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CNN and a a lot of other outlets are reporting that JPL engineer Sidd Bikkannavar, an American-born citizen, was detained at the border when returning from racing solar powered cars overseas.
The border guards demanded he turn over his government-issued NASA phone and its PIN and held him in their detention area.
Bikkannavar also was interviewed by The Verge:
"It was not that they were concerned with me bringing something dangerous in, because they didn't even touch the bags. They had no way of knowing I could have had something in there," he says. "You can say, 'Okay well maybe it's about making sure I'm not a dangerous person,' but they have all the information to verify that."
Bikkannavar says he's still unsure why he was singled out for the electronic search. He says he understands that his name is foreign — its roots go back to southern India. He didn't think it would be a trigger for extra scrutiny, he says. "Sometimes I get stopped and searched, but never anything like this. Maybe you could say it was one huge coincidence that this thing happens right at the travel ban."
Land of the free? Home of the brave?
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Wednesday February 15 2017, @04:19PM
Actually, I was thinking about it during Trump's inauguration, because there was a lot of debate/criticism of musicians who participated, including Jackie Evancho, who ended up singing the national anthem. Personally, whatever you may think of Trump, I think it was wrong the way people piled on to criticize performers.
To be fair, celebrities (including musicians) have a long tradition of spouting off about politics, too.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"