I am a white American who never even travelled outside the country until I was an adult. The very first time I had to cross the border, I ran into issues. It’s very real, no matter how American you are. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23626963

I’ve been harassed by police in other contexts when they followed protocol incorrectly and tried to cover their asses. Lawyers tend to sort that out quickly, but what about people who can’t afford lawyers?

At the same time, I’ve had police officers help me and my family, and I’ve generally gotten along quite well with law enforcement. But in all these situations, they weren’t acting as LEOs; they were acting as social services.