Nearly detained while on AOS in El Paso...

[lileepad 3]

Hi y'all,

Just thought I'd share my experience with you from Monday in El Paso Airport.

My husband and I were coming back from Cloudcroft, New Mexico from vacation and we were flying from El Paso back home to Dallas.

As we passed through security, two officers approached my husband and I and asked to see my New Zealand passport. They saw that I was on a K1 visa and asked about my status. I advised them that my AOS is in progress. (I submitted my AOS 27th Jan and got my NOA1 just before we left for our vacation in New Mexico).

They then told us to go through and wait as they took my passport downstairs to verify my status.

15 minutes later, they came back and advised me that they could not find my "approved" status. I then showed them my NOA1.

After showing them, they told my husband and I to come downstairs, asked if we had weapons and we went inside a room where there were handcuffs attached to the bench and advised me to put away my phone.

I was so scared but again, remained calm. They asked me questions like when did I arrive (August 27) and when did we get married which we replied (Nov 15)/ then this guy who I swear who has a short-man power syndrome piped up "OH so you waited last minute to get married!" and I said .. "No that was not last minute. I planned a big wedding in less than 3 months and my family and friends had flown in from all over the world".
He went quiet.

My husband was more blaze about the situation and was speaking to the other officer who I think was in charge and talked about the Cowboys and what he did for a living (TxDOT- which I think helped the situation)

The small man syndrome guy kept talking out loud and was saying "She's not approved" ... which I said "no it does not mean that, I am currently still in process." HE THEN looked at my k1 in my passport and said "So you submitted your AOS on Jan 27th but your K1 visa here says it expires Jan 27 so you waited last minute again" ..

This is when I thought, this guy has NO IDEA what he is talking about or the process .. I then said "That date means that once my K1 was approved in the consulate in Australia, I had 6 months to enter the USA. That date does not mean file AOS by that date.."

At this point, it was 15 minutes until our flight was due to depart to Dallas. He insisted to the other officers that I was not approved because it doesn't say approved in their system.. it says "AOS submitted" Basically insinuating and leaning towards detaining me.

And here I am thinking and about to explode "You dumbass, Im not going to be approved just like that, I have to do biometrics, I still have an interview to attend with my husband etc before we get approved~~ and I DID NOT leave the country!!!" (Of course I didn't say that)

The other guy who I think was in charge told the short man to go outside with him. They talked and then they came back in after 5 minutes and said "Alright guys go catch you flight." Then the short man HAD TO HAVE his last word as we were walking out "Next time, file earlier and stop wasting everyones time." .... HE WASTED OURS! I have never sprinted so fast in my life and still missed our flight and then we had to wait 4 hours for the next direct flight... Alcohol never tasted so good at the bar there.

I really think he was just exercising his authority and needed to fill a quota or was just having a slow ### day... after all what is there to do in El Paso...

Just thought I'd share my story. It helps to know what you're talking about and be confident in yourself.

This happen to anyone too?

Edited February 25, 2016 by lileepad

[Cheezees 1,514]

As one of my friends would say, "Ignorance like WHOA!".

[canadian_wife 1,822]

I was crossing from Canada in 2015, after having my green card for 6 years. I got pulled into secondary inspection and questioned about a denial of entry in 2008. The officer even went as far to say "if you lie to me I will revoke your status".

Uh...no, dude you won't. You can't do that. But I'm going to look intimidated.

In 2008 I was denied entry for having a USC spouse and low ties to Canada. He had to take my passport, my green card and meet with a supervisor.

Still looking scared...actually pissed off.

Supervisor came in and said I was good to go, and when I get my citizenship this wouldn't happen.

Off I went

[Ausa 66]

How awful ?

Thanks for sharing.

[iPod 89]

I was crossing from Canada in 2015, after having my green card for 6 years. I got pulled into secondary inspection and questioned about a denial of entry in 2008. The officer even went as far to say "if you lie to me I will revoke your status".

Uh...no, dude you won't. You can't do that. But I'm going to look intimidated.

In 2008 I was denied entry for having a USC spouse and low ties to Canada. He had to take my passport, my green card and meet with a supervisor.

Still looking scared...actually pissed off.

Supervisor came in and said I was good to go, and when I get my citizenship this wouldn't happen.

Off I went

That just scared me!

Does that mean that if I try to go back home with just AP, I could run into trouble (I also got a denial of entry back in 2007)?

[TBoneTX 45,305]

OP, were those CBP agents who detained you? You never specify.

If they were TSA or regular LEOs, they didn't have that authority.

If CBP (as one would assume), Little Napoleon and his partner need severe retraining.

At the first sign of the idiocy, I would have glared him down and said, "Sir, bring your Passenger Services Rep [or, Port Director] out here right now with a blank complaint form."

I suggest in the strongest possible terms that you contact the Chief Patrol Officer of the El Paso Sector and file a major complaint. Raise a stink to highest heaven.

CBP has a lot of Little Napoleons. I've encountered a couple at Tex-Mex POEs.

By the way, even after you're a USC, avoid the completely de-Constitutionalized inland CBP checkpoint south of Alpine, TX.

Here's a thread on the general topic of CBP in Airports that I posted awhile back:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/562879-cbp-at-tsa-airport-checkpoints-why-theyre-there-how-best-to-handle/#entry7784682

[lileepad 3]

OP, were those CBP agents who detained you? You never specify.

If they were TSA or regular LEOs, they didn't have that authority.

If CBP (as one would assume), Little Napoleon and his partner need severe retraining.

At the first sign of the idiocy, I would have glared him down and said, "Sir, bring your Passenger Services Rep [or, Port Director] out here right now with a blank complaint form."

I suggest in the strongest possible terms that you contact the Chief Patrol Officer of the El Paso Sector and file a major complaint. Raise a stink to highest heaven.

CBP has a lot of Little Napoleons. I've encountered a couple at Tex-Mex POEs.

By the way, even after you're a USC, avoid the completely de-Constitutionalized inland CBP checkpoint south of Alpine, TX.

Here's a thread on the general topic of CBP in Airports that I posted awhile back:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/562879-cbp-at-tsa-airport-checkpoints-why-theyre-there-how-best-to-handle/#entry7784682

They were Border Patrol Agents (BPA) and had a different uniform on from the ones in the regular blue they wear.

I was too worried to pipe up more but in hindsight I should have.

I will definitely contact the Chief Officer and write a formal email/complaint! Would this have an effect on my adjustment of status though do you think?

[lileepad 3]

I was crossing from Canada in 2015, after having my green card for 6 years. I got pulled into secondary inspection and questioned about a denial of entry in 2008. The officer even went as far to say "if you lie to me I will revoke your status".

Uh...no, dude you won't. You can't do that. But I'm going to look intimidated.

In 2008 I was denied entry for having a USC spouse and low ties to Canada. He had to take my passport, my green card and meet with a supervisor.

Still looking scared...actually pissed off.

Supervisor came in and said I was good to go, and when I get my citizenship this wouldn't happen.

Off I went

Dang! I swear, they just love to exercise their "authority".

[lileepad 3]

Perfect! I'll call instead of email

For individuals who wish to file a complaint regarding a CBP removal encounter

• Individuals wishing to submit a formal complaint pertaining to an encounter with a CBP officer or Border Patrol agent can contact the CBP INFO Center at 877-227-5511.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

That just scared me!

Does that mean that if I try to go back home with just AP, I could run into trouble (I also got a denial of entry back in 2007)?

Technically I guess so, if judging by my case and what I was told by the nice agent. That until you have citizenship it is all fair game.

good luck

[iPod 89]

Technically I guess so, if judging by my case and what I was told by the nice agent. That until you have citizenship it is all fair game.

good luck

Thanks, I hope that if I go back home I don't have trouble returning.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

I'm sure you won't. I crossed easily for 6 years before I had difficulties. However, now that I am a citizen, crossing has never been easier.

[khwaidee1 196]

We had an almost identical experience flying from Reno, Nevada to Los Angeles. At the time Reno wasn't an "international" airport so they had no CBP or ICE there. My wife didn't have her driver's license yet so she was using her passport for ID. The TSA agent agent saw that wife's K-1 was "expired" which led to a very comical/serious half hour with superiors, phone calls, questions etc. before we were finally allowed to board 10 minutes before the plane took off. Despite explaining the AOS, showing them the NOA1 and our marriage certificate, we were repeatedly and sternly warned right up until we got escorted to the gate that "You really need to take of this issue because your visa is expired."