Born American Canadian recently harassed by Homeland Security

Do I care?

It is illegal for Americans to enter the US under a different passport. It has been that way for years, and it sounds like you finally got caught.
Sucks to be you.

If you don't want to use your American citizenship for anything, including entering the US, why are you so worried about keeping it and are hanging on to it still?

Smartcookie,, no I dont want the rights or obligations of US citizenship. But yes, I do want to enter the US as a Canadian. I do have friends and family there,,, and I transit the country to go to Mexico and beyond.

bzookaj,,, no it hasnt been mandatory for US born "other" passport holders to do anything other than show their passport. It clearly states in my Canadian passport where I was born,,, and always has. They accepted it and that was that. It isnt a matter of "getting caught" through subterfuge,,, but getting caught up in a bureaucratic administrative writ. As I have said, I am not interested in suddenly, after 40 years, exercising any rights or obligations of US citizenship. None. The oath of loyalty getting a US passport may even threaten my Canadian citizenship. I simply want to be treated as a friendly visiting Canadian, with loyalty to only her...

Gez, just get the US passport and deal with it. I don't think the "friendly" Canadians will treat you any differently although the angry one might. It does suck to be you.

hermosajoe,,, actually it sucks to be an American citizen in my view. But that is why I dont exercise it. My choice. To be forced to be one,, with all its obligations and scant rights is rather disconcerting to say the least. I do have kids and guess what? They CANT be US citizens since I have not lived there for more than 5 years, as an adult. Hilarious. So as you can see, I cant even take advantage of citizenship to pass to my kids.

Can't you renounce your US citizenship? I know somebody who did (in order to become a German citizen).

Vinny,,, I thought swearing allegiance to the Queen would have made that explicit. To actually go out of my way to renounce a citizenship I've havent practiced seems overly aggressive and might offend someone in the US bureaucracy as reason to deny my entry. I wish to avoid taking that action if at all possible. I hear there is a gray area where simply declaring to the customs agent (if asked) that I dont wish to exercise the rights or obligations of US citizenship -- but I havent had the opportunity to give that option a try. Next time I go through the US will be this July, in transit to a another country. A simple one hour stop over in Houston. They could harass me again and force me to forfeit my connecting flight. It is a real worry...