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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Business trip man 'deported from US because of skin colour' | Business trip man 'deported from US because of skin colour' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A man on a business trip to the US says he was held for 13 hours "with little food or water" then thrown out of the country because of his skin colour. | A man on a business trip to the US says he was held for 13 hours "with little food or water" then thrown out of the country because of his skin colour. |
| Amreet Surana, who works for a UK security company, was held in Detroit while trying to catch a connecting flight to the firm's branch in Arizona. | Amreet Surana, who works for a UK security company, was held in Detroit while trying to catch a connecting flight to the firm's branch in Arizona. |
| He said officials treated him "like dirt" then concluded he was an "illegal immigrant denying a US citizen a job". | He said officials treated him "like dirt" then concluded he was an "illegal immigrant denying a US citizen a job". |
| US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) denied racially profiling Mr Surana. | US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) denied racially profiling Mr Surana. |
| The 24-year-old, from Thurmaston in Leicestershire, regularly visits the country for work, and estimates he spends "about three months a year" there while staying at his boss's home in Arizona. | |
| Updates on this story and more from Leicestershire | Updates on this story and more from Leicestershire |
| Mr Surana said his Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), which allows citizens of 38 countries, including most of Europe, to travel to the US without a visa, has been revoked for five years - something he intends to appeal against with his lawyers. | |
| Mr Surana said he was stopped when he landed at Detroit Airport from London Heathrow on 17 January and then sent to be interviewed by immigration officials. | |
| He said he told them he worked as an international business manager for Nottingham-based Octavian, and was visiting its US branch in Phoenix. | He said he told them he worked as an international business manager for Nottingham-based Octavian, and was visiting its US branch in Phoenix. |
| "In the space of 20 minutes they concluded that I was an illegal immigrant working in America, denying a US citizen a job," Mr Surana said. | "In the space of 20 minutes they concluded that I was an illegal immigrant working in America, denying a US citizen a job," Mr Surana said. |
| "I was threatened with fraud, I was threatened with banishment from the USA and imprisonment. You feel dehumanised to the extent that you feel like a piece of dirt on the floor." | "I was threatened with fraud, I was threatened with banishment from the USA and imprisonment. You feel dehumanised to the extent that you feel like a piece of dirt on the floor." |
| He said he was then held for 13 hours, during which time his photograph and fingerprints were taken, and his belongings searched. | He said he was then held for 13 hours, during which time his photograph and fingerprints were taken, and his belongings searched. |
| He was allowed to sleep in an unused interview room, he said, but was given little food or water. | He was allowed to sleep in an unused interview room, he said, but was given little food or water. |
| 'Wish this on nobody' | 'Wish this on nobody' |
| "The whole experience was traumatic, frightening, embarrassing, stressing and haunting for me and my family," he said. | "The whole experience was traumatic, frightening, embarrassing, stressing and haunting for me and my family," he said. |
| "I have never had a criminal record. I have an education and an international executive job. | "I have never had a criminal record. I have an education and an international executive job. |
| "I wish this on nobody. I believe I was profiled because of my appearance." | "I wish this on nobody. I believe I was profiled because of my appearance." |
| The CBP did not give the specific reason for deporting Mr Surana from the US, but said an approved ESTA visa did not guarantee a traveller would pass border checks. | The CBP did not give the specific reason for deporting Mr Surana from the US, but said an approved ESTA visa did not guarantee a traveller would pass border checks. |
| "CBP firmly denies any claims that a traveller can be subject to an admissibility interview because of racial profiling," it said. | "CBP firmly denies any claims that a traveller can be subject to an admissibility interview because of racial profiling," it said. |
| "CBP is charged with inspecting all travellers regardless of nationality, race, sex, religion, faith, or spiritual beliefs. Accusations of lengthy detentions by CBP are also incorrect. | "CBP is charged with inspecting all travellers regardless of nationality, race, sex, religion, faith, or spiritual beliefs. Accusations of lengthy detentions by CBP are also incorrect. |
| "CBP officers offer food and water before boarding a return flight within eight hours of the traveller's arrival into the United States." | "CBP officers offer food and water before boarding a return flight within eight hours of the traveller's arrival into the United States." |