Muslims

[April and Mohamed 0]

Lol thanks... you know we talk about our country and how things like that shouldn't matter but i do have to say just the security checks at the airport are more intensive and all over the board. I went to morocco twice got stopped 4 times in security getting on the plane to leave the country but when I was coming back in not a problem. Than my last trip back in I got the four security officers surrounding me and having to show pictures of my husband and I and answer questions for 15 min. The funny thing is noone one else was forced to do the same. I love my country I am the 5th generation service member but people are still human and frankly we still all hurt from the travisty that occured on our own soil. Do I think it'll slow down the process??? Anything is possible to whomever is looking at the apps I guess.

Salam Rajaa and all,

It's funny because each time I flew to Morocco wearing my jellaba, I had to get the patdown in the States and London, so when I went to visit my mom I decided to wear jeans and a thigh-length shirt to cover the bum and it worked! No extra patdown!! Also when I came back from my first visit to Morocco they took me to the side to go through my bags and asked me inappropriate questions in my opinion and I didn't know my rights at that time but next time I do have the right to tell them it's none of their business (personal questions about my husband, that dude was NOT an immigration officer!) and then when I went back in Jan. after being here 6 months they took me to the side again but that was only because I had been outside of the U.S. for so long and that dude didn't ask me anything, he was nice. I'm hoping that the fact that my husband hasn't traveled outside of Morocco except going to Algeria when he was a kid will help, but he's never been in any trouble, never been to the States, hope that will help. By the way I read that when you want to get a new passport if you want to take your picture with hijab you just have to send in a letter with the passport application explaining that you're Muslim bla bla bla. So since my I-130 picture was me with a scarf too I wrote a letter like that just in case. Hope it worked. Hey guys, if they send me an RFE and want more evidence of our ongoing relationship, I don't have any conversations or phone calls because I live with him, what can I do? His dad owns this house and pays all the bills so there isn't necessarily a paper trail of me here expect for my ATM withdrawals hehe Go to the police here and get a record of my entry date? And they won't call me in for an interview will they? That would suck...see you next time.

April

[Imua 0]

Lol thanks... you know we talk about our country and how things like that shouldn't matter but i do have to say just the security checks at the airport are more intensive and all over the board. I went to morocco twice got stopped 4 times in security getting on the plane to leave the country but when I was coming back in not a problem. Than my last trip back in I got the four security officers surrounding me and having to show pictures of my husband and I and answer questions for 15 min. The funny thing is noone one else was forced to do the same. I love my country I am the 5th generation service member but people are still human and frankly we still all hurt from the travisty that occured on our own soil. Do I think it'll slow down the process??? Anything is possible to whomever is looking at the apps I guess.

Wow, 4 times???? I wear salwar kameez but do not cover my head and sometimes get looks when I am at the airport - last time when I went to KTM(the flight was actually JFK-Bangkok) as I was boarding the plane a security officer pulled me aside, asked to see my passport and then asked me how much money I was carrying with me and said I was not allowed to bring more than $10K(i think) out of the country. Nobody else got this kind of treatment and I thought it was very strange - my jewelry is all silver and nothing about me shouts 'rich' - quite the opposite, I was wearing $10 flipflops and carrying a cheap Chinese backpack - the only reason I could think is because I was wearing SK and the officer thought I was Muslim and once she saw I didn't have a Muslim name had to think of some excuse for why she pulled me aside.

Edited May 23, 2008 by Pattu Rani

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

Long story short but I was in the Army reserves for 11 yrs and been all over the world. After my experinces I ended up converting while my husband and I were in the "friends" stage.... when i sent my G325a app in it was a pic of me with my hijab but if they just run my social they'll see my TS clearance and I think that might help??

"Your" TS clearance will not help one bit, as your intended spouse is the subject of the investigation. You are not in question here, your intended immigrating SO is.

I have travelled the same road; and my clearance level was a primary cause of my career change to be with my wife. The best call I ever made.

Anyway, all the best to you both.

Edit: spelling....

furthermore, they'd not see that ts clearance unless they ran it thru sso channels..........something uscis isn't connected to.

[April and Mohamed 0]

Lol thanks... you know we talk about our country and how things like that shouldn't matter but i do have to say just the security checks at the airport are more intensive and all over the board. I went to morocco twice got stopped 4 times in security getting on the plane to leave the country but when I was coming back in not a problem. Than my last trip back in I got the four security officers surrounding me and having to show pictures of my husband and I and answer questions for 15 min. The funny thing is noone one else was forced to do the same. I love my country I am the 5th generation service member but people are still human and frankly we still all hurt from the travisty that occured on our own soil. Do I think it'll slow down the process??? Anything is possible to whomever is looking at the apps I guess.

Wow, 4 times???? I wear salwar kameez but do not cover my head and sometimes get looks when I am at the airport - last time when I went to KTM(the flight was actually JFK-Bangkok) as I was boarding the plane a security officer pulled me aside, asked to see my passport and then asked me how much money I was carrying with me and said I was not allowed to bring more than $10K(i think) out of the country. Nobody else got this kind of treatment and I thought it was very strange - my jewelry is all silver and nothing about me shouts 'rich' - quite the opposite, I was wearing $10 flipflops and carrying a cheap Chinese backpack - the only reason I could think is because I was wearing SK and the officer thought I was Muslim and once she saw I didn't have a Muslim name had to think of some excuse for why she pulled me aside.

Hey it looks like you're gonna see the husband in a couple of days, congrats! Are you staying for good, or it'll just be a long visit?

April

[SaadBell 0]

I am not Muslim, but for some reason I am profiled at the airport, mostly France. Not sure what they are looking for, but one time I didn’t think I make it home. I was in France, trying to get my flight to America; I had a ton of problems there. First there was something wrong with my ticket, I never sure what the problem was, but I was standing in line to check in, and first this lady starts asking me questions, on why I was in Egypt, what did I do, where did I stay. I am not feeling happy at this point, than she tells me to wait for one minute, than the next thing I know I have two more people coming to me asking me even more questions. Finally after TWO HOURS, they state they have checked me in to the flight and I am now good to go. WRONG, I go to the next check point, GUESS WHAT, I am pulled aside again, but this time they make a few phone calls, and I am off to my gate. Finally I am in the line to borad the plane, than all of a sudden I am surrounded by at least 7 French police officers, under-cover ones, and they pull me from the line, in front of everyone, so I look like a criminal at this point, they take me to another room, and this is when I was strip searched, not my first time, but I was really shocked. They did all this, plane is waiting on the runway, I am finally able to get back to getting on the plane. As I was getting ready to get on the trolley to the plane, they pull me again, #######, I had just been strip searched, and then they search me again, patted me down, and finally I was able to get on the plane, and I was the last one, every eye on me. Oh yea good times, now what were they looking for, not sure, but for some reason they put me through the ringer. Not the first time I have had run inns’ with France. I learned a long time ago, NEVER DO ANYTHING WRONG, because for some reason they always look at me first.

[sara..... 371]

I am not Muslim, but for some reason I am profiled at the airport, mostly France. Not sure what they are looking for, but one time I didn’t think I make it home. I was in France, trying to get my flight to America; I had a ton of problems there. First there was something wrong with my ticket, I never sure what the problem was, but I was standing in line to check in, and first this lady starts asking me questions, on why I was in Egypt, what did I do, where did I stay. I am not feeling happy at this point, than she tells me to wait for one minute, than the next thing I know I have two more people coming to me asking me even more questions. Finally after TWO HOURS, they state they have checked me in to the flight and I am now good to go. WRONG, I go to the next check point, GUESS WHAT, I am pulled aside again, but this time they make a few phone calls, and I am off to my gate. Finally I am in the line to borad the plane, than all of a sudden I am surrounded by at least 7 French police officers, under-cover ones, and they pull me from the line, in front of everyone, so I look like a criminal at this point, they take me to another room, and this is when I was strip searched, not my first time, but I was really shocked. They did all this, plane is waiting on the runway, I am finally able to get back to getting on the plane. As I was getting ready to get on the trolley to the plane, they pull me again, #######, I had just been strip searched, and then they search me again, patted me down, and finally I was able to get on the plane, and I was the last one, every eye on me. Oh yea good times, now what were they looking for, not sure, but for some reason they put me through the ringer. Not the first time I have had run inns’ with France. I learned a long time ago, NEVER DO ANYTHING WRONG, because for some reason they always look at me first.

Im sorry that happened to u.....we have never been strip searched but two years ago when leaving for India my mom and got pulled from line and patted down at portland air port now this does not sound bad right lol my mom is very mmmm big in the chest area and this lady was busy with her magic wand checking guess that was not good enough she demands my mom remove her shawl and proceeds to squeeze her breast not just one but both with everyone looking no curtain for privacy after she was done and let us thru my mom walked back up to her and said gee i hope that was good for u but it didnt do a thing for me........i about fainted i figured we would be back in security check and blocked from boarding the plane but the lady said nothing as mom had already turned around and started towards our gate area

[nunyab 0]

I am not Muslim, but for some reason I am profiled at the airport, mostly France. Not sure what they are looking for, but one time I didn’t think I make it home. I was in France, trying to get my flight to America; I had a ton of problems there. First there was something wrong with my ticket, I never sure what the problem was, but I was standing in line to check in, and first this lady starts asking me questions, on why I was in Egypt, what did I do, where did I stay. I am not feeling happy at this point, than she tells me to wait for one minute, than the next thing I know I have two more people coming to me asking me even more questions. Finally after TWO HOURS, they state they have checked me in to the flight and I am now good to go. WRONG, I go to the next check point, GUESS WHAT, I am pulled aside again, but this time they make a few phone calls, and I am off to my gate. Finally I am in the line to borad the plane, than all of a sudden I am surrounded by at least 7 French police officers, under-cover ones, and they pull me from the line, in front of everyone, so I look like a criminal at this point, they take me to another room, and this is when I was strip searched, not my first time, but I was really shocked. They did all this, plane is waiting on the runway, I am finally able to get back to getting on the plane. As I was getting ready to get on the trolley to the plane, they pull me again, #######, I had just been strip searched, and then they search me again, patted me down, and finally I was able to get on the plane, and I was the last one, every eye on me. Oh yea good times, now what were they looking for, not sure, but for some reason they put me through the ringer. Not the first time I have had run inns’ with France. I learned a long time ago, NEVER DO ANYTHING WRONG, because for some reason they always look at me first.

Wow!! Remind me not to fly to France! and yeah April I did do the no Abaya this time but long shirt and pants but It was at the airport in Amsterdam.... hummm however they did make me miss my flight and KLM was wonderful at putting me up in a room at the Crown Plaza, no complaints there. But Ganga_girl you showed me, just when I think I have a bad experience there are worse! I am sorry you had to go through all of that. My question is though why the profiling?? I mean honestly, do you think i am trying to be deseving or naughty by wearing a Hijab??? If i didn't want to bring extra attention to myself you think i would go about it that way? uuughhh!! anyway, as we are supposed to be patient I am sure Allah would like us to have a sense of humor too. As my husband says "we should always say Hamdolah"

[SaadBell 0]

Im sorry that happened to u.....we have never been strip searched but two years ago when leaving for India my mom and got pulled from line and patted down at portland air port now this does not sound bad right lol my mom is very mmmm big in the chest area and this lady was busy with her magic wand checking guess that was not good enough she demands my mom remove her shawl and proceeds to squeeze her breast not just one but both with everyone looking no curtain for privacy after she was done and let us thru my mom walked back up to her and said gee i hope that was good for u but it didnt do a thing for me........i about fainted i figured we would be back in security check and blocked from boarding the plane but the lady said nothing as mom had already turned around and started towards our gate area

####### was that, she just wanted to feel your mother up, your poor mother, I am sure she fits the profile of drug smuggler or terrorist. I remember once on the border of France and Spain, crossing into Spain, this one man was really checking out my passport, I am with my mother, and he is talking Spanish really fast, and my mother is talking also, any Spanish I learned, is GONE, I am freaking out, but he was just asking how such a little girl, me, could be in the Army. That was in my military days, it is funny now, but in the middle of the night in the Pyrenee’s mountains, you kinda of lose your cool. I also remember the big German Sheppard dogs they had.

[doodlebugg 10]

I wear a scarf on my head and when hubby and me flew to North Carolina last month this woman in the line for security kept glaring at me and whispering to her husband while keeping an eye on both me and my husband. Karma's a beatch and she ended up being pulled aside and interrogated while hubby and I sailed right on through.

(i know that has nothing to do with admin processing but I thought it was a funny story )

My husband had a long ap wait after his interview but honestly there were Christian men who had longer waits so I think it has more to do with other things like name hits, etc. than with the religion.

[sara..... 371]

I guess the bottom line about flying if u fit the Muslim profile is just go with the flow and learn to have a sense of humor about it but what really scars me is while they r busy checkin the small kids and women that fly or men with long beards there are people that really r dangerous passing thru the check security system with out problems..........kind of reminds me of a very old joke ............

there was a black man seated on the plane......a very mmm shall we say red neck with out offending anyone that came and was seated next to him the man started complaining loudly to the stewardess that he had been seated in the wrong place and they had made a mistake everyone was looking he was so loud and rude finally the stewardess came once again when he turned on his light to complain and said to the man that was complaining u know sir ur absolutely correct we have made a mistake in the issue of seats she then turned to the black man and said excuse me sir but we have mistakenly put in economy when ur seat is suppose to be in first class and lead the black man to the first class section of the plane.......

[SaadBell 0]

I just wear normal clothes, but maybe it is my face. I am not sure, I am now wondering if they were looking for drugs or bombs. The one thing I hated was when they talk in their lanague and I have no idea what they are saying. I remember they kept saying Madam Bell, one minute, ONE MINUTE MY BUTT, I am I going to jail or home. I cried a few times that day.

[sara..... 371]

I hope i dont offend anyone but here is a couple of videos about muslim flying they are done by a muslim man and are funny but get the point across just a little funny to laugh a little

I keep checking to see if he has done anything on immigration but so far he has not

[Imua 0]

Lol thanks... you know we talk about our country and how things like that shouldn't matter but i do have to say just the security checks at the airport are more intensive and all over the board. I went to morocco twice got stopped 4 times in security getting on the plane to leave the country but when I was coming back in not a problem. Than my last trip back in I got the four security officers surrounding me and having to show pictures of my husband and I and answer questions for 15 min. The funny thing is noone one else was forced to do the same. I love my country I am the 5th generation service member but people are still human and frankly we still all hurt from the travisty that occured on our own soil. Do I think it'll slow down the process??? Anything is possible to whomever is looking at the apps I guess.

Wow, 4 times???? I wear salwar kameez but do not cover my head and sometimes get looks when I am at the airport - last time when I went to KTM(the flight was actually JFK-Bangkok) as I was boarding the plane a security officer pulled me aside, asked to see my passport and then asked me how much money I was carrying with me and said I was not allowed to bring more than $10K(i think) out of the country. Nobody else got this kind of treatment and I thought it was very strange - my jewelry is all silver and nothing about me shouts 'rich' - quite the opposite, I was wearing $10 flipflops and carrying a cheap Chinese backpack - the only reason I could think is because I was wearing SK and the officer thought I was Muslim and once she saw I didn't have a Muslim name had to think of some excuse for why she pulled me aside.

Hey it looks like you're gonna see the husband in a couple of days, congrats! Are you staying for good, or it'll just be a long visit?

April

Thanks April, I wish it would be for good *sigh* - with VSC taking their own sweet @ss time who knows when I will see him again. I am leaving for 6 weeks and will be back in New York on July 7. I am soooo excited!!!!

[April and Mohamed 0]

I am not Muslim, but for some reason I am profiled at the airport, mostly France. Not sure what they are looking for, but one time I didn’t think I make it home. I was in France, trying to get my flight to America; I had a ton of problems there. First there was something wrong with my ticket, I never sure what the problem was, but I was standing in line to check in, and first this lady starts asking me questions, on why I was in Egypt, what did I do, where did I stay. I am not feeling happy at this point, than she tells me to wait for one minute, than the next thing I know I have two more people coming to me asking me even more questions. Finally after TWO HOURS, they state they have checked me in to the flight and I am now good to go. WRONG, I go to the next check point, GUESS WHAT, I am pulled aside again, but this time they make a few phone calls, and I am off to my gate. Finally I am in the line to borad the plane, than all of a sudden I am surrounded by at least 7 French police officers, under-cover ones, and they pull me from the line, in front of everyone, so I look like a criminal at this point, they take me to another room, and this is when I was strip searched, not my first time, but I was really shocked. They did all this, plane is waiting on the runway, I am finally able to get back to getting on the plane. As I was getting ready to get on the trolley to the plane, they pull me again, #######, I had just been strip searched, and then they search me again, patted me down, and finally I was able to get on the plane, and I was the last one, every eye on me. Oh yea good times, now what were they looking for, not sure, but for some reason they put me through the ringer. Not the first time I have had run inns’ with France. I learned a long time ago, NEVER DO ANYTHING WRONG, because for some reason they always look at me first.

What'll happen if you refuse to get stripsearched? And it was female officers right? That's just ridiculous.

[sereia 0]

as far as i know and have read, you cannot "refuse" to be stripsearched. its part of the rights you give up as you choose to fly somewhere. either you agree or you don't get on the plane and choose to find another way to get to your destination. you could always sue afterward like a true american.