I don't know where to post my experience but I wanted to share

[Shenzhen 34]

I'm curious to know if any other US citizens have had this experience when returning to the USA. Just to be clear, I am not referring to the random search. I am aware of that. My daughter had her luggage opened and searched at LAX when returning from Australia a few years ago.

Ok, here is what happened. I was returning from Europe the beginning of October (visit to hubby), landed at Chicago O'Hare. Two smiling CBP lady officers were there right as the passengers were exiting the plane, looking at everyone's passport. The nice little lady with gray hair and a gun who could probably clean my clock said to me, "You have been selected for a random search, follow me." So I followed her. She was pleasant and I am by nature a friendly person. So it was easy for us to talk.

So we get to the luggage opening part. Two young women wearing disposable gloves open everything and go through it all. At the same time the officer lady is asking me questions. "Where did you go?" "Why did you go?" "Oh, to visit your husband?" "How long were you there?" "How did you meet him?" "When did you meet him?" "When did you get married?" "Oh, last year...when where you there last year?" "How long did you stay?" NOTE---CBP office is writing this all down on the customs form!! Young girls find my camera---oh, here's the camera---they turn it on, start tabbing through pictures, smiling they show it to the officer---"Is this you and your husband?" (me--yes) "You are a good looking couple" (me--thank you) "Is this his mother?" (me--yes) "Who are these other people with the baby?" (me---his brother and his wife and their baby) "How much money did you carry when you left?" "How much money did you have when you returned?" (me--same amount it was only a few dollars---note: yes I understand this question) "You went to Europe with only xx dollars??" (me---yes, I used my credit card) Officer writes "CC" on the customs form. "Is your husband immigrating?" (me---yes, I brought back papers for the lawyer) "When do you think he will come here?" (me---not sure but I hope by the end of the year) By the time they were done and I managed to stuff my tussled belongings back into my suitcase I felt like I had been through my husband's visa interview!!!

So---is this normal, to question the US citizen to this extent? And what do you suppose will be done with all the notes she took? I am wondering if my hubby with have visa interview # 2 when he eventually gets here?

Hi same thing happened to me, they are looking for marriage fraud. They are checking to see if it is real marriage. Happened to me 2x coming back from China. The first time they detained me in Newark. The 2nd time in Detroit they held me for questioning. Same line of questions, enetered all my answers in the computer. He said it would help my case. I was like cool! I had nothing to hide they went through my wallet, luggage, coat, pants pockets everything.

It has everything to do with you bringing someone over here. I was told they were looking for human traffickers.

Edited December 10, 2012 by Shenzhen

[Mithmeoi 29]

My bags were searched and I was asked a few things as to why I stayed in Europe for so long (8 months) after visiting my bf there a few years back. Though not as in depth as your questioning. That was in Chicago.

Then after my husband got his visa, we were boarding and they pulled me aside twice to search my bags before leaving the Netherlands to the US. They didn't bother him with that, not fair. lol Then they asked us a few things and let us get on the plane.

Edited December 10, 2012 by Mithmeoi

[jkelly07 120]

random searchs i had coming from colombia in to florida at the us passport an officer toll me to follow him i was asked to turn my pockets inside out put ever thing on the table he searched my carry on bag, ask me a lot of question s who i visit how long an i married. what kind of work i do,why did i go to colombia,about 15 minutes later he said thank you you can go.i guess thay have a job to do. they just pick any body, they have to kill some time,

[Theresa0828 65]

A friend of mine who have been going back and forth to the Philippines (he is a US citizen) got this treatment too... The sad thing is, he said that once you have been chosen once, they will be doing this to you every time you go back to the US... So he basically expected every time he comes back home from a trip to the Philippines this kind of treatment... They always look at his computers for kiddie porn, which he did not have... He had pictures of his twin granddaughters in his computers and I guess he got mad one time when the CBP officer's questions got overboard about that... I just forgot the question... It was always a hassle for him since it took almost 30 minutes for the interview...

[Noel194 53]

Oh....I guess this explains it: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/176

Under "CBP Search Authority"

"At times, people make the mistake of thinking their civil rights are being violated by being asked questions about their trip, personal background and history, etc. That is not the case. Supreme Court decisions have upheld the doctrine that CBP's search authority is unique and does not violate the fourth amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures."

True... But you are a USC they cannot deny you entry. They cannot arrest you unless you are carrying contraband. I had this happen twice the second time I complained and told them I would answer no questions. They released me and I have never been stopped again in 10 years.

[hellINTIM 9]

I'm curious to know if any other US citizens have had this experience when returning to the USA. Just to be clear, I am not referring to the random search. I am aware of that. My daughter had her luggage opened and searched at LAX when returning from Australia a few years ago.

Ok, here is what happened. I was returning from Europe the beginning of October (visit to hubby), landed at Chicago O'Hare. Two smiling CBP lady officers were there right as the passengers were exiting the plane, looking at everyone's passport. The nice little lady with gray hair and a gun who could probably clean my clock said to me, "You have been selected for a random search, follow me." So I followed her. She was pleasant and I am by nature a friendly person. So it was easy for us to talk.

So we get to the luggage opening part. Two young women wearing disposable gloves open everything and go through it all. At the same time the officer lady is asking me questions. "Where did you go?" "Why did you go?" "Oh, to visit your husband?" "How long were you there?" "How did you meet him?" "When did you meet him?" "When did you get married?" "Oh, last year...when where you there last year?" "How long did you stay?" NOTE---CBP office is writing this all down on the customs form!! Young girls find my camera---oh, here's the camera---they turn it on, start tabbing through pictures, smiling they show it to the officer---"Is this you and your husband?" (me--yes) "You are a good looking couple" (me--thank you) "Is this his mother?" (me--yes) "Who are these other people with the baby?" (me---his brother and his wife and their baby) "How much money did you carry when you left?" "How much money did you have when you returned?" (me--same amount it was only a few dollars---note: yes I understand this question) "You went to Europe with only xx dollars??" (me---yes, I used my credit card) Officer writes "CC" on the customs form. "Is your husband immigrating?" (me---yes, I brought back papers for the lawyer) "When do you think he will come here?" (me---not sure but I hope by the end of the year) By the time they were done and I managed to stuff my tussled belongings back into my suitcase I felt like I had been through my husband's visa interview!!!

So---is this normal, to question the US citizen to this extent? And what do you suppose will be done with all the notes she took? I am wondering if my hubby with have visa interview # 2 when he eventually gets here?

Omg i saw this happened in some citizen next to me... ive been in O'hare many times and i saw that they choosing whos going to be search... well i never had one idk why .. they asked me only was my name age bday. then next to me asked bunch of question >.>