Is this allowed?

[Adriene H 89]

Hi everyone,

I apologise for how long it has taken for me to respond here but everything has been quite slow moving. I have had my interview with the news and they are now arranging to interview my boyfriend. Another immigration officer has also been assigned to my case and has been emailing me but all of his questions are things such as "did you ask for his phone number?" "did you give him your information without him asking for it" and I feel very very angry because his emails basically imply that they are turning the blame on to me. There is a reason why most women don't come forward in situations like this because it always gets turned around on the woman. I don't think they understand that he is supposed to do his JOB not taking anyone's contact information even if it is offered to him, that makes him unable to be impartial and therefore unable to do his job correctly. *sigh*

If you don't have a lawyer yet, I would get one ASAP. Call around, explain

the scenario ... see if they would handle your case pro bono (I think that's

the right term?) until a resolution is obtained and immediately cease all

direct contact with which ever officer is emailing you. I'd also be looking

into a restraining order for the first officer. He took your PRIVATE information

and used it for personal reasons. I don't know about government entities, but

in corporations that kind of behaviour violates all kinds of employee conduct

rules.

[Soapz 14]

I might be a bit late, but I guess in the situation you are in right now, I would consider the following:

Contact the IO's supervisor again - per e-mail (you do have the address when you forwarded the IO's email - write him that you resent the line of questioning this is taking and that you expect a written apology from the second IO that implied that you were at fault.

Make sure they are aware that you have written proof of said line of questioning and that this constitutes harassment. Also mention that what the first IO did was abuse of office.

If someone calls you, you might want to mention that you have written proof of all of this and you are willing to take this further if they are not willing to take disciplinary actions against their IOs.

Not sure if I would mention taking it to the press at this point, but you might also want to consider finding a senator or a member of congress and ask them if as an intending immigrant you have to be subjected to this kind of behavior.

[Sc0tt28 26]

Hi everyone,

I apologise for how long it has taken for me to respond here but everything has been quite slow moving. I have had my interview with the news and they are now arranging to interview my boyfriend. Another immigration officer has also been assigned to my case and has been emailing me but all of his questions are things such as "did you ask for his phone number?" "did you give him your information without him asking for it" and I feel very very angry because his emails basically imply that they are turning the blame on to me. There is a reason why most women don't come forward in situations like this because it always gets turned around on the woman. I don't think they understand that he is supposed to do his JOB not taking anyone's contact information even if it is offered to him, that makes him unable to be impartial and therefore unable to do his job correctly. *sigh*

I almost decided not to say anything because I'm aware that what I have to say, may not be very "popular".

To begin with - let me stress that it is in fact illegal for him to have done what he did and it is completely inexcusable.

That being said, it doesn't look like they are accusing you of anything, they are simply covering their bases if this jerk of an officer decides to take his termination to court.

If the supervisors never ask you for ALL the details to include whatever the offending officer might cook up, then the officer could just lie in court and say that you asked him to contact you. Of course this is rediculous but the burden of proof is "beyond reasonable doubt".

Look at the flip side of it, they ask you if you solicited the "attention", you say "no, of course not", now if he says something in court he just looks like a jerk and not some officer getting screwed by a pissed off passenger that didn't get her way at the border.

It may be embarrassing, but any attorney would ask you the same questions. They just need to know all the facts and they need to anticipate the curve balls that could get thrown when this officer gets the boot.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I almost decided not to say anything because I'm aware that what I have to say, may not be very "popular".

To begin with - let me stress that it is in fact illegal for him to have done what he did and it is completely inexcusable.

That being said, it doesn't look like they are accusing you of anything, they are simply covering their bases if this jerk of an officer decides to take his termination to court.

If the supervisors never ask you for ALL the details to include whatever the offending officer might cook up, then the officer could just lie in court and say that you asked him to contact you. Of course this is rediculous but the burden of proof is "beyond reasonable doubt".

Look at the flip side of it, they ask you if you solicited the "attention", you say "no, of course not", now if he says something in court he just looks like a jerk and not some officer getting screwed by a pissed off passenger that didn't get her way at the border.

It may be embarrassing, but any attorney would ask you the same questions. They just need to know all the facts and they need to anticipate the curve balls that could get thrown when this officer gets the boot.

I agree with the above.

Don't be offended by the questions because you have no REASON to be offended. You didn't do anything wrong and they just need to get your testimony to that fact. People in car accidents (both parties) get breathalysed because they need to cover their bases. When people come forth to report a theft they'll get asked questions like "did you leave the front door unlocked? Did you leave a spare set of keys anywhere? Did you tell everyone that you had a million dollars stashed under your bed?"

Lets pretend YOU were the one accused of something. Wouldn't you want the accusing party to be asked all the questions? This makes it easier when they get proof that they're lying.

Like you said, you didn't do anything wrong. You didn't volunteer your info. You gave info where it was supposed to be given and it was abused. They have no evidence otherwise and you have evidence of the unwelcome communication (and your response to it). Stay strong. You have nothing to be ashamed of and don't let these questions make you feel ashamed.. that's not why they're being asked... and even if they ARE being asked in a malicious manner, nothing they say or ask can make you guilty of something you didn't do, so don't FEEL guilty. And good on you for reporting it.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Thank you so much for your support, it's quite a difficult thing to stick with as the situation is difficult enough to deal with let alone having people blame you. I keep trying to reassure myself that even if any contact information is offered to him he shouldn't take it so surely there's only so much blame they can put on someone. It is a little worrying to think that he has access to mine and my boyfriends files though!.

I will say that I would NOT have contacted a news station until the situation was resolved, or unless the officials were giving you the run-around. Too late now but I would have waited, it certainly gives your case more weight (in my opinion). But who knows, maybe the news will help speed up a result...