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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: 1) by ewk on Wednesday February 15 2017, @06:20PM
Posting as an Anonymous Coward is a not so subtle attempt to rile up people without accepting responsibility for ones post...
I.m.o. an 'American' can be anyone from both the northern or southern part of the American continent.
And since 'an inhabitant from the United States of America' seems a tad over the top, I opted for that other option.
TLDR: Bite me, I am Dutch :-)
PS: Without us the US-ians would probably still be waiting for the first nation to acknowledge them. :-D
http://www.americanheritage.com/content/first-official-salute-american-flag [americanheritage.com]
I don't always react, but when I do, I do it on SoylentNews
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday February 16 2017, @03:30PM
"Bite me, I am Dutch"
That "Kiss me, I'm Irish" thing has worked out nicely for me a couple times. Let me ponder this awhile - ASL? :-)
(Score: 1) by ewk on Thursday February 16 2017, @05:34PM
Trust me... you don't want to go there :-)
Besides... the L you already know.
I don't always react, but when I do, I do it on SoylentNews