NH green card holder denied reentry to U.S. after visiting native Canada
Chris Landry is a legal U.S. resident and has lived in the Granite State since he was 3 years old. He has a partner, five children and a job in manufacturing.
He was stopped Sunday at the border in Houlton, Maine, while returning from a family vacation.
'They pulled me aside and started questioning me about my past convictions in New Hampshire,' Landry told NBC10 Boston.
Three hours later, the 46-year-old was told he couldn't come home, despite having a green card and being a legal U.S. resident.
'They denied me reentry and said, 'Don't come back or we will detain you,' and the only way for me to get back in was to see an immigration judge,' he told NBC10 Boston from New Brunswick.
In 2004 and 2007, Landry faced charges of marijuana possession and driving with a suspended license, but he says he's had no criminal record since then.
He was given a suspended sentence and paid his fines.
'I never thought that that would threaten my status as a resident of the United States,' he said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection told NBC10 Boston, 'Possessing a green card is a privilege, not a right, and under our nation's laws, our government has the authority to revoke a green card if our laws are broken and abused. Lawful Permanent Residents presenting at a U.S. port of entry with previous criminal convictions may be subject to mandatory detention and/or may be asked to provide additional documentation to be set up for an immigration hearing.'
'It's just very uncertain for me right now,' said Landry. 'I might end up spending the rest of my life in Canada. Who knows if I'll ever have the right to reenter the United States at this point?'
Landry, who lives in Peterborough, New Hampshire, was with three of his children when he was stopped at the border.
The children, all American citizens, will make their way home in the days ahead.
Landry says he goes to Canada at least once a year and has never had a problem until now.
As a Canadian citizen, he couldn't vote for president, but he supported Donald Trump.
He blames the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration for his plight.
'I was definitely all for 'Make America Great Again,' and having a strong, unified country, and a bright future for my five American children, but now I feel a little differently,' he said. 'I've been torn from my family. My life has been disregarded completely.'
He has reached out to New Hampshire's congressional delegation for support, hoping they'll intervene on his behalf.
The office of Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan said it is in touch with Landry, noting, 'Helping constituents navigate federal agencies and processes is a core function of Senator Hassan's office.'
The offices of Reps. Maggie Goodlander and Chris Pappas, both Democrats, told NBC10 Boston they were 'deeply concerned.'
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