My POE experience was not so wonderful

[DA BOMB 1]

Since you have anxiety disorder, maybe he wanted to see just how much anxiety you can take. If it was serious you would not have been given a visa in the first place. Every organization has a uptight jerk that works for them. Where was your port of entry and what does this man look like. Hopefully other can avoided going throhg his line.

Yeah...I bet he was thinking "Lets see if after all this gal has gone through - we can make her flip out in the airport" Geez some people can be such fricken idiots. Sorry this happened - he must be a rookie.

Welcome to the USA

[Jasman0717 9]

Sorry to hear of your experience. I hope all is well now! Welcome to America

[DA BOMB 1]

Yeah I definitely don't think the OP was trying to be racist. Someone asked what the immigration officer looked like (So they could try to avoid him) and she answered. It's very likely the that the next comment "I knew he'd be trouble" was completely unrelated. Don't be so fast to judge someone as a racist

Have you ever been through an immigration line? Some of those people look very serious, scruntinize every passport, never laugh or make friendly conversation with the people going through-- Of course all the immigration officers can be trouble.. even the ones who are asking their questions in a very friendly way as if they are actually interested (They are really just seeing if you slip up in your story!) But still... some immigration officers at least *look* more intimating than others, gender, race, height, hairstyle, shoe size aside.

After reading this and thinking, I know she was not racist...she was prejudice and sowed pre judgement, however I think this entire post has to deal with it taking a bit more time and her anxiety disorder...oh well, Like I said enjoy your stay in America.

Funny thing - I got in an argument the other day on a chat program (How unusual for me huh?) the other day with some chick who said she was moving to europe to escape the black community. Um...ok. She was from alabama and honestly believed there were towns in ireland who segregated blacks because they are hated. The remarks about the chubby black IO dont surprise me - some people's brains are just programmed like that. Pathetic but its a wild world aint it?

[Magnolia31 0]

I have lived in this country for 20 years and am aware of "comments like these". However, MY initial comment wasn't a comment like that - it's what someone else turned it into. Someone else decided to twist my words and give it all new meaning. Did you ever consider that? What was I supposed to say, "Well, the man was overweight, wore glasses, and was bald" - THAT could fit anyone. I felt mentioning his race was a part of describing him. If he would have been mexican I would have said he was mexican. If he were white, I would have said white. Get it?

Your conclusions couldn't be more wrong and there was NOTHING distatsteful in what I posted. But hey, if you have comprehension problems and feel like creating your own scenarios, well, i guess that can make it look distasteful.

I'm not sure. I was thinking too that if it was a problem, my visa would have been denied. My POE was at the Chicago O'Hare Airport. The IO was black, wore glasses, bald, and a bit overweight. I could tell just by looking at him that he'd find something. I was actually supposed to have someone else but then they ended up opening the line for Americans and people with Visas to us, since the visitor side was sooooo long. Had it not been for that, I would have not had him.

How could you tell "He'd find something?" Did he fit a certain profile? Just curious...

Actually, that is a good question... I hadn't read that before, and find that remark a bit strange... Distateful indeed.... but that is just me...

If I was you, I would be careful of remarks like this in this country... They sound very racist...

[Magnolia31 0]

No, he looked as if he'd find something because he was grumpy, had a bad attitude, and was plain old unfriendly. Next time I'll remember to mention that in a new paragraph after I mention someone's skin color. Seems like some people like to ASSume and ASSumptions cause problems. But hey, I did tell my "black" husband that he married a racist and that I was sorry i didn't tell him sooner. <eye roll>

I'm not sure. I was thinking too that if it was a problem, my visa would have been denied. My POE was at the Chicago O'Hare Airport. The IO was black, wore glasses, bald, and a bit overweight. I could tell just by looking at him that he'd find something. I was actually supposed to have someone else but then they ended up opening the line for Americans and people with Visas to us, since the visitor side was sooooo long. Had it not been for that, I would have not had him.

How could you tell "He'd find something?" Did he fit a certain profile? Just curious...

Actually, that is a good question... I hadn't read that before, and find that remark a bit strange... Distateful indeed.... but that is just me...

If I was you, I would be careful of remarks like this in this country... They sound very racist...

Yeah, pretty much couple that with the uneducated schizo remark...and well...think that you are in Harlem and a van with three black...oh wait wrong topic...very distasteful.

Welcome to America and I hope you enjoy it here.

[Magnolia31 0]

Actually, I've ridden in a cadillac, all candy-painted up, with my BROTHER who happens to be half "black", wears a grill in his mouth, and listens to chopped and screwed music. Who would have thunk? Your comment about Harlem and the 3 black guys in a car are amusing - I've actually done that - minus driving around Harlem since I was raised in Texas. Would you believe I listen to ONLY R&B? Can you imagine that I have never dated a white man? It's hard to do, I know, but you can try! My mother married a black man when I was 4 .. brought me to Texas at the age of 6. I'm an army brat. Anything else I can let you know about me so you can paint a clearer picture of who I am?

Don't let the K-1 visa fool you - I am very well aware of the US. Had I not left for over a year in 2002, I would have still been a legal permanent resident and NOT have to apply all over again. You really dont know me.

I'm not sure. I was thinking too that if it was a problem, my visa would have been denied. My POE was at the Chicago O'Hare Airport. The IO was black, wore glasses, bald, and a bit overweight. I could tell just by looking at him that he'd find something. I was actually supposed to have someone else but then they ended up opening the line for Americans and people with Visas to us, since the visitor side was sooooo long. Had it not been for that, I would have not had him.

How could you tell "He'd find something?" Did he fit a certain profile? Just curious...

Actually, that is a good question... I hadn't read that before, and find that remark a bit strange... Distateful indeed.... but that is just me...

If I was you, I would be careful of remarks like this in this country... They sound very racist...

Yeah, pretty much couple that with the uneducated schizo remark...and well...think that you are in Harlem and a van with three black...oh wait wrong topic...very distasteful.

Welcome to America and I hope you enjoy it here.

Thank you! Plainfield is right outside of Joliet.

Good grief ! Sorry about your hassles. I am in Illinois too and freezing my butt off.

Been here since 1978, naturalized and came from Germany. Welcome !

Plainsfield is in the Chicago area right ?

[Candace 2]

Sorry to read of your bad POE experience - I hope being with your husband has made up for it since, and congratulations on your marriage!

[mwinburn 0]

Descriptions of POE entries are exactly the reason I wanna come with my fiance across the border. I'd be Really worried if she was trying to get through and I hadn't heard anything for 2 hours.

[Magnolia31 0]

Thank you! :-)

Yeah, it has made up for it. I just thought I woul share the experience with others though .... not to scare them, but to let them know that if they do pull them to the side and get the CDC, it's not necessarily a bad thing. I was freaked out and would hate for someone else to feel that way. :-)

Sorry to read of your bad POE experience - I hope being with your husband has made up for it since, and congratulations on your marriage!

[Magnolia31 0]

Oh, he was VERY worried. On top of that, my flight already had a 3 hour delay so he didn't know what was going on. He did tell me later on though that he called Immigration and spoke to someone when he didn't see me right away. He told them he was worried that something happened and that they wouldnt notify him if I got turned back around. Whomever he spoke with though, took his number and told him she would call if something bad happened. So he told me when the lady never called back, he knew it was just a matter of time before I could come through the door. And surprisingly, this woman called us later on that evening to see if everything was alright and if he finally found me. I thought that was nice.

What sucked was that he couldnt even meet me in the baggage claim area either. I have never experienced that at an airport before. Had he been able to go to baggage claim, he would have been able to at least see me through the windows LOL.

Descriptions of POE entries are exactly the reason I wanna come with my fiance across the border. I'd be Really worried if she was trying to get through and I hadn't heard anything for 2 hours.

[notrepetiteashley 0]

You should fit right in to America, land of anxiety.

As someone with a degree in psychology the statements and "statistics" on mental illnesses crack me up. I hope that one day the general public will become educated enough about mental illness not to fear it and/or make generalizations. The fact is, there is no set answer for who will lose it and get violent and who will be able to manage thier illness with therapy and/or medication. But then again, this is a board on immigration, not psychopathology. I just had to say.

Good luck with your future endeavors.

[Magnolia31 0]

Well, thank you.

As for the mental stuff - I don't know. My husband has a degree in Psychology but we dont discuss mental illness much. I am just going by what I read on the psychiatry websites. :-) And I speak for myself I guess ... I'm not violent and neither do I ever have violent thoughts or anything. My anxiety just causes nervousness to the point I get sick to my stomach. It happens if Im in a crowded place or have to do something that I am unfamiliar with. It's gotten much better though. My aunt gets panic attacks but since they are different than anxiety attacks, she reacts different.

You should fit right in to America, land of anxiety.

As someone with a degree in psychology the statements and "statistics" on mental illnesses crack me up. I hope that one day the general public will become educated enough about mental illness not to fear it and/or make generalizations. The fact is, there is no set answer for who will lose it and get violent and who will be able to manage thier illness with therapy and/or medication. But then again, this is a board on immigration, not psychopathology. I just had to say.

Good luck with your future endeavors.

[Anna C. 4]

I am so sorry for what happened to you!!!! At least now you're here! I had myself some rather unpleasant experiences at POEs. In NY (JFK) the guy wanted me to date him or he wouldn't stamp my passport (J1 visa). I said no no, but I had to promise him that a girl like me would stay in the country and get married. He was twice my age, shorter than me, quadruple my weight. Yuck.

In Charlotte when I already had my passport stamped with the i-551 (I think that number, anyway, the green card stamp), they took away my passport, cell, purse, baggage and said wait there. No questions allowed. I wasn't told what was going on. After 1 hour waiting in a room with a bunch of other unlucky people and a very impatient husband at the airport I was told that they finally checked if my a number was real and if I am really a permanent resident (it takes less than 30 seconds to check that in their computers). Suddenly the officer was nice (versus grumpy and threatening before), apologized. I said my hubbie waits outside, he has the actual card in his hands. The officer then said oh why didn't you tell us, he could have brought it in. Right, I wasn't even allowed to ask where a bathroom was!!!!!!!!

I understand that they have to take their jobs serious - but people who have obtained a visa already were scrutinized enough!!!! Or they could check stuff quicker instead of putting people into a room without their stuff - that was just for scaring.

Well, just my experiences.....

Good luck Sandra!