I was locked up because I went to a Texas national park without my papers

Lise Ragbir, Dec. 23, 2015 - "I forgot my permanent resident card when I went on holiday. That’s why border patrol agents took me away and put me in a cell. ... In Big Bend National Park my husband, father, daughter and I stood on the banks of the yellow-green waters of the Rio Grande.  On our side – the US side – we planted our feet on a beach of cracked mud.  On the other side, a 1,000ft cliff wall rose from the river to run left and right, as far as the eye can see. It was the sort of picturesque photo-op that National Parks are built for.  I pointed across the river and told my father: “That’s Mexico,” to which he replied: “Well if that’s Mexico, why does Donald Trump need to build a wall?”  The adults laughed at the joke and my three-year old asked if she could go potty – all of us unaware that we were in an area that is sometimes referred to as the border zone.  I didn’t imagine that within the next six hours, I would be locked in a cell by US Border Patrol.  My offense?  I’m Canadian and I didn’t have my permanent resident card with me."