REPORT CRITICAL OF ABUSIVE BORDER CONTROLS AND NO-FLY LISTS

José Santos (before he trimmed his mutton chops) is always detained and singled out for secondary screening when he travels to the U.S. (Photo Carla Braun)

José Santos (before he trimmed his mutton chops) is always detained and singled out for secondary screening when he travels to the U.S. (Photo Carla Braun)

José Santos

[Feb 17, 2009 03:29 PM]

José Santos is a 44-year old manager who lives in Langley, B.C. with his wife and his young son. He loves to travel. The Montreal native also has the same name as someone who is apparently wanted for murder in 25 U.S. states.

Every time he travels to the U.S. his name is flagged and he is detained until he can prove his is not the José Santos. He can never print his own boarding pass and he's always singled out for secondary interrogation.

About five years ago, when he and his family were on their way to Bellingham, Wash., for a poetry reading in a coffee shop, he was detained at the border for several hours and held separately. Meanwhile a border official slipped a note to his wife Carla Braun that read: "Are you and your son being held hostage this man? You can tell us the truth. You are safe here."

Needless to say, the family missed the poetry reading.

Carla believes her husband is also targeted because of his appearance: José is big and has weighed more than 122 kg. He also used to sport formidable-looking mutton chops.

The family recently travelled to Jamaica, since the U.S. and Mexico, where they also had an unpleasant experience, were no longer an option.

"We were quite worried because José was diagnosed with diabetes and has to travel with needles. We were expecting a lot of problems," Carla said. But the trip was a breeze: "There were no problems at all. We'll go back there."