had to let the ICE agent determine what to do with me. I again stated that the treatment of US citizens in this manner is horrible, and for that matter, no one should be treated like this. He said, “I’m sorry.” I asked him at what point does “just doing his job” stop. I informed him that “JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS” is wrong when you violate other’s rights and you know they have committed no crime, or are suspect of committing a crime. At some point YOU HAVE TO THINK, and logic will bring you to the conclusion that what you’re doing is wrong. He said, “I’m sorry, but I have to do what I am told.”

An hour or so later I heard the ICE agent arrive; they took me out again and printed me again! My prints came back this time as ME AGAIN. She said, “I’m an Agent with ICE and I’m sorry.” I said, “Oh, the stage coach finally arrived, did it?” She laughed and said, “I’m sorry, but I had to drive all the way from Spokane. We are sorry, but can we talk about your passport?”

I asked her if I was being investigated now, or if I was suspected of committing a crime. She said no, but my passport was reported as stolen. I informed her that this is my current passport and the one that was stolen had an issue date of 1997. She asked about my military service, how I met my wife, where we are staying; I again asked her if I was suspected of committing a crime, was under investigation and if they were detaining me. She said, “No, I’m sorry for all of this, you are free to go.”

At this point, I told her this was a travesty. I said, “Don’t apologize to me, go outside and BEG my wife and son for forgiveness; tell them why you did this, then tell my wife why I, a man who follows EVERY Law of Man and God, was handcuffed, put in a holding cell, chained to a steel bench, and everyone keeps says its for protection. I don’t want your protection, I can protect myself.

She said, “I know you can protect yourself, I’ve seen your record. I was on the phone while driving here; I know all about you, and with your background, you should understand why we have to follow these procedures.”

“The computer said you were a different person after we printed you; your prints came back as a different person, it’s a GLITCH in the system. We have never seen it before; I’m sorry, I can’t apologize enough.” I then said, “If you see a glitch now, on me, a man who loves this country, fought for it, and was willing to die for it and to protect our citizens, then who else could it happen to? Don’t apologize to me, learn from this – what if it tells you someone is a terrorist and they aren’t? Use some common sense, THINK. If you follow orders blindly, you’re wrong. There will come a time when you have to decide, are these orders legal? Are they moral? As a marine, we decided in split seconds if they were legal orders or not; if they were not, we would risk everything and tell our superiors they were illegal orders and refuse them – that’s the right thing to do.”

After all, Hitlers soldiers were just following orders!

I found out while talking to my wife on the trip back that they lied to me and her several times; they told me wife to quiet my son down, make him sit down, and made them sit in the car in the heat without allowing them to have the keys to start the car to turn on the air conditioner. They weren’t allowed to get food or anything else for more than five hours while they held me, even though they were suspects of nothing. My wife asked passersby if they would call a friend for us to tell him what was going on and see if he could help. People just looked at her funny and left.

I’m going to send this same letter to border patrol, and ICE, but thought I would share it with you all, the US Air Force, NSA, FBI, and whoever else wants to read it.

As a human being and a person who loves God, I can tell you we are headed down a bad road. Don’t take my word for it, open your eyes, pay attention to your surroundings, watch other people, and help them if you can. If we don’t help others and just follow orders, then we are slaves to the system and TPTB. If you just follow orders and allow evil things to happen to others when you could have helped them, you become evil!

The time is here for ALL of humanity to decide: Will I support good, or evil? I choose good!

John Henson