CBP officers instructed to target Iranian and Iranian-American travelers following U.S. assassination of General Soleimani

Original Date Announced
January 5, 2020
Seattle field office leaked memo shows CBP ordered to report and detain individuals of Iranian heritage, regardless of citizenship status. Press reports indicate that more than 60 Americans of Iranian descent, as well as numerous lawful permanent residents, were held at the US-Canadian border in secondary inspection and questioned at length based on DHS instructions. [ID #445]
Iranian Supreme Leader Vows Forceful Revenge after US Kills Maj. General Qassim Suleimani in Baghdad - Threat Alert High
Effective Date
January 5, 2020
Subsequent Trump and Court Action(s)
- January 6, 2020
  January 6, 2020 Congressional inquiry letter to CBP
  
  House letter to CBP Acting Commissioner Morgan about detentions at Blaine, WA border crossing. For a MA letter of January 23, 2020, see https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/CBP%20Targetting%20of%20Iranian%20Students%20Letter%202020.pdf
  View Document
- January 9, 2020
  CBC: U.S. government civil rights watchdog investigating Canadian border stops
  View Document
- February 12, 2020
  CBC: U.S. admits border officers wrongly detained Iranian-born travellers at Canada-U.S. border
  View Document

Fully in Effect

Status: Final/Actual

Trump Administration Action: Agency Directive

Subject Matter: Border

Agencies Affected: CBP

Commentary

CAIR on CBP detention of Iranians and Iranian Americans at border

The Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA) is assisting more than 60 Iranians and Iranian-Americans of all ages who were detained at length and questioned at the Peace Arch Border Crossing in Blaine, Wash. Many more were reportedly refused entry to the United States due to a lack of capacity for Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to detain them.
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