Bachir Atallah and his wife, Jessica, recently faced a shocking experience while returning to the United States from Canada. After visiting family, they were stopped at the Highgate Springs checkpoint in Vermont. Custom and Border Protection (CBP) agents detained them, leading to a distressing ordeal.
Atallah, originally from Lebanon, was ordered to stop his vehicle and hand over the keys. When he inquired about the reason for the stop, the situation escalated. Officers told him to exit his car while placing their hands on their guns. He was handcuffed and taken into a cell, where his belongings were taken away. Jessica was placed in a separate cell nearby.
Atallah described the emotional toll of the encounter. "Seeing my wife’s mascara running because she was crying, it was heartbreaking,” he said, finding the entire situation dehumanizing.
During the detention, Atallah was asked for the passcode to his phone, which he provided. However, he said CBP agents did not inform him why they were being held and did not read him his rights. A CBP statement later claimed that the officers were conducting a routine inspection, but Atallah felt their actions were unnecessary and aggressive.
This incident comes against a backdrop of rising tensions regarding immigration policies in the U.S. Many people, particularly those with immigrant backgrounds, feel increasingly anxious. A recent survey indicated that over half of immigrants in the U.S. fear aggressive enforcement actions. This anxiety is further heightened by political rhetoric about deportations and the treatment of foreign nationals.
Atallah’s ordeal intensified when he began to experience chest pains while in custody, leading him to request medical assistance. Emergency services arrived, but faced with the possibility of being taken back to his cell after treatment, he chose to stay put rather than leave his wife alone.
After enduring several hours of uncertainty, they were finally released that night. “Thank God we’re safe,” they expressed in Arabic when they got back into their car.
In the days that followed, Atallah worried about returning to the U.S. He plans to visit Lebanon soon and fears how authorities might respond to his speaking out. "I hope they don’t retaliate because I’m speaking out,” he mentioned, highlighting the fear immigrants often carry.
This incident is a reminder of how the experiences of individuals can resonate with broader social issues. Many feel vulnerable during this era of intense scrutiny and fear surrounding immigration.
If you want to learn more about current immigration policies and their impact, check out the Pew Research Center’s analysis.
