Overview

• Bachir Atallah, a U.S. citizen and lawyer, and his wife were detained for five hours at a Vermont border crossing after returning from Canada.
• Atallah alleges he was aggressively removed from his car, handcuffed, and forced to consent to a search of his phone under duress despite citing attorney-client privilege.
• Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials claim the detention was a routine secondary inspection and deny allegations of misconduct.
• The couple is now pursuing legal action, with Atallah expressing fear of facing similar treatment during future international travel.
• The incident has fueled concerns about potential overreach in U.S. border enforcement practices impacting citizens and legal residents.