Canadian woman refused U.S. entry because of depression

[struggle4progress]

8. The facts, so far as I have been able to determine, seem to be these:

Ms Richardson attempted suicide several times, and in 2001 such an attempt left her so badly injured that she is now confined to a wheelchair, a fact made public by Ms Richardson herself through the publisher of her book (see #5)

Her established history of such mental illness, as had made her a danger to herself, renders her excludable from the US under 8 USC § 1182, though this exclusion is administratively waivable (see #6)

Ms Richardson is not the only person ever to have been excluded under this statute and regulations promulgated pursuant to it (see #7)

So outrage, about US border enforcement knowledge of Ms Richardson's suicide attempt history, maybe somewhat misplaced, insofar as Richardson herself has publicized it. Questions, about whether Canadian officials improperly made available privileged medical information, are best directed to Canadian officials. However, Canada does regularly share police information with the US, so any police reports involving Ms Richardson's psychiatric-episodes may produce data for border enforcement

It is, of course, Ms Richardson's own responsibility to ensure that she understands existing US law when planning to enter the US

Those, who feel that the regulatory basis for exclusion of Ms Richardson should be modified, are free to petition the appropriate regulatory agency for amendment of the relevant regulations; and those, who feel that the statutory basis for exclusion of Ms Richardson should be modified, are free to approach Congress for amendment of the statute

Ms Richardson herself, of course, may be able to offer an entirely coherent and convincing discussion of her current status, leading to the conclusion that her inadmissibility should be waived -- in which case, she certainly ought to apply for such waiver