Canada Emergency Upgrade Warning! Chinese Exposed to Be Checked for Phones and WeChat upon Entry!

Canada Raises Emergency Warning! Overseas Chinese Exposed Inspection of Cellphones and WeChat at Entry! A Family Was Quarantined for 5 Days After Visiting Costco! Breaking News! Canada Raises Emergency Warning for Travel to the U.S.! Strict Regulations Including Border Inspections, Cellphone Checks, and Detention Are Involved! The Canadian government upgraded its travel warning for the United States on April 4th, clearly stating that U.S. border inspection personnel "have extensive discretionary power" and can check personal cellphones, social media content, and laptops without a search warrant. The warning reads: "Each country has the right to decide who can enter or exit its borders, and if you do not meet the entry and exit requirements of the United States, the Canadian government cannot intervene." This additional warning reminds Canadian citizens to prepare mentally for strict inspections at border checkpoints, including rigorous questioning, searches of cellphones and laptops, and even copying all contents of electronic devices. < img src = "https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-axegupay5k/5598faa76944400e935df9863e1eebf6~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1744509882&x-signature=nigxHeRSM%2BAN5cHhXoBm3mgfoJA%3D" / > Source: X Experts pointed out that border inspectors' decisions may be based on intuition, preconceived biases, or even discrimination. For example, reasons such as "having been checked before" or "looking suspicious in appearance" could lead to a search. "Usually, officials do not need any reason," the Canadian government urged Canadians to carry proper identification documents with them. "Be prepared to show proof of legal status at any time, and have evidence of your legal residence in the U.S. ready to present." "Comply with regulations and cooperate fully during interactions with (U.S.) border officials. If denied entry, you may be detained while awaiting deportation." The Canadian government also attached a "worst-case scenario guide" for dealing with detention to inform travelers about their rights: https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/emergency-info/arrest-detention < img src = "https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/9884744f14654cbab0b4139797eaed3d~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1744509882&x-signature=EusCFn3clxqfKshmvGRZ31CJN1w%3D" / >< img src = "https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/5984967dbfc44a958eb95574d0aaeda6~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1744509882&x-signature=oeCrzklTBrby15LfgKy8Jn5KSqQ%3D" / > Source: 51 journalist's shooting The latest travel warning comes at a time when relations between Canada and the U.S. are becoming increasingly tense due to trade disputes. Toronto immigration lawyer Heather Segal revealed that inquiries about traveling to the U.S. have surged recently. "The intensity of border inspections and review levels has obviously increased. Many people are afraid—afraid of being detained, afraid of being refused entry." San Francisco privacy expert Adam Schwartz also reminded that once a phone is checked, some "political views" may attract extra attention. For example, if you've said things like "I'm angry with the U.S. president" or "As a Canadian, I'm proud and hate U.S. taxes" on your phone, border inspectors may delve deeper into other content. Schwartz pointed out that although you can refuse to unlock your phone or cooperate with the inspection, officials may directly deny you entry, confiscate your device, force an unlock, or detain you for hours. Recently, some Chinese netizens on social media claimed that they were checked phones, WeChat records, and computers upon entry. "I was checked, it happened in March when entering. They checked my WeChat records, asked me to call a friend, and finally cut my stay time by half." < img src = "https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/e86fb432580942e8a39396b4b7690e10~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1744509882&x-signature=flTv25cUy5Q3vYAgboFXL2i4vu0%3D" / > "Computers will be checked, but not everyone will be checked. Anyway, my friend was checked." < img src = "https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/80ae186865fe46e1b3ad6214f8f52c93~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1744509882&x-signature=PWJCSYie3pitNQjOyWaJA51H%2F%2Fg%3D" / > However, most people still said that the checks were not so strict. Schwartz suggested that worried travelers bring disposable phones and leave their usual phones at home. Canadian Female Entrepreneur Detained for 11 Days While Renewing Visa; Family of Three Quarantined for 5 Days After Visiting Costco Although the Canadian government still maintains its travel risk rating for the U.S. at "low" level and recommends continuing with "normal safety precautions," the recent detention of a BC businesswoman by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has made many Canadians feel fearful and uneasy. In early March, 35-year-old BC businesswoman Jasmine Mooney was denied renewal of her work visa at the Mexico-U.S. border and detained for 11 days. Recently, she publicly shared her experience. Mooney said she spent 11 days in a cement cell, experiencing multiple transfers, humiliating physical examinations, and inhumane treatment, even having her request to pay for a ticket back to Canada denied. She tearfully accused CBC: "That place tears you apart. Everything that happens there is disgusting." < img src = "https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/53719723d64c4478b411a971584dacf3~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1744509882&x-signature=RcQloXims94iHsqnWTpKyslsx90%3D" / >< img src = "https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/034717974229429081d937ff2761de76~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1744509882&x-signature=WErHFfL8B583nTUOo5G0FZb2F4c%3D" / > Jasmine Mooney According to Mooney, there were about 140 women in her detention area at the Otay Mesa Detention Center. She said most of them were detained without warning for illegal overstays or expired visas. These include: < ul >< li > A German tattoo artist was suspected of working illegally and detained for over a month. < / li >< li >< li > A 28-year-old British backpacker was detained for 10 days after attempting to enter Washington State from Canada. < / li >< li >< li > A couple returning to the U.S. from Mexico had their hands cuffed: the wife (U.S. citizen) was handcuffed to a chair, and her German fiancé was detained for 16 days for violating the 90-day travel limit. < / li >< li >< li > A Guatemalan immigrant mother got lost while driving to Costco, mistakenly crossed the Ambassador Bridge, resulting in her and her two daughters (1-year-old and 5-year-old U.S. citizens) being confined in an office without windows for 5 days. < / li > Mooney said: "I even met a girl who stayed there for 8 months." Mooney previously ran bars and restaurants in Vancouver before transitioning into marketing, selling a bottled water product containing cannabis extracts. She successfully obtained a work visa in San Diego in April 2024 and returned to California to work. However, when she re-entered the U.S. after visiting Canada in November 2024, her visa was revoked on the grounds that the product contained cannabis components. Several months later, she received another job offer and was advised by her lawyer to try applying again. "I thought the worst case would just be rejection, I never expected to be detained in a detention center," Mooney said. She felt "lucky" after being released and hopes to draw attention to the conditions at ICE detention centers and how people get trapped there. "I don't think they are specifically targeting Canadians; instead, they are intensifying reviews for anyone trying to enter, work, or travel." < img src = "https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/930a8377157840c7867395ef7e3a47c6~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1744509882&x-signature=j1HsfMkXfdrO6F6IBtHZJvf9P%2FM%3D" / > Source: Isabella Falsetti/The Globe and Mail U.S. Entry "Mandatory Order" Effective April 11th; One Million Canadians Demand Cancellation According to earlier reports, U.S. immigration policy undergoes its strictest adjustment in 10 years: starting April 11, 2025, all foreign nationals staying in the U.S. for more than 30 days must register with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and submit fingerprints for background checks. Failure to register may result in the following consequences: < ul >< li > Up to $5,000 fine + 30-day imprisonment < / li >< li > Deportation < / li >< li > Being placed on the U.S. blacklist, affecting future visa applications < / li > This "mandatory order" will affect more than one million long-term Canadian residents in the U.S., including snowbirds and frequent cross-border travelers. Although Canadian citizens are exempt from fingerprint collection, they still need to register. A new lawsuit accuses the Trump administration's new registration requirement of failing to adequately consider the economic impact on U.S. communities dependent on Canadian "snowbirds" spending. The lawsuit was filed on March 31st in Washington D.C. by the American Immigration Council and other organizations against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and its director Kika Scott, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its acting director Todd Lyons, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and its acting director Peter Flores, the U.S. Department of Justice, and Attorney General Pamela Bondi. The group claims that the U.S. government issued this erroneous directive affecting millions of people without seeking public input and requests the repeal of this new policy. The lawsuit specifically mentions Canadian "snowbirds," stating that this requirement may cause them to stop choosing the U.S. for winter stays, thereby causing financial losses to the U.S. economy. According to data from the U.S. Travel Association, Canada is the largest source of international tourists to the U.S., contributing $20.5 billion in spending in 2024. A 10% reduction in Canadian tourists could result in: < ul >< li > A decrease of 2 million arrivals < / li >< li > A loss of $2.1 billion in tourism revenue < / li > The Canadian Snowbird Association stated that they are actively working with members of Congress and the Trump administration to cancel this new registration rule. "This executive order targets illegal residents and should not apply to Canadian citizens traveling for tourism purposes." Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7490007520736543272/ Disclaimer: This article represents the author's own views. Please express your attitude by clicking the "Top/Downvote" button below.