Horrible JFK POE Experience While Traveling As a US Citizen

[Rob_Lesya 4]

Not sure of the best place to post this, so if the mods think it belongs elsewhere, please move it. Just wanting to get people's thoughts and comments on our recent JFK POE experience.

My wife (now a US citizen) and I (also a citizen) recently traveled to Russia to visit our family. Upon entry at JFK, we went to the kiosk, processed our passports, received our receipts and proceeded to the lines. The guy directing people sent me to one line. I took a couple of steps and turned around to see that my wife had been directed to a different line. I said to my wife, "you're in the wrong line"... and she said "this is where he told me to go".... I thought, 'ok. this must be another line that leads to citizen processing" and proceeded on. There was no waiting at Citizen processing, so the guy stamped my receipt, handed me back my passport and I was through in a couple of seconds. I turn around to see that my wife is standing in the visitor line (which had quite a few people in it, btw). I indicate to her that she's in the wrong line, so she goes to the guy and says, "I'm a US Citizen, why am I in this line?" He replies "because you have an accent." WHAT????

The guy is now apparently ticked off that my wife questioned him, so he keeps sending people for processing ahead of her. This goes on for about 30 minutes before he finally allows her to go through processing. During this entire time there's absolutely no one in line for US citizen processing. She's very upset by this point, so when she gets to the CBP office, she basically throws her passport onto the counter --- which leads him to question why she has such an attitude. She explains that she's very upset.. that she's now a US citizen and doesn't understand why she's being treated like this. Why was she not allowed to go through processing as a US Citizen. The CBP officer tells her the reason was because the machine didn't properly read her passport --- which is BS because:

1) If the machine didn't properly read her passport, how was it able to print a receipt with her name on it? and

2) The guy directing people to the various lines would have had no way of knowing that the machine didn't properly read her passport. All he could see was a passport and a receipt.

After a couple minutes of continued argument/conversation, he finally stamps her receipt and lets her through.

Of course, the most important lesson learned here was -- if you're a family traveling together-- DO NOT let them separate you.

But just curious about anyone else's experiences, thoughts, comments. I know that JFK has a reputation as a pretty unfriendly POE, but do they really have the authority to put a US citizen through this type of hassle "because they have an accent?" Isn't one of the main reasons for obtaining citizenship to eliminate this type of hassle upon travel and re-entry?

[KiRilie 16]

I'm very your wife had to experience that.

So because your wife had an accent, they assumed she was a foreigner.

Didn't she have a US passport?

Edited March 19, 2016 by KiRilie

[Rob_Lesya 4]

I'm very your wife had to experience that.

So because your wife had an accent, they assumed she was a foreigner.

Didn't she have a US passport?

Yes, she had her US passport and reentry receipt in her hand the entire time and made a point of showing it to him when she was asking why she wasn't allowed to go through the Citizen's processing line.

I'm not sure if he originally sent her to the wrong line by mistake or did it intentionally, but it's clear that as soon as he was questioned he was determined to show her that HE was the one in charge.

btw, he was NOT a uniformed CBP officer, just one of the folks in the orange jackets who direct people to the various lines and AFAIK are simply JFK employees. Someone more knowledgeable might clarify that if I'm mistaken.

and also btw-- both the guy who sent her to the wrong line and the actual uniformed CBP officer who interviewed her had MUCH heavier accents than hers.

[kris_hetfield 11]

Sorry about what happened with your wife. That's very unfair that the person put her, a US citizen, in another line just because of her accent.

If you really want, you can submit a complaint from here:

https://help.cbp.gov/app/forms/complaint

I've never had to deal with CBP complaints, so unfortunately, there's not much I can say about how seriously it'll be taken. But I'd be very upset about the incident myself and would definitely send them a write up of the events you just described.

Good luck to you and your wife!

[Penny Pincher 11]

Not sure of the best place to post this, so if the mods think it belongs elsewhere, please move it. Just wanting to get people's thoughts and comments on our recent JFK POE experience.

My wife (now a US citizen) and I (also a citizen) recently traveled to Russia to visit our family. Upon entry at JFK, we went to the kiosk, processed our passports, received our receipts and proceeded to the lines. The guy directing people sent me to one line. I took a couple of steps and turned around to see that my wife had been directed to a different line. I said to my wife, "you're in the wrong line"... and she said "this is where he told me to go".... I thought, 'ok. this must be another line that leads to citizen processing" and proceeded on. There was no waiting at Citizen processing, so the guy stamped my receipt, handed me back my passport and I was through in a couple of seconds. I turn around to see that my wife is standing in the visitor line (which had quite a few people in it, btw). I indicate to her that she's in the wrong line, so she goes to the guy and says, "I'm a US Citizen, why am I in this line?" He replies "because you have an accent." WHAT????

The guy is now apparently ticked off that my wife questioned him, so he keeps sending people for processing ahead of her. This goes on for about 30 minutes before he finally allows her to go through processing. During this entire time there's absolutely no one in line for US citizen processing. She's very upset by this point, so when she gets to the CBP office, she basically throws her passport onto the counter --- which leads him to question why she has such an attitude. She explains that she's very upset.. that she's now a US citizen and doesn't understand why she's being treated like this. Why was she not allowed to go through processing as a US Citizen. The CBP officer tells her the reason was because the machine didn't properly read her passport --- which is BS because:

1) If the machine didn't properly read her passport, how was it able to print a receipt with her name on it? and

2) The guy directing people to the various lines would have had no way of knowing that the machine didn't properly read her passport. All he could see was a passport and a receipt.

After a couple minutes of continued argument/conversation, he finally stamps her receipt and lets her through.

Of course, the most important lesson learned here was -- if you're a family traveling together-- DO NOT let them separate you.

But just curious about anyone else's experiences, thoughts, comments. I know that JFK has a reputation as a pretty unfriendly POE, but do they really have the authority to put a US citizen through this type of hassle "because they have an accent?" Isn't one of the main reasons for obtaining citizenship to eliminate this type of hassle upon travel and re-entry?

WOW this is so intimidating situation. I'm sorry for your wife's bad experience.

My wife is Asian but her accent is mixed with British more likely because she lived in UK for 5 years. My wife traveled several alone, entered different point of entry airports but she never mentioned nor had problem with that. At work, they kept mimicking her accent because they think it is cute and they like it. However, my wife gets irritated if they mimics it and feels being laughed at.

Anyhow, if there's a chance to complain that person I would or call that person's attention. There's no way people will discriminate my wife in my presence.

My wife will be a US citizen soon and I hope she will not face this problem when she gets her US Passport.

[Penny Pincher 11]

Yes, she had her US passport and reentry receipt in her hand the entire time and made a point of showing it to him when she was asking why she wasn't allowed to go through the Citizen's processing line.

I'm not sure if he originally sent her to the wrong line by mistake or did it intentionally, but it's clear that as soon as he was questioned he was determined to show her that HE was the one in charge.

btw, he was NOT a uniformed CBP officer, just one of the folks in the orange jackets who direct people to the various lines and AFAIK are simply JFK employees. Someone more knowledgeable might clarify that if I'm mistaken.

and also btw-- both the guy who sent her to the wrong line and the actual uniformed CBP officer who interviewed her had MUCH heavier accents than hers.

oh really? Are they jealous or insecure? I really can't imagine what reactions will I have if I'm in your place. smh

[N and J 88]

Not to be an ### lol was he a short little man who may have been Indian or looked Southasian? I'm only asking because twice I traveled through the POEat JFK and twice I got stuck with that guy directing people. I never saw someone yell at people the way he did. I asked him the second time I saw him and he yelled at me if he ever when home or if he lived in the airport and was on post 24/7.

[Vi Mazzella 4]

We went through something like that at Jfk last September. Coming back from Peru. Family of 4, me my husband and my 2 kids. We scanned the passports and they pulled as to make another line and were the last of the line. In our case was because my name on the passport is different from my name on Gc. In my husband's his passsport name was minus the II. And my daughter her name didn't match her tkt. My husband and kids are american white), I'm latina and have an accent but didn't feel discriminate. The person who checked our passports took tje time and kindly explaind what the problem was. We were super annoyed but calm down after it.

[TBoneTX 46,126]

March straight to the CBP Port office and file a formal complaint with the Passenger Services Representative (PSR) or with the Port Director.

[lilsweetie 35]

Definitely unaccaptable! Complain online or find a form or number to call in!

[Ontarkie 14,499]

~~Moved to Moving to the US and Your New Life In America, from US Citizenship General Discussion - As the topic is not about the process of obtaining USC, also since it's not about traveling during any immigration process it fits better in this forum.~~

[TBoneTX 46,126]

A post has been removed for violations of these VJ Terms of Services provisions:

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Edited March 21, 2016 by TBoneTX

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

I've obviously been super lucky with JFK, so many people complain about it, I've never had a bad experience through many entrances, mostly as a visitor, a couple with my green card.

I'm confused as to why the guy had even heard her accent before directing her? Surely just show the passport? - I know different terminals at JFK do it differently though.. The only time we ever actually asked was when we were landing on immigrant visas with our packages - usually just look at the sign and head for the correct line...

But bottom line is it is definitely unacceptable and I agree with those who suggest a formal complaint be made.