Ugh, POE harassment at Seattle

[christera22 8]

Yeah they are rude basterds. When I came back from my trip of seeing my husband the man said to me , after searching everything in my suitcase, " Why do you have to go to that country and marry a pakistani your pretty enough to get somebody here."

Thanks 2nd Journey .................see i said so ......... These guys tell whatever they want ......what business they have in what he is going to marry and why wd they check his suitcase.They checked my husband`s suitcase after they thought there is a 'HUGE' bomb in my suitcase .I mean they used the word huge ....as if he was carrying nuclear or atom bomb or something like that........... later it came out to be packets of hersheys chocolate that he was taking for his perents.How idiotic

I think they intentionally harrass people , specially ones whom they know that they cannot do anything.Like K1, K3 visa holders. Like in Aubrey`s case.They knew he is on K1 visa and he not an immigrant.Thus no point in questioning him.Just ask him one or two and let him go .... they just wanted to harass and have fun or may be the guy is sick and lunatic .Who knows !!

Edited July 8, 2008 by christera22

[Steve Y Jessica 1]

RIGHT!!! RIGHT!!! RIGHT!!!! RIGHT!!!! RIGHT!!!!

Section 214(B) is part of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). It states:

Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to a nonimmigrant status...

Whether any of us agree with it or not, This is the law!!! This is why every other country who is not part of the VWP has to go to an interview at the Embassy to receive a visitor visa. And many, many of them get turnned down for the visa because it is determined that they do not have strong enough ties to their country and they run the risk of trying to stay in the US. Because it is determined that they do not have a good enough job, or they rent and do not own a house, or they do not have enough family living close to them.

And if, when you fill out the application, you put that you have a visa petition on file, The visitor visa is automatically turnned down. Because, if you have a visa petition on file, YOU ARE AN INTENDING IMMIGRANT!!!! And this is what my wife was told when we tried to get one for her. Not only were her ties to her country not good enough because she was just a secretary for a doctor, but she was an intending immigrant so she was not elegible for a visitor visa.

Also, it is stated that just because you receive the visa, it is not guaranteed that you will be permited into the United States. That is left to the decision of the POE officer.

Now, I absolutely do not support any POE officer who treats people bad and tries to abuse their power. BUT, they are doing their job correctly when they question someone when they say they are coming to visit their girlfriend/boyfriend, fiance or spouse. Whether any of us agree with this or not, IT IS THE LAW!!! And it is done to try to cut down on illegal immigration.

This is why on many other threads, you will read about people being so happy that they made it through the POE and did not get turnned away. And others saying how they are not even going to try because they do not want to spend the money on the ticket only to be denied entry.

This is why I said she should have said thank you to the POE officers that let her fiance in the US, Yes, they asked many questions, but this case was not harassment!!! They were correctly doing their job. And in fact, he should have been turnned away.

Many of us whose SO is not part of the VWP cannot even try this. However, if my wife was from a country that was in the VWP I would certainly try this. I planned on it when we tried to get her a visitor visa. But we were also aware that there was a good possibility that she could be denied entry if she did get the visa.

AGAIN, I DO NOT SUPPORT BAD BEHAVIOR BY THE POE OFFICERS, but they would have been doing their job correctly, per the law, if they denied him entry. They should feel very lucky!!!

Edited July 8, 2008 by Steve Y Jessica

[Steve Y Jessica 1]

And let me clarify something. My comments were made toward the original post. She made the accusation that the POE officer was harassing them. From what I read, I did not see anything that was harassment. And no reason to get pissed. Instead they should kiss the POE officer for letting him through.

As far as the boxer shorts incident. That sounds more like the TSA security than the POE officer. And that is illegal if it happened that way and not an exaggeration. I fly at least every other week and go through the security check. Yes, every time everyone has to remove their shoes, jacket, belt, any jewlrey and anything that will set off the metal detector. This is not standing there in your boxer shorts. If this happened, they should file a complaint because the person would be fired.

As far as the POE officer not being able to speak every language in the world. That can in no way be expected!!! I travel international all of the time. It is very rare that I come across and immigration officer in a different country who speaks english.

As far as the strictness of our security. They are only trying to protect you!!!! I hear it all of the time when I travel, people will complain about the security and everything they have to do. But these would probably be the same people, if there was a bomb on an airplane, to complain about the government not doing enough to ensure that a bomb could not get on an airplane. If you go to the airport far enough in advance of your flight, it is not an issue how long it takes.

I have never been there, but I saw a thing on a news show about our security and security of other countries. It was showing that, I think it was Isreal, security is much much worse than our security. And they were saying that people in the United States would never go for that. But they live every day with the threat of terrorism.

[desert_fox 32]

I think you are lucky that you were even admitted, especially if you make frequent trips to visit your SO, and you have a pending petition. Everyone is always advised to carry proof of their intent to return, and that is exactly what happened.

When your plane takes off, all passanger details are transmitted to the POE, including payment information as who paid for the trip.

FYI, they do not strip you down to shorts in the open area, and immigration does not do this. Customs has the right to strip search you in a private room if they want.

As long as the guy was not rude, this does not constitute harrassment, and if he/she comes back within 6 months, it will happen again...

[Ontarkie 14,304]

I just wanted to say something about POE that I have experience and one that my friend and her hubby experinced.

I grew up on a border town we crossed the border plenty of times, sometimes 3-5 times a week for various reasons.

I have gone on trips into the US from Canada never had any problems. My father had always had problems when he would drive through. They would always harass my father they didnt like his accent. Ya that was all his french accent. And the funny thing is the town is full of French and Italians so you cant tell me they never heard the accents of their neighbours. This was all pre 9/11 the guards just like giving attitude.

Anyways, I was turned back when I tried to come visist at that time my boyfriend. As soon as the woman found out that I had a boyfriend in the US she changed. She was like how do you know him ect. Then asks me why I would want to go meet some stranger he could be a psyco path, and i would end up stranded. First I stated that if i thought there was anything to worry about i wouldnt be going down there and if he turned out to be weird I would easily leave Its not hard to just go back home. So she's like well how much cash do you have on you I'm like well I only have 270 in cash I didnt want to carry that much on me. So shes like well I'm not letting you through today you can try again any time just not today. And when you do I want you to have at least 1,000$ along with the ties to home. Ok not so bad compared to some and really she did us a favor, he ended up comming to me and worked out better.

Now heres my friends experience, again all Canadians and crossed lots of time. Years ago she was on her way home from Windsor Ont, and where we live its faster to go through the States and cross back into Canada. Well they pull up to the both and the guy did'nt like her husbands look ( he looks like a biker) So inside they are met by 6 guys with their guns out. At this time shes now holding her infant and 1yr old. The Guards grab her and split them up. They wanted her to tell them that she was kidnaped along witht he kids so they can throw him in jail. They actually told her that. As for him they strip him down practicaly gave him a cavity search. They left him there for an hour like that while grilling him. They wanted to know how he knew his wife and kids. That went on till basically the guards got tired. Then they were allowed to leave. They did make a report once they got back to Canada. That was about 19yrs ago.

Then just last Summer he gets pulled over again. (hes gone trough the border lots more since that first insedent) Hes at the booth and then all these guards come out running at him with guns drawn and screaming at him.He gets down stripped search him right there outside on the road ppl in their cars all watching. After what he says was a life time they tell him ok you can go through. So off he went it took him a few months to try again. And when he did they harrassed him again. Still told him he can go through after they were done.

He contacted a laywer while still in the US back in Canada and that Lawyer told him to contact this guy that speciallizes with POE harrasments and one of the things he was told was that even as a US citizen born and raised and everything they dont have any rights at a border or POE they can keep you there till hell freezes over and they dont have to give you any of your rights for lawyers ects. So ya they do think they are gods.

I have another friend who is full native so can work and live legally in either country was harrassed at the border along with his cuisins. They guard said he didnt look native enough. But eventually let them though after a long line a questions.

When i crossed the border to activate my k-1 the guy at the booth was pissy with us.

Ok thats it for my long little bit

[Mephibosheth 0]

My fiancé just got here and was interrogated at POE in Seattle. The officer at the main entry area asked him what the purpose of his visit was (he's coming to see me for 85 days on the VWP) and apparently he didn't like his answer. So he gave him a giant red card and he was sent to the interrogation room, all his bags thoroughly searched, asked about all his finances, how he and I met, why I had paid for his ticket, what he was doing here, etc. My fiancé says he was questions over 30 minutes... then they called me and asked me just about every question the same. I don't think I've ever been so nervous... and simultaneously pissed off. He kept reasking me the same questions, I guess to see if I'd come up with a different answer. I finally asked him "What, is there something illegal about me paying for his ticket?" He's like, "no, but the US has laws about intent to immigrant" blah blah. Of course I know this, and I try very hard to explain he's returning in September and he's here just to visit and that yes, I'll be supporting him during his stay. He of course doesn't believe me and keeps asking more questions. That phone call felt like an eternity, and he hung up without even telling me if my fiancé was getting through! Ugh...

Thank goodness he made it through. We haven't even filed our K1 paperwork yet!

I had a similar experience at POE Seattle Oct. 2006 with the VWP. I think they first get suspicious if you are staying for a long time (like i was going to stay 89 days) The guy also mumbled something about some problem with the passport (I wonder if it was because it's not a new digital one yet?) I was sent to the back and got lots of questions, but eventually was let through. He was slightly aggressive in his speech, but not too much.

When I came in through Vancouver Canada with my immigrant visa i was just waived through, at the US/Canada border the first guy we talked to was a freak. He looked at my passport and visa and got mad, mostly because he didn't know what to do about it. He also was very irritated because my sister in law only had her US driver's liscence. In the end they sent us inside and they were nice, albeit slow.

[Cham 3]

WOW someone did NOT take his flintstone shaped prozac huh??

I am SO sorry he had a hassle AND you!!

I am just happy you all made it together and he is with you now! Thanks for the Pm..nice to know someone is soooo close to where I live..*waves to my fellow visa neighbor*

[Aubrey 10]

And let me clarify something. My comments were made toward the original post. She made the accusation that the POE officer was harassing them. From what I read, I did not see anything that was harassment. And no reason to get pissed. Instead they should kiss the POE officer for letting him through.

...

As far as the strictness of our security. They are only trying to protect you!!!! I hear it all of the time when I travel, people will complain about the security and everything they have to do. But these would probably be the same people, if there was a bomb on an airplane, to complain about the government not doing enough to ensure that a bomb could not get on an airplane. If you go to the airport far enough in advance of your flight, it is not an issue how long it takes.

I have never been there, but I saw a thing on a news show about our security and security of other countries. It was showing that, I think it was Isreal, security is much much worse than our security. And they were saying that people in the United States would never go for that. But they live every day with the threat of terrorism.

I called it harassment because indeed that is what it was. My fiancé has visited before and returned, so IMO that shows he'll likely do the same again. He had a return ticket, and not a ton of luggage. I don't think it looked overtly suspicious. Asking the same questions repeatedly to me and my fiancé -- that certainly felt like harassment. And then to hang up the phone without telling me if he was being allowed entry -- that was just mean. I say it was mean because there was no further questioning after the phone call; they let my fiancé in afterwards.

I don't have an issue with border security doing their jobs. But honestly I don't think the situation was handled in the way it should have been. I think you should be a little less judgmental about other people's experiences when you have no experience of your own to compare it to.

[ginger1981 0]

I had a scary experience coming back into the US from Canada at the Windsor crossing. I was in the car with a couple girlfriends (the car was a rental from Wisconsin...I had a Nebraska license, and my friends were from Iowa and Illinois). We were in the area coming back from a convention in Cleveland and thought we'd cross just to say we'd been to Canada as all of us had never gone outside the country at the time. So I suppose it looked weird to them, especially since we had spent less than 4 hours in Canada.

Anyways, we were taken into an interrogation room while our car was searched...our suitcases opened and drug dogs brought in to sniff things out. In the interrogation room we were questioned...what was our business (we wanted shirts that said "Canada"), what did we purchase (Canada t-shirts), how much time we spent in Canada (long enough to buy t-shirts that said "Canada" on them). They finally asked where we were before coming to Canada...we had spent the past several days in Cleveland. Doing what they asked....we were at a U2 (the band) convention. It was pretty obvious too since we were wearing U2 shirts.

At that moment the guards started laughing...out loud...at us. I think something was said to the effect that we were super geeks, and we were allowed to go.

Thankfully, I didn't pick up those Cubans for a friend of mine who wanted them!

[Aubrey 10]

Doing what they asked....we were at a U2 (the band) convention. It was pretty obvious too since we were wearing U2 shirts.

At that moment the guards started laughing...out loud...at us. I think something was said to the effect that we were super geeks, and we were allowed to go.

Thankfully, I didn't pick up those Cubans for a friend of mine who wanted them!

LOL. Maybe next time I should send my fiancé in wearing his Star Trek t-shirt!