YESTERDAY MY HONEY SHOULD ARRIVE

[maria_b84 0]

Oh my God. I'm so sorry for you. I wish I could help you, I'd do it straight away.

All my best

Maria

[shirlJ831 0]

I pray for you both

[Isabel 0]

As a fellow VJer, I offer you my deep sympathies. I hope it get sorted out. In this present political climate,things go on that one cannot understand. A couple of years ago, when I flew in to Detroit from frankfurt, a gentleman in Arab garb was with his family. Obviously, he must have all valid travel documents. But once we touched down at Ddetroit, the plane stopped on the tarmac short of the terminal. Then immigration and uniformed personnel boarded the plane headed straight for the guy and led him off the plane. I overheard the stewardess say that she had had this experience in previous flights.

Again, I wish the best to both of you.

I just wanted to add something. Although I do not doubt that there is profiling going on, I was also pulled out of about 300 people on my plain back from Nigeria. I'm white, female and a USC, non muslim. I was questioned and they went through all my things with rubber gloves. This was in Detroit. Eventually they let me pass.

So sorry for your situation. I hope it gets resolved quickly.

Hi there,

yea they did the same with me in Detroit too. I was there to visit my hubby on the VWP. Eventually they let me through. But I did notice that especially muslims had a hard time, first thing they did when we all came out of the plane, they pulled ALL muslims out, right in front of the gate.....they didnt even get to the point all other visitors have to show up. So I think no matter where your POE is, you will have a hard time.

Sorry goldenheart to hear that. whenever he can come back maybe it would be could if you accompany him through the POE. That is what I would do. And i think it was very good he didnt sign any papers.

Good luck Isabel

[Euro 3]

Detroit is my local airport, BUT i always chose to enter the countryon the VWP any where BUT Detroit

normaly Chicago

[zauberblume 0]

If Atlanta and Detroit are so bad, what can we do to change their policies? How did these POEs get this reputation? I'm more than willing to sign a petition to overhaul the treatment that immigrants and citizens experience at POEs.

I understand that immigration officers can refuse entry to immigrants even if they have a valid visa... but why would they (granted all is in order)? It sounds like discrimination to me, especially if Muslim men are disportionately targeted.

I've entered in New York and Los Angeles. I've never had a problem. My husband never had a problem either...

I'm sorry, goldenheart. I do hope you get some kind of answers soon.

[meauxna 15]

z, it happens.

The POE in my city used to be known as Deportland for it's, er, unfriendly approach to arriving visitors. We lost a major airline contract for overseas flights because of it & were cut off from direct-to-Asia flights.

It took quite awhile to solve that problem here, and some very distasteful incidents before the higher ups did anything about it.

If you've been legitimately treated badly, complain.

[zyggy 9]

A lot of the tenor and policies that a post has comes from the Port Director and their supervisor the District Director. It's just like any bureaucracy... If someone has a long period of time in office, their feelings and methods on a subject get ingrained into the culture there. Even after they leave, the supervisors, the employees, etc. who were a part of that culture for a period of time have that as the Modus operandi. It can take quite some time and strong leadership to be able to turn a ship like that...

It also has a lot to do with the local conditions. Detroit as having the largest Muslim population in the US has been having big problems with overstays from people from the Middle East. Part of their hard line on individulas from the ME has to do with that local phenomenon.

Edited June 19, 2006 by zyggy