Canadian permanent resident detained at U.S. border over alleged voting record

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 27, 2026

Photo Courtesy: CBC

A 61-year-old Canadian citizen and U.S. permanent resident says she was detained for nearly six hours at the Canada-U.S. border after American authorities questioned her about whether she had voted in a U.S. election.

Paige Adamson was returning to Point Roberts, Washington, from British Columbia on September 15 when she was stopped at the border. She said the questioning began with an agent asking whether she had ever voted in a federal U.S. election.

Adamson told CBC she had never voted in a federal election, but was sent for secondary inspection. She said she was questioned for hours and eventually signed documents before being allowed to enter the United States.

According to documents reviewed by CBC, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security alleges Adamson falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen to register to vote in Whatcom County and alleges she voted in Washington state’s 2018 general election. Adamson disputes the allegations, saying she does not remember voting and may have been automatically registered after receiving a ballot.

The case has raised concerns among immigration lawyers, who say non-citizens can sometimes be incorrectly caught in voter-registration systems. One lawyer told CBC he had received calls from three people, including Adamson, who were recently detained and questioned over similar issues.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said permanent residents are screened against federal and state databases. If records indicate possible unlawful voter registration, illegal voting or a previous false claim to U.S. citizenship, travelers may face detailed questioning, prolonged inspections and potentially formal removal proceedings.

Adamson is now scheduled for a hearing in Seattle as she faces the possibility of being removed from the United States, where she has lived since 2012. The case also highlights the potential consequences for Canadians living or working across the border as U.S. authorities increase scrutiny of immigration and voting records.