Harvard student, Zainab Merchant, undergoes extensive searches each time she travels for school, family, or simply for leisure. She has tried numerous attempts at getting answers about why she and her family are being targeted for these searches. This is being published on the media, in the forms of news articles and small segment interviews, and has drawn public attention to the secrecy of the government. She details one of her many extensive searches and how long it took for them to let her and her family go through.
While crossing the border into the United States from Canada, Mrs. Merchant and her family were called to the side to undergo a “random search.” This search lasted far past a few hours as she had to stay overnight with her family of five in a freezing warehouse. Exhausted from the trip and extreme searches the family decide to go straight from the warehouse to the airport to get home as soon as possible. Sadly, the family did get detained once again in a “random search.” One time, they were searched for so long, they actually missed their flight. The officers asked to check their phones, unlock their computers, and have even asked about their religious beliefs.
This has been going on for over two years now, and she wants answers. Is it just her family being targeted for these extensive searches? Who else has to go through all of this? It is important to be aware of what is happening to our U.S. citizens and to speak out when we see something being done to someone that may not be fair or constitutional.
