The decision to arrest came after information from an undisclosed source prompted the Nelson City Police to contact the Canada Border Services Agency who, according to Nelson Police Chief Constable Dan Maluta "said yes, we believe he is illegally in Canada and arrestable under the Immigration Act". Maluta acknowledged that the immigration agency was not their "original source" for information on Snyder, and Snyder reported that Josie Perry, the Canadian immigration official who ordered his release, had said that the arrest had been conducted at the behest of officials from the U.S. Army.
Following a tip from an unknown source, the Nelson City Police contacted the Canada Border Services Agency, which confirmed that Snyder was likely in violation of Canadian immigration laws and could be arrested under the Immigration Act. The agency's involvement was not the original source of information on Snyder.