An American citizen, Bachir Atallah, has alleged that he and his wife were detained and handcuffed for hours by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Vermont-Canada border following a short family trip to Canada. The incident has sparked concern amid growing scrutiny over US border enforcement practices.
Speaking to CNN, Atallah — a US citizen originally from Lebanon — recounted the ordeal that unfolded last Sunday evening at the Highgate Springs checkpoint. Upon returning to the US, Atallah said he was asked to pull over for a secondary inspection. When he questioned the request, he claims an officer placed a hand on his gun and ordered him out of his vehicle.
Atallah said he was handcuffed, placed in a holding cell, and separated from his wife, Jessica, who was detained in a cell across from him. “Seeing my wife’s mascara running because she was crying, it was heartbreaking,” he said. “It wasn’t humane.”
According to Atallah, he was not informed of the reason for their detention, nor was he read his rights. He said CBP agents asked for and accessed his phone passcode, and at one point, he began experiencing chest pains and dizziness. He requested medical assistance, and records show that Emergency Medical Services evaluated him around 8 p.m. Sunday.
He said CBP warned him that if he chose to go to the hospital, an officer would accompany him, and the inspection process would restart. Choosing to stay, Atallah said his priority was not to leave his wife alone.
CBP, in a statement to CNN affiliate WMUR, denied any misconduct, calling the traveler’s account “blatantly false and sensationalized.” The agency stated that officers followed established procedures, including a lawful secondary inspection.
Atallah’s sister, Celine Atallah — an immigration attorney — received a voicemail from a CBP officer around 9 p.m., simply informing her that the couple was “safe” and would “be here for a little while.” “He wanted my help, not to know that he’s fine,” she told CNN.
The couple was released around 11 p.m. that night.
Now visiting family in Lebanon, Atallah expressed concern about returning to the US. “I hope they don’t retaliate because I’m speaking out,” he said.