David Irving writes to US Embassy in London, June 6, 1993
about the Fake Data planted on his US Immigration file by unknown (Canadian?) hands
The attachments (TABS) are not posted on this Website. Certain data have been omitted for security reasons.
London, June 6,1993
Dear Sir,
Re: Inaccurate data concerning myself on INS computer database.
I have been advised by the Immigration Officer at Washington's Dulles International Airport to make representations to you with a view to getting inaccurate data concerning myself erased from, or corrected on, the database of the Immigration & Naturalization Service computer. For the sake of certain inquiries which my attorneys are conducting in Canada, in relation to that country's illegal deportation of myself on November 13, I also wish to inquire about procedures to obtain access to the derogatory information that is contained on that database about myself, under your country's Freedom of Information Act.
Background: born on March 24, 1938, I am a well known British historian, with over a score of serious books published in this country by Macmillan Ltd and others and in the USA by The Viking Press Inc., Little, Brown Inc., and others. My books are sometimes controversial, and in recent years I have been been the victim of schemes designed to harass me. These have included the preparation of fake documents (your embassy's legal officer was good enough to confirm to me that one document purporting to be an American official diplomatic dispatch, which is being widely circulated, is in fact a forgery) (see TAB "A"). I have been travelling to the United States for about thirty years -- research in the archives, lecturing, and vacationing twice a year in Key West, Florida, I have a Permanent Visitor's Visa, valid indefinitely for Multiple entries, issued to me on [...] in London. I attach a photocopy of that visa (TAB "F") in my former passport number [...]. My current passport number [...] was issued in London on January 4, 1989.
History of this Case: By agreement with the Canadian authorities in Vancouver B.C. I was served with a voluntary departure notice on October 30 to leave Canada by midnight November 1/2, 1992. I will be happy to go into the background of that controversy in a follow-up letter if you request. Suffice it to say here that it was the outcome of a campaign organised against me by my critics. I duly attempted, pursuant to that notice, to leave Canada before the appointed hour, driving in my rented Lincoln car which I had picked up at Dulles airport, back over the Whirlpool Bridge at Niagara Falls into the United States. For some yet to be explained reason the immigration officer on the line (secondary immigration) there, a Mr Howe, after consultations, declined to allow me into the USA that evening although I had (a) the valid visa, and (b) the valid I-94 form still affixed in my passport. In consequence of his refusal, I was returned to Canadian soil and served with an automatic deportation order on November 13 (which was, for other reasons, illegal). It now seems that Mr. Howe had been requested by the local Canadian authorities, who were dissatisfied with the voluntary departure notice, not to allow me into the USA, in order that they could serve a deportation notice on me. At the time it was not plain to me.
"Something odd has been done to this INS record. . . You will have to get this garbage taken off the INS file. Otherwise you are going to have a bunch of trouble every time."
The Inaccurate Data: On December 1, 1992 I entered the United States without any problem, flying from London to Miami, Florida, and departing from Miami to London on January 11, 1993. On arrival at Miami I believed however that the Immigration Official in Miami appeared startled by some entry on his screen. When invited to Washington in April, I therefore wrote to your ambassador (TAB "C") to ensure that there were no objections. I am a careful and law-abiding citizen, and I attach great importance to my relations with the United States. Your office replied as at TAB "D", that my visa was still valid and in order.
On April 20 [1993] I flew to Washington Dulles International Airport. On this occasion I was detained for approximately three hours by your Immigration Officer. He behaved very properly at all times, noted that I had a valid visa, and satisfied himself eventually as to the purpose and documentation of my visit, and allowed me in. He first showed me a lengthy computer print out from the INS computer which, he said, contained information about me which was inaccurate and misleading, as he had himself established from other sources (he mentioned the FBI and the Canadian police (RCMP) and Canadian immigration computers, into which, having obtained security clearance, he had gained computer access). For example, he stated that according to the INS file on me I was "wanted" by the RCMP and there was an "arrest warrant" out against me in Canada. Checking the Canadian computer files, however, he had found these to be empty on me, he said. He said,
"Something odd has been done to this INS record. You are going to have a lot of trouble every time you enter the USA. You will have to approach the U.S. Consul at the embassy in London and make representations to get this garbage" --his word -- "taken off the INS file. Otherwise you are going to have a bunch of trouble every time."
Conclusion: Some malicious person, or persons, have filed wilfully inaccurate information about me on the INS (and other?) computers with the intention of compromising me and impeding my free entry to the United States. The culprits may be (directly or indirectly) certain Canadian officials who wanted me to be refused entry to the USA on November 1, 1992, for their own purposes.
Request: I request, as stated at the beginning of this letter,
- (a) that I be informed of whatever allegations against me are contained on the INS computer and given a chance to reply to them, if this is possible under your procedures; failing that, under the F.o.I. procedures; and
- (b) that you take all due steps necessary to expunge this inaccurate data if you deem it now to be necessary. The Immigration Official at Washington's Dulles airport kindly said that he had entered a note at the end of the file, to this effect.
Please keep me informed of the progress of your investigation. I do not intend at this stage visiting the United States until October, when I have an invitation to lecture at a university in Alabama.
Yours sincerely
David Irving
The United
States Consul,
Embassy of the United States of America,
Grosvenor Square,
London W1A 2JB
