[annexrichmond]

The cases you link relate to someone with previous convictions that could affect their legal status and someone potentially filing faulty documents and overstaying their legal status. They were not just visitors, so not sure why you are comparing these cases to you simply going to a conference unless you are being deliberately dishonest to make a point

[blasphemers]

Yea, I've seen this a few times now on here where people are acting like ICE is going to arrest them for being here legally for a conference.

[jquaint]

I concede that [3] is not the best case of this reading more into it. My point still stands though.

If visitors are one immigration mistake away from weeks in a detention camp, or any other unjust punishment it's reasonable that visitors would not want to visit.

[annexrichmond]

A quick search suggests 25k Canadians enter the US daily for multi-day trips. If ICE was any real concern here for Canadians we'd hear a lot more about it I think.