Why Are U.S. Border Guards Searching Canadians Leaving the Country?
Unusual U.S. inspections of Canada-bound travellers at B.C. crossings are causing long delays and economic strain. Here’s what’s really going on and why it matters.
What Does It Mean to Be Watched While Leaving?
Most of us expect to be questioned and checked when entering a country. But what happens when scrutiny begins at the moment you try to leave? In recent weeks, an unusual pattern has emerged at the U.S.-Canada border, one that has left seasoned travellers baffled, small towns economically shaken, and international trust quietly eroding.
This isn’t about what we already know about border control. This is something else.
For many Canadians crossing the border back from Washington state into British Columbia, particularly at the Peace Arch and Pacific Highway crossings near Blaine, there has been a shift. U.S. border officials aren’t just focused on who’s coming in. Now, they’re inspecting people going out, too.
It may seem like a minor procedural change, but for travellers, residents, and border businesses, the effects are already profound. And while U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) insists this is about national security, the lack of transparency, the invasive searches, and the economic fallout have raised urgent questions. Why now? Why this intensity? And at what cost?
The New Normal: Outbound Inspections That Delay and Disturb
Traditionally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has directed its energy toward screening those entering the United States. But over the last few weeks, travellers leaving the U.S. for Canada at two key B.C. border crossings have been stopped sometimes for hours and thoroughly searched. In some cases, vehicles are being combed from hood to trunk, glove compartments opened, and backseats folded down. Every car. Every traveller. Every day.
This is not a routine adjustment.
Len Saunders, a U.S. immigration lawyer who has worked just metres from the border in Blaine for over 25 years, expressed outright disbelief. "I've never seen them do this," he said. "What’s new is that they’re doing them every single day, which I've never seen."
Travellers like B.C. resident David Steinebach were stunned. “It was very strange. They opened up the hood, the trunk, and the glove box. It wasn’t random. They were targeting every single car going into Canada.”
Even holders of Nexus cards, trusted travellers who undergo detailed background checks, weren’t spared. Some waited over 75 minutes despite their supposed fast-tracked status. For others, the delays stretched beyond three hours.
The Official Line: National Security and Contraband
CBP, when pressed for answers, described the operations as a vital component of their national security mission. The agency stated that outbound inspections help apprehend wanted individuals and intercept contraband. Over four days, they reported “some minor narcotics seizures and nearly 300 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, as well as close to 40 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition.”
But the scale of the inspections seems disproportionate to the seizures.
There’s no indication of major criminal activity justifying daily, sweeping inspections. More importantly, CBP declined to provide a detailed rationale or data when questioned by local media, referring instead to the need for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, an arduous process for journalists or concerned citizens seeking accountability.
What remains, then, is a veil of ambiguity, a tangible frustration among travellers, and a deeply unsettling question: If there’s no major threat, what exactly is the purpose of these disruptive checks?
Collateral Damage: Cross-Border Economies in Crisis
The consequences are already visible. In April, traffic from B.C. license plates into the U.S. dropped by 51 per cent at key crossings. Blaine, Washington, once a lively stop for Canadians purchasing gas, groceries, or dining out, has become eerily quiet.
Blaine’s economy, like many border towns, leans heavily on Canadian customers. Sales tax from these visitors supports local services. With cross-border traffic plunging and no clear end in sight, city leaders now fear budget shortfalls. “This is going to impact how we are able to provide services to our people,” Steward added.
Len Saunders put it more starkly: “This could be the final nail in the coffin.”
Even Seattle businesses have taken note, launching promotions to attract Canadian customers back. But the damage may already be done. Many Canadians, hearing of long delays and feeling humiliated by intrusive inspections, are opting to stay home.
A Crisis of Trust and Transparency
At the heart of the problem is more than just delay or inconvenience. It’s the erosion of a foundational understanding that friendly borders are meant to function with mutual respect and predictability.
These outbound inspections were launched without notice, warning, or explanation. Travellers report confusion, frustration, and a deep sense of intrusion. And while the CBP invokes national security, many Canadians are left wondering whether they are being treated more as suspects than neighbours.
In an age of growing polarization, opaque decision-making only fuels anxiety and suspicion. If these inspections are temporary, why hasn’t a timeline been provided? If they’re permanent, where is the data showing their effectiveness?
Rebuilding the Border in Spirit and Practice
Borders are not just lines on a map. They are living, breathing points of connection, economic, cultural, and personal. For decades, the U.S.-Canada border has symbolized one of the world’s most stable and mutually respectful international relationships. The daily lives of people on both sides depend on it.
When policies disrupt this relationship without a clear cause or communication, they weaken more than trade or travel. They undermine trust.
If U.S. authorities believe these outbound inspections are necessary, they must explain why. Not with vague references to “contraband,” but with evidence, transparency, and collaboration with Canadian counterparts. If, instead, this is a show of force or a new policy rooted in political theatre, it risks isolating communities already struggling to recover from the economic damage of the pandemic and inflation.
We should be vocal about the need for dignity and clarity at our borders. Government representatives should demand answers. And travellers should continue to share their stories.
After all, our ability to move freely, securely, and respectfully between countries is not just a convenience. It’s a cornerstone of international cooperation and one worth protecting.
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Let’s keep learning. Let’s keep questioning. And let’s insist on better.