what happened to me at customs?! HORRIBLE situation

[Nyte 1]

Just for your information, this is how the process works. First, you go through those little booths where an officer reads your passport AND that little form you filled out on the plane. If they write something on that form, it is a note for a customs officer down the lane. Then they hand you back your Passport and say please proceed. Like you said, at the very last checkpoint there is an innocuous looking CO standing there telling most people, "Welcome Home" "Have a good Trip" when he sees the form that you filled out on the plane. Did you ever wonder how THAT GUY makes the decision who to send for further bag checks??? Well, he doesn't. The first person that scanned your passport made that decision.

In addition to this quote, there was another post stating that the "customs" officers do not make decisions as to your admissibility into the country. This is incorrect. All of the uniformed LAW ENFORCEMENT personnel that you see in the international arrivals area work for the US Customs and Border protection (There are no "CO" people there). Those who check your passport and determine initial admissibility are simply CBP Officers working the "admissions" position, while other officers may be doing customs inspections. All officers in this area may question you.

Now, as for the story. As a former DHS employee, this really appalls me. I completely understand the need to secure our nation's borders and to enforce immigration and customs laws; however, to behave in such an unprofessional manner and to make such unprofessional statements is against the image I strove for each day I put on a DHS uniform. Its not so much what you say, but how you say it. If this incident occurred as the OP wrote it, I highly suggest a complaint be filed.

In any event, I wish you the best of luck!

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

Bienvenue aux Etats Unis...

english only outside of the regional forums please.

[scandal 951]

Bienvenue aux Etats Unis...

english only outside of the regional forums please.

Aww come on Charles... yes, we know the rules. But that's a colloquial phrase that I argue should pass muster.

Bienvenue, Willkommen, benvenuto, ...we all know that's just welcome to America.

There are far more objectionable things written on this thread than THAT. imho.

[rebeccajo 14]

Yes, I should say so. You are entering the US multiple times on VAWA,

I think you mean the VWP?

[scandal 951]

Yes, I should say so. You are entering the US multiple times on VAWA,

I think you mean the VWP?

I did. Thank you RJ.

[rebeccajo 14]

Yes, I should say so. You are entering the US multiple times on VAWA,

I think you mean the VWP?

I did. Thank you RJ.

No problemo..........

[rebeccajo 14]

On a similar subject, did you all see this member who joined today?

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;#entry2945994

I hope he/she sticks around.

[tulum 0]

File a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) with Customs and Border Protection (CBP). You will get an answer in 2 to 3 months. You can't ask them "why were you questioned at the POE" but you can ask them for the official records which resulted from that questioning.

I have attached a sample.

Thank you for the sample i will def ask them if there is sthg in my record abt what happened!

i didnt read every single post in this thread -so, sorry if this question has already been answered, but....what airport did this occur in? im sure everyone would like to avoid it if possible......

[Frenchwife 1]

AVoid this entry next time if you can....

also sorry to say, you seem a little excited and over sensitive. Maybe you should see a doctor / specialist (ask medecin generaliste to orient you) and work on relaxing / being calm.

Whatever they do to you, as long as not physical, is emotional and is really very much from you rather than from them.

Edited May 21, 2009 by Frenchwife

[Frenchwife 1]

AVoid this entry next time if you can....

also sorry to say, you seem a little excited and over sensitive. Maybe you should see a doctor / specialist (ask medecin generaliste to orient you) and work on relaxing / being calm.

Whatever they do to you, as long as not physical, is emotional and is really very much from you rather than from them.

glad for you that

other VJers apparently figured out with you you are not practically banned, apparently.

Also try to put yourself in their position

Imagine you are the other guy and see a lady getting nervous with keys etc...

It might help you to control yourself and keep the event as boring and uneventful as possible next time.

I have been through US customs many times (about 45)

crossing fingers I will handle well and not find a jerk

[msdelila 1]

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your situation, it was traumatic. You just have to get over it, and realize that the Officers can be rude and inhumane. You just got the bad end of a random search. We've all been through those searches, maybe not harassed like you.

I'm Canadian, and when I was 13, I went to the States to see my family, and I GOT SEARCHED! LOL. A 13 yr old blonde green eyed Canadian girl was taken to the side and they searched all my belongings with blue gloves just like you. This was before 9-11!

Just try to forget about it. Officers are always like that, they stress out people and "harass" people until they break them. I guess that is how they try to weed out the terrorists. (I'm not saying it was right what they did to you).

[KGH 0]

HI everyone!

THis is my very post in here, I was hoping I could get some kind of help with what happened to me a few months ago

on my way to the US, when going thru customs.....

Im warning you first, it is going to be a VERY long post, coz i do need to describe what happened to me

completely......also IM REALLY hoping to get answers, because it is really bothering me and pretty much ruining my

life right nw!......

Let me explain my situation first, Ive been dating my bf for more than a year and a half now, he is american and Im

french living in France......

Ive been visiting him for the past year 3 times already......one week in feb 2008, 3 months from mid-june to mid-

sept 2008 and one month in feb 2009.....

On my way to the US, last febuary, everything seem to be going fine ( Ive been travellin to the US since 2004 now

to visit friends etc etc, so Ive always been very good at following the rules, answering questions, having

everything ready, documents, adress in the states during my stay etc etc,...)

Ok so here I am at the airport, waiting in line at customs, waiting to get thru customs, get my luggages and get

into my connecting flight.....

After about 45 mins waiting, its finally my turn to be asked all the usual questions...where im going, what is the

home adress there, for hw long im gonna be staying, etc, give the I-94 form, passeport, go thru fingerprints, etc

etc...

So far, everything is fine, the custom agent is checking everything, it seems like its a matter of mintues for me

until i can make it to my next plane...( i was running late after waitin for so long at customs....)...The lady

gives me my passeport and form back, I have the stamp on passeport n form, Im good to go....!

Next step for me, go get my lugagges asap and hurry for my next flight......ok so I got my luggages and Im RIGHT

before passing the check point where one agent is sitting there, just checking passeports and forms one last time

before letting people go out of customs, and go thru the halls etc etc......

STILL today, I dont know why he told me to go w my luggages on the right.....(which is for what i see where custom

agents check luggages and belongings COMPLETELY.....the agents wearing blue gloves

hey, boooooo hoooooooo, I guess you have never been searched before?!!!! poor baby!!

Edited May 21, 2009 by KGH

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

Bienvenue aux Etats Unis...

english only outside of the regional forums please.

Aww come on Charles... yes, we know the rules. But that's a colloquial phrase that I argue should pass muster.

Bienvenue, Willkommen, benvenuto, ...we all know that's just welcome to America.

There are far more objectionable things written on this thread than THAT. imho.

my extent of the french language is peugeot, escargot and renault.

Edited May 21, 2009 by charles!

[scandal 951]

Bienvenue aux Etats Unis...

english only outside of the regional forums please.

Aww come on Charles... yes, we know the rules. But that's a colloquial phrase that I argue should pass muster.

Bienvenue, Willkommen, benvenuto, ...we all know that's just welcome to America.

There are far more objectionable things written on this thread than THAT. imho.

my extent of the french language is peugeot, escargot and renault.

menage a trois?

voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir?

[Sherri and Matt 1]

If they were really giving you a ban, they would not have let you in. Otherwise, what is the point of the ban? You are banned from entering the US for 6 months starting now, enjoy your stay? Makes no sense.

The VWP makes it possible to visit the US without having a Visa. It does not mean you are ENTITLED to visit, it is not a Right that is owed to you. Anyone can be turned away from entering the country. I am a USC, I live in a border town. I gave my daughters friend a ride home one night and I was stopped, questioned and my car was searched at the border because I had old coats in my trunk that I was donating to charity, and they thought it was suspiscious. It could happen to anyone, they don't know you and it was not a personal attack on you.

In your first post you said you used to hurt yourself and this has brought you back to that. You do realize that this sort of self mutilation is a symptom of several diffferent mental disorders? Disorders that could prevent you from getting a Visa at all.

As a fat, lazy, dumb American I just want to say, punctuation is a good thing. I don't think random insertions of (...) qualify. You might want to work on that before college.