British holidaymakers 'traumatised' after arrest at US border (2025 Update)

Correct. It changed after 9/11 started changing our lives. I think it was 2008 you needed a passport.

Shhhhsh. Don't tell the Mexicans and Central Americans that. Or Trump, he'll want a wall.

One key question would be if all people would have been allowed into the US if they crossed legally. I know they say that wasn't their intention, but if they all had the necessary papers anyway, it would show that they could have done it legally, there was no reason to try to cross illegally. Next question would be if they didn't have the necessary papers, was there anything in any of their backgrounds that would indicate they would be denied legal entry? And I agree, it sounds fishy that you'd wind up on a different road and going across a border just trying to avoid an animal.

That is true before 9-11 all you needed was a government issued photo ID - or even a birth certificate for a Canadian Citizen to enter the US or a US citizen to enter the USA.

Technically today a Canadian Citizen can still enter Canada from the USA with the same documentation, but he cannot enter the USA with it (as far as I know)

When I was a kid you didn't need anything. You'd stop at Customs and they'd ask questions like 'Where were you born?" My father was literal minded so he replied 'Nassau'. The Bahamas isn't the only place that has a Nassau so it took a little clarification.

That doesn't explain why they didn't get back onto their legal course.

If I had to guess, I'd think that the Brits or someone there didn't have whatever it takes to legally enter. And the Canada relatives said, why don't we take a midnight ride into the US, we know a spot, we've done it before. Some drinking involved too, perhaps.

First question would be what reason did they give for being in that area to begin with?

They may have just want to have drinks too. They carried the $16,000 in cash because they are good tippers.

Oh, I didn't know they had $16K cash. That's interesting. I really haven't paid much attention to it, beyond what I read here.