A New Hampshire real estate attorney and American citizen, Bachir Atallah, and his wife, Jessica Fakhri, were detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials upon re-entering the country from a family vacation in Canada. Atallah claims they were treated poorly, with him being handcuffed and twisted, and both of them held in separate cells without shoes or jackets. CBP Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham stated that the accusations were false and sensationalized, and that CBP officers acted according to protocol. Atallah’s sister, Celine Atallah, who is an immigration lawyer, believes that this incident is a sign that U.S. citizens are also being targeted and that it is a worrying trend.
After being released following a five-hour detention, Atallah and Fakhri are now seeking legal action. Atallah, who was hopeful for change under the Trump administration, is now concerned about what could happen upon his return from Lebanon where he is traveling for work and to visit family. This incident has raised concerns about the treatment of law-abiding citizens by border officials and the potential violation of attorney-client privilege. The Independent, an independent news organization, is calling for support to continue their investigative reporting to shed light on important stories like Atallah’s. Your support helps them continue to tell the stories that matter.
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