Frankly, you've allowed yourself to fall prey to US election year propaganda. If you look at the numbers you're very safe travelling in the US, and to the extent you're in danger it's from criminals and not police.
>And as a foreigner I have virtually no rights while on American soil.
That's simply false. In criminal matters you have exactly the same rights as a US citizen, even if you're in the country illegally. Though it is true you don't want to say anything to cops if they've taken some kind of official notice of you, that's not the same thing as asking for directions or reporting a crime.
You will get the same advice about answering questions in Canada, by the way, and for the same reason:
>Never voluntarily subject yourself to a police interrogation where it is apparent you are a suspect or accused. If you are approached as a witness you can ask the police, on videotape, to confirm that you are being questioned only as a witness and that you are not in legal jeopardy. After an arrest, there is an enormous power imbalance. The police -- hopeful of obtaining a confession, or damaging admission -- will take advantage of your vulnerability, at least to the limits of the law. Your best choice is always to consult a lawyer and you have a right to free consultation with duty counsel.
The reason people hammer home the idea you shouldn't talk to cops in the US is (like Canada) remaining silent isn't prejudicial during a trial. You have nothing to gain and can only hurt yourself.
By the letter of the law and international agreements, foreigners have rights.
In practice? Enjoy jail and a swift deportation because you happened to say the wrong thing to an officer or otherwise incur their disgust. What an embarrassing, and costly, end to a business trip that would be.
Have you ever actually been to the US? For something like that to happen you'd have to be breaking the law. Saying the wrong thing to a cop won't do it - local police don't have the power to deport you. The most they can do is refer you to CIS, and if there's no crime CIS will say "Why are you bothering us?"
It should be common sense you don't go to a foreign country and break the laws, no matter where you're from or where you're going.
The problem as I see it is that while 99% of police officers are not only law abiding and do their job with integrity, the 1% out there can and do destroy innocent lives. It is like walking into a mine field. You could very well walk out unscathed but one 'routine' brush with the wrong police officer and your life may never recover. So are you willing to take such a small but catastrophic chance? An intelligent person would do all they can to minimize the risk.
Yes, but the point is the risk is so small you're off into lightning strike territory. Do you worry about brain eating amoebas when you swim? Do you refuse to fly because the plane might crash?
