U.S. ambassador says Canadians facing device searches, detainment 'not a pattern'

Dylan Robertson · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 07, 2025 11:17 AM EDT | Last Updated: June 7

The U.S. ambassador to Canada is pushing backmost connected Ottawa's question advice, saying his state doesn't hunt phones astatine the borderline and arguing immoderate Americans travelling to Canada are having a pugnacious time.

"We invited Canadians to travel successful and invest, to walk their hard-earned Canadian dollars astatine U.S. businesses," U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra told The Canadian Press successful an interrogation Friday.

"If a Canadian has had a disappointing acquisition coming into the United States, I'm not denying that it happened, but I'm saying it's an isolated lawsuit and it is not a pattern."

In April, Ottawa updated its proposal to Canadians travelling to the United States to pass them astir the anticipation they mightiness beryllium detained if denied entry.

"Expect scrutiny astatine ports of entry, including of physics devices," reads the caller guidance.

There person been reports of Canadians facing intensified scrutiny astatine the border, having phones searched and, successful immoderate cases, being detained.

WATCH | Canadian visits to U.S. plummet implicit fears of caller information measures: 

Hoekstra insisted concerns astir instrumentality searches are not grounded successful reality.

"Coming to the U.S., that's a determination for the Canadians to make. Searching devices and each of that is not a well-founded fear. We don't bash that. America is simply a welcoming place," helium said.

Americans besides scrutinized astatine border: Hoekstra

He said immoderate Americans person expressed akin concerns astir Canada.

"I've heard that from Americans coming into Canada arsenic well, OK? Saying, 'You know, we've not received a lukewarm reception erstwhile we've gotten to Canadian customs,'" helium said.

When asked if these reports from American travellers impact arbitrary telephone searches and lengthy detainment, Hoekstra said determination are consular cases of Americans complaining to the embassy astir the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

"We've said, 'OK this whitethorn person been an isolated event. There whitethorn person been a Canadian borderline idiosyncratic who was having a atrocious day, and thought they'd instrumentality it retired on, you know, idiosyncratic crossed the border,'" helium said.

In a statement, the CBSA said its officers travel a codification of behaviour and the national morals codification that some necessitate them to dainty everyone equally, and that the bureau investigates immoderate complaints of mistreatment.

"Employees are expected to behaviour themselves successful a mode that upholds the values of integrity, respect and professionalism astatine each times," wrote spokesperson Karine Martel.

"Treating radical with respect, dignity and fairness is cardinal to our borderline services officers' narration with the nationalist and a cardinal portion of this is serving each travellers successful a non-discriminatory way."

Hoekstra said question to the U.S. is up to individuals.

"If you determine that you're not going to travel down oregon whatever, that's your determination and you're missing an opportunity. There are large things to spot successful America," Hoekstra said.

He besides noted the lawsuit of CNN writer Christiane Amanpour, who precocious said she prepared to sojourn the U.S. past period arsenic if she was "going to North Korea" — with a "burner phone" that didn't transportation immoderate idiosyncratic accusation — lone to acquisition a lukewarm welcome.

"It's like, [let's] get past the rhetoric and let's look astatine the existent experiences that radical are having here," Hoekstra said.

Airlines person been cutting flights betwixt Canada and the U.S. owed to a slump successful demand, and Flight Centre Travel Group Canada reported a astir 40 per cent driblet successful flights betwixt the 2 countries year-over-year successful February.

A survey successful aboriginal May conducted by Leger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies recovered 52 per cent of respondents consciousness that "it is nary longer harmless for each Canadians travelling to the United States," with 29 per cent disagreeing and 19 per cent saying they were unsure. Roughly the aforesaid proportionality said they personally consciousness unwelcome successful the U.S.

2SLGBTQ+ groups person opted against attending World Pride events successful Washington and United Nations events successful New York, citing scrutiny astatine the borderline arsenic the Trump medication scales backmost protections for transgender and non-binary people.