# Jogger Accidentally Crosses Border And Detained For 2 Weeks



## Ganjababy (Jun 22, 2018)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/brit...detained-for-2-weeks-by-authorities-1.4717060

*Jogger accidentally crosses U.S. border from B.C., gets detained for 2 weeks by authorities*
*Cedella Roman, visiting mom from France, says border patrol held her for crossing into Blaine, Wash.*
Jon Hernandez · CBC News · Posted: Jun 22, 2018 6:00 AM PT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago





Cedella Roman says she was jogging along the beach in White Rock, B.C., when she crossed the U.S. border without realizing it. That began a two-week nightmare that landed her in a prison jumpsuit.

Roman, 19, was jogging south on a cool spring evening May 21. As the tide came in, she veered up and onto a dirt path before stopping to take a photo of the picturesque setting.

She turned around to head home — and that's when she was apprehended by two U.S. border patrol officers.

"An officer stopped me and started telling me I had crossed the border illegally," she told CBC News.

"I told him I had not done it on purpose, and that I didn't understand what was happening."





About 80 per cent of refugee claimants to B.C. cross the Canada-U.S. border through Peace Arch Park, in Surrey. (Elaine Thompson/Associated Press)Roman said she didn't see any signs warning that she was crossing into the U.S. during her jog. She was informed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers that she had entered the country illegally, which they said was captured via security cameras.
"I said to myself, well I may have crossed the border — but they'll probably only give me a fine or they'll tell me to go back to Canada or they'll give me a warning."

Roman, a citizen of France who had travelled to Canada to visit her mother in B.C. and work on her English, didn't have any government-issued ID or travel permits on her.

Her mother lives in North Delta, B.C.





Christiane Ferne, Roman's mother, says she was in a panic when she found out her daughter had been taken to Tacoma. (CBC)She said the officers then detained her for crossing illegally into Blaine, Wash., then transferred her more than 200 kilometres south to the Tacoma Northwest Detention Centre — a facility run by the Department of Homeland Security.
"They put me in the caged vehicles and brought me into their facility," she said. "They asked me to remove all my personal belongings with my jewellery, they searched me everywhere.

"Then I understood it was getting very serious, and I started to cry a bit."

*A mother's panic*
Roman said she was able to contact her mother, Christiane Ferne, who rushed to the detention centre to provide officers with documents including her passport and study permits.

Ferne said workers on site told her she had to present the documents to Immigration Canada to determine if Roman was eligible to be discharged back to Canada.

Roman was held in custody for two weeks before immigration officials on both sides of the border confirmed she was allowed back into Canada. Then she was transferred back into B.C.

"It was just unfair that there was nothing, no sign at the border," said Ferne, who visited her daughter several times while she was detained. "It's like a trap … anybody can be caught at the border like this."

*'Processed accordingly'*
U.S. government documents shared with CBC News confirm Roman was discharged from the U.S. on June 6 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

CBC News called U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Immigration Canada. Neither agency would comment on Roman's case, citing privacy concerns.

A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that anyone who enters into the U.S. outside an official port of entry and without inspection has crossed the border illegally, and will be processed accordingly.

"This applies regardless of whether or not the individual claims to have inadvertently crossed the border," said the department in a statement.

The family is unsure if Roman will be allowed back into the United States.

_With files from Eva Uguen-Csenge_


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## nysister (Jun 22, 2018)

Oh my heavens. I have no words.

So many people don't even want to come here. Few want to leave Canada for the States. They harassed her because she is Brown and doesn't speak English well.


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## Cheekychica (Jun 22, 2018)

What a nightmare.


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## weaveadiva (Jun 22, 2018)

nysister said:


> Few want to leave Canada for the States.


This.


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## ebonysweetie (Jun 22, 2018)

How horrible.


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## GinnyP (Jun 22, 2018)

I.........I.......just can’t anymore!    I need to meditate, pray,  get some holy water!     I am so over these mean,  evil people!  God please!


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## LdyKamz (Jun 22, 2018)

But 2 weeks though? Why did it take so long when her mother rushed right over with the important documents. Ain't nobody leaving Canada to come here and they know this.


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## Kanky (Jun 22, 2018)

If it is that serious then they at least need a sign.


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## yamilee21 (Jun 22, 2018)

Border agents seem to come from the most malicious category of sub-humans. Beyond disgusting and unreasonable.


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## FemmeCreole (Jun 22, 2018)

I am certain if she was white there would have been no issue.


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## DeRay (Jun 22, 2018)

And if she wasn't committing any crime other than crossing where there was no sign why not just force her to go back? No you bring her further into the country you think she's trying to sneak into ..ok..


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## Petal26 (Jun 22, 2018)

I hate that my mind went there, but I bet they just wanted to search her, touch her.  She is a young, pretty girl, scared and doesn't speak the language, I don't see them missing the opportunity to get toxic and abusive.  I hope she's ok.   There is NO REASON for her to have been arrested for 2 weeks (Crossing the border illegally for the first time is a misdemeanor).  That's ridiculous.


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## brg240 (Jun 22, 2018)

That must have been so scary for her  I'm glad she was released. They could have very sent her somewhere and held her for longer


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## frida1980 (Jun 22, 2018)

LdyKamz said:


> But 2 weeks though? Why did it take so long when her mother rushed right over with the important documents. Ain't nobody leaving Canada to come here and they know this.



You know why. She’s brown. If she was white, they would’ve waved her off like it was nothing.


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## PretteePlease (Jun 22, 2018)

so pointing her in the right direction was doing too much huh?


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## Farida (Jun 22, 2018)

Zero Tolerance. It’s Cheeto en ‘em


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## Mingus (Jun 22, 2018)

..............................


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## vani (Jun 22, 2018)

I understand detaining her for 2 hours maybe? Time to sort everything out. But 2 weeks!? Cotdamn! It's absolutely outrageous.


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## FlowerHair (Jun 23, 2018)

Why don’t they just put up signs and fences...? It’s really like a trap, like she said.


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## LovingLady (Jun 23, 2018)

Petal26 said:


> I hate that my mind went there, but *I bet they just wanted to search her, touch her.*  She is a young, pretty girl, scared and doesn't speak the language, I don't see them missing the opportunity to get toxic and abusive.  I hope she's ok.   There is NO REASON for her to have been arrested for 2 weeks (Crossing the border illegally for the first time is a misdemeanor).  That's ridiculous.


WM with unlimited power, I can believe it. The searches at the airport are invasive so I expect nothing less from  border "protection".


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## Ganjababy (Jun 23, 2018)

I don’t know what kind of people they hire or how they train them but the us border security people are totally different from the Canadian ones. The difference in attitude is extreme.

The us one always seem to be feeling themselves and come across as power hungry menaces.
.


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## IslandMummy (Jun 23, 2018)

Petal26 said:


> I hate that my mind went there, but I bet they just wanted to search her, touch her.  She is a young, pretty girl, scared and doesn't speak the language, I don't see them missing the opportunity to get toxic and abusive.  I hope she's ok.   There is NO REASON for her to have been arrested for 2 weeks (Crossing the border illegally for the first time is a misdemeanor).  That's ridiculous.


That was my immediate thought. Those people are vermin.


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## Ganjababy (Jun 23, 2018)

I was thinking if this happened to me then I would know that I should run back in the direction I came from. But then I thought they would probably shoot me in my back.


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## Shula (Jun 23, 2018)

Ganjababy said:


> The us one always seem to be feeling themselves and come across as power hungry menaces.



Welcome to America.


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## Ganjababy (Jun 23, 2018)

I know how horrible it is. I once said calmly to the front desk boy at a hotel in ny that the service at his hotel was subpar after he was continually rude to us and even denied that we had a reservation after my family member went there and paid in advance!  He called the police on me. 6 came. I became hysterical. Kept asking why this was. The lil dog poop said there was something about me and I was scum. The police threw us out. I cried and protested. They threatened that they would taze me and put me on a psych hospital. I became hysterical. DH practically picked me up and carried/forced me out of that hell hole. That is one of the worst moments of my freaking life. If I did not have my meemaw and countless other relatives in the us I would cut the us offf! Yes, I am salty!


The good thing was after they disrespected me for no reason I cussed them out for Sandra bland and the lil baby in Florida. After I was finished DH seemed shook. He hates hysterical, angry confrontations. But I did not start that mess. But I was going to finish it. After the dog poop police realized I was a crazy but educated person they let me go. I seriously thought about going back and killing the front desk guy. Never ever thought of killing someone before. He was utter racist scum. He traumatized me. I know I sound dramatic. But that experience affected me adversely.




Shula said:


> Welcome to America.


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## Ganjababy (Jun 23, 2018)

I have lived in the us on and off for over 20 years. I have no plans of moving there...


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## yamilee21 (Jun 23, 2018)

Ganjababy said:


> I don’t know what kind of people they hire or how they train them but the us border security people are totally different from the Canadian ones. The difference in attitude is extreme.
> 
> The us one always seem to be feeling themselves and come across as power hungry menaces.
> .


This is absolutely true. I drive across the NY-Quebec border often; the Canadian agents are usually much friendlier, they joke about how much the kids have grown, the gifts I'm carrying, places to visit. The U.S. ones are just plain nasty, as if it is wrong to visit family across the border. One took offense that we celebrated Christmas there, another got upset that we weren't listening to "American" music in the car, there was even one that threatened to have me detained and deported because he found my multilingualism suspicious. I swear they must use the same recruiting tactics that the KKK and right-wing militias do to find these agents.


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## Petal26 (Jun 23, 2018)

Ganjababy said:


> I know how horrible it is. I once said calmly to the front desk boy at a hotel in ny that the service at his hotel was subpar after he was continually rude to us and *even denied that we had a reservation after my family member went there and paid in advance! * He called the police on me. 6 came. I became hysterical. Kept asking why this was. The lil dog poop said there was something about me and I was scum. The police threw us out. I cried and protested. They threatened that they would taze me and put me on a psych hospital. I became hysterical. DH practically picked me up and carried/forced me out of that hell hole. That is one of the worst moments of my freaking life. If I did not have my meemaw and countless other relatives in the us I would cut the us offf! Yes, I am salty!
> 
> 
> The good thing was after they disrespected me for no reason I cussed them out for Sandra bland and the lil baby in Florida. After I was finished DH seemed shook. He hates hysterical, angry confrontations. But I did not start that mess. But I was going to finish it. After the dog poop police realized I was a crazy but educated person they let me go. I seriously thought about going back and killing the front desk guy. Never ever thought of killing someone before. He was utter racist scum. He traumatized me. I know I sound dramatic. But that experience affected me adversely.


That sounds HORRIBLE.   I am really sorry you went through that.  I can't blame you for getting loud and wanting to kill a mother...  that put you through that.


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## Ganjababy (Jun 23, 2018)

I’m not usually a violent person but i was so angry. Lawd! I have experienced racism. Been called a black female dog and physically attacked in Florida but for some reason that hotel episode was the worst. But this incident cut deep. If my Dh was not there I would have been admitted to a psych ward. It distressed me so much.

 I was able to get past it because I was able to share it on here and members like @Kiowa made me know that my feelings were valid... 





Petal26 said:


> That sounds HORRIBLE.   I am really sorry you went through that.  I can't blame you for getting loud and wanting to kill a mother...  that put you through that.


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## Petal26 (Jun 23, 2018)

Ganjababy said:


> I’m not usually a violent person but i was so angry. Lawd! I have experienced racism. Been called a black female dog but for some reason that hotel episode was the worst. But this incident cut deep. If my Dh was not there I would have been admitted to a psych ward. It distressed me so much.
> 
> I was able to get past it because I was able to share it on here and members like @Kiowa made me know that my feelings were valid...



It's understandable.  We all deal with microaggressions on a daily basis, but this was BEYOND. Calling the cops, when they are killing Black people like it's nothing tells me he wanted you dead or severely injured.  That alone would make me wanna murder someone.  You were not wrong.  I'm happy your hubby was there and was calm.  Sometimes you need that cool, calm person next to you to ground you somewhat.  

I know if my hubby was a hot head we would've set up some stuff on fire already


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## intellectualuva (Jun 23, 2018)

LdyKamz said:


> But 2 weeks though? Why did it take so long when her mother rushed right over with the important documents. Ain't nobody leaving Canada to come here and they know this.



Because she's a french citizen and not Canadian, so they didn't want to release her to Canada either. 
That still shouldn't take 2 weeks. All these stories make me nervous.


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## danysedai (Jun 23, 2018)

Yep. No visit to the U.S for me and my family until 2024 ( I truly believe this clown will be re-elected). I'm Cuban- Canadian and don't want to be interrogated at the border like a friend of mine who missed her connecting flight to Mexico, especially now that the dry foot wet foot policy has been terminated.


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## okange76 (Jun 24, 2018)

US Border Patrol is awful. US Customs Agents in Toronto and Montreal are beyond terrible. You have to go through Customs in Canada on your way back to the US because Canadian flights land in Domestic terminals in the US. At least in Boston they do. I was made to feel like I was not supposed to be able to travel to Canada.  Why were you here?  What were you doing here?  Can you prove it? There is a better way to talk to people without being complete jerks. It's not my fault I'm vacationing and you're stuck in a booth all day. You chose to work there.


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## Shula (Jun 24, 2018)

I remember when you posted that and I'm so sorry that happened to you. I didn't mean to come across flippant and if I did, I apologize. It was more of an acknowledgement that they went too far like they have every single day since its inception.

I'm really just coming to "spank" you for apologizing and referring to yourself as salty and dramatic. What happened in that hotel would've probably caused the calmest of us to blow it up and put a hex on all the descendants of everybody present who aided and abetted. I don't blame your reaction one bit. 





Ganjababy said:


> I know how horrible it is. I once said calmly to the front desk boy at a hotel in ny that the service at his hotel was subpar after he was continually rude to us and even denied that we had a reservation after my family member went there and paid in advance!  He called the police on me. 6 came. I became hysterical. Kept asking why this was. The lil dog poop said there was something about me and I was scum. The police threw us out. I cried and protested. They threatened that they would taze me and put me on a psych hospital. I became hysterical. DH practically picked me up and carried/forced me out of that hell hole. That is one of the worst moments of my freaking life. If I did not have my meemaw and countless other relatives in the us I would cut the us offf! Yes, I am salty!
> 
> 
> The good thing was after they disrespected me for no reason I cussed them out for Sandra bland and the lil baby in Florida. After I was finished DH seemed shook. He hates hysterical, angry confrontations. But I did not start that mess. But I was going to finish it. After the dog poop police realized I was a crazy but educated person they let me go. I seriously thought about going back and killing the front desk guy. Never ever thought of killing someone before. He was utter racist scum. He traumatized me. I know I sound dramatic. But that experience affected me adversely.


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## Kiowa (Jun 24, 2018)

Ganjababy said:


> I’m not usually a violent person but i was so angry. Lawd! I have experienced racism. Been called a black female dog and physically attacked in Florida but for some reason that hotel episode was the worst. But this incident cut deep. If my Dh was not there I would have been admitted to a psych ward. It distressed me so much.
> 
> I was able to get past it because I was able to share it on here and members like @Kiowa made me know that my feelings were valid...



I think we all help get each other through things on LHCF - I just had to take some time out...from my job, my life basically.....the stuff that happens in the US ..that is happening , of late ....I travel into US internationally a lot, and notice that as a  black female travelling alone, that I'm always getting singled out...
I get aggressively asked questions which I am sure would not happen if I was white....so after being gone for a couple of months,having a nice time,I fly back to US and first thing I get is some racist agent in passport control, asking me  questions..what a welcome home..

@Ganjababy - I think I posted my hotel story, and they sent two Big Bubba Sheriffs to turn me out of a hotel in the middle of the night, and I was in the middle of nowhere Redneck USofA city ....anyway, I need to keep my holiday vibe, but I'm with you you have inspired me so much...


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## FemmeCreole (Jun 24, 2018)

What in the world would these hotel folks be calling the police for?!! 

I’ve called police to trespass 2 people in the 5 years I was a front office manager and that was because those folks actually committed crimes. 

It’s plain racism and ignorance that could make someone call the cops on people checking in.


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## PrissiSippi (Jun 24, 2018)

This is just asinine!


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