Many U.S. immigration laws are Band-Aid solutions to calming hysterical people, akin to giving a screaming child a toy rather than smack him in front of everyone at the Wal-Mart. Which is why New York firefighters in the small town of Rouses Point are so frustrated that their colleagues from Canada got detained at the border for 8 minutes while responding to an emergency call for help placed by firefighters on the U.S. side.

“It’s embarrassing,” said Chris Trombley, chief of the Champlain [New York] Volunteer Fire Department and deputy fire coordinator for Clinton County Emergency Services. “We’re calling for help from another country and the first roadblock they hit is at our border.”

The Canadian firefighters “were asked for IDs,” Trombley said. “I believe they even ran the license plate on the truck to make sure it was legal.”

In the past, firetrucks on emergency calls cleared border checkpoints in 30 seconds or less, Trombley said, although he said identification is sometimes checked upon their return.

Of course, border officials blindly say their first responsibility is to protect the homeland. Which is why their decision to let a local landmark burn to the ground is sort of confusing. But hey, who are we to question the infinite wisdom of America and its elected officials?

Canadian firetruck responding to U.S. call held up at border [CNN]