Border visit 18 December 2022

When we arrived at the border, we had a US border agent who could not understand why we were driving to the border to meet refugees. He questioned us for quite a while and finally ordered us to enter the custom building. There was another agent inside who was much younger and seemed to answer to the older agent. We were asked to empty our pockets and to hand over personal belongings.

They opened my companion's wallet and then emptied my purse onto the counter. I was not permitted to pick up my purse until we were allowed to leave. My car was searched and we got a long lecture that what we were doing was illegal. Finally, after about 30 minutes we were allowed to leave (with my purse). Despite being told it was 'illegal' to give out hats and mitts to people at Roxham Road, we were allowed to enter the US!

At Roxham Road, there were about 43 refugees from Haiti, Congo, Nigeria, Columbia and Nicaragua. There was one baby with parents and two siblings. Another couple brought with them two girls about 8-10 years old, and there was a mother with one child. Most had very little luggage except for one family. Some of the refugees had hats and mittens but most of them did not. They accepted the offered hats, mitts and scarves with gratitude. The last person to arrive was a young man from Cuba who only was wearing a jeans jacket, jeans and torn running shoes. We left at about 4.30pm.