Returning to U.S with an Extension Letter

[Crazy Cat 41,851]

1 hour ago, mindthegap said:

An extension letter is valid proof of permanent resident status, just as an I-551 stamp is. I've had stamps for the past seven years and I have to go to secondary every time now, due to those stamps. It's standard policy, no big deal and they are at least (usually) polite and efficient. 

 

1) CBP cannot refuse entry to someone presenting as a permanent resident once they have verified their identity and status. CBP can refer a permanent resident to an immigration judge if they suspect you have somehow not maintained your permanent residence for being out of the US too much, or are no longer eligible for some reason such as some criminal offence. 

2) Adultery is not a criminal offence, which is what is being alluded to with the mention of texts to someone other than her husband. Sounds like BS to me as it's certainly not a reason for referral to an IJ, unless those messages were about several tonnes of fertilizer and caps. 

3) CBP can't 'cancel' someones green card or permanent residence full stop, let alone at the airport. It simply does not work like that. 

4) CBP can ASK you to voluntarily sign an I-407 relinquishing your PR status, which is about the stupidest thing one could do.

5) ONLY an immigration judge can terminate someones permanent resident status. 

6) ONLY an immigration judge can terminate someones permanent resident status (posted twice for those who seemingly don't get this)

7) Search at your POE is a contentious legal point and far too detailed to go into here. 

Bingo!!!!   That makes this story so weird......and as I said, it was all hear-say on the video.  

[Crazy Cat 41,851]

I just left that FB group.....I saw too much misinformation there.....

[Timona 4,207]

Just now, Crazy Cat said:

I just left that FB group.....I saw too much misinformation there.....

 

You should have taken screenshots!!

[Crazy Cat 41,851]

1 hour ago, dirtyhippiegirl said:

My husband was traveling with an extension letter from Canada to the US and absolutely got pulled into secondary and grilled because of it. The officer didn't think it was real(?) and then started peppering us with accusations that he had crossed the border and adjusted status without getting the proper visa. It was super stressful and bizarre-o because the officer presumably had access to his file in the computer he was actively looking through although I could kind of see why he might have thought the letter was dodgy.

 

This was over a decade ago. It's not new lol.

So, you were allowed to accompany your spouse to secondary?  

[Crazy Cat 41,851]

1 minute ago, Timona said:

 

You should have taken screenshots!!

I told them they need to join here...the very best source of ACCURATE immigration information...LOL.

[Sarah&Facundo 595]

So if you get pulled into secondary and have nothing to hide, what's the problem? Inconvenient, sure. Annoying, sure.

But advising people to avoid traveling with an extension letter is some exaggerated fear mongering, in my opinion.

We've also been through multiple times with my husband holding an extension letter and he hasn't been asked a single thing. Doing it again in August too.

[dirtyhippiegirl 85]

15 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

So, you were allowed to accompany your spouse to secondary?  

I was put in a waiting area while the officer talked to my husband for probably twenty or thirty minutes and then was pulled up to the desk with him, yeah. He started asking me questions that he had probably already asked my husband to see if we had different answers, finally found something in his computer database or something I guess that agreed with what we were saying? and flipped a switch, was suuuuuper nice oh the US needs more engineers, you know how Canadians love to just hop over the border and stay and adjust status etc etc. My husband came over back in 2007. Officers have always been dicks and there has always been a weird, aggressive anti legal immigration undertone amongst an agency that is supposed to be supportive of legal immigration attempts. It's probably gotten worse but it's definitely been there for a while. 9/11 didn't help attitudes. It's usually fine, if a hassle and it can be scary in the moment because innocuous things can get twisted by people with a lot of power.

Edited June 4, 2022 by dirtyhippiegirl

[Crazy Cat 41,851]

13 minutes ago, dirtyhippiegirl said:

Officers have always been dicks and there has always been a weird, aggressive anti legal immigration undertone amongst an agency that is supposed to be supportive of legal immigration attempts.

Anti-illegal immigration is probably a better description.

Edited June 4, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[mindthegap 2,590]

22 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Anti-legal immigration?  LOL!!!  That sounds like they are doing their jobs..  

Honestly, thats the impression I get from USCIS, not CBP. I've only really flipped out at USCIS people twice.... the first was at an infopass when she said 'oh you overstayed and adjusted' and I'm like, #######, I most certainly did not, I did things the correct way via a CR-1and your embassu... and she was insistent that I did, and how that would complicate my case and I'd get deported for not following the rules and overstaying.  

 

The second time was at another infopass - first of all I heard this douche at the counter (genuinely) say to the people in front of me who were daring to get an extension stamp when they asked how long the process was likely to be: "No idea. might be a year, might be ten years, might be never. No-one asked you to move here. You decided to, and you have to deal with whatever we do to you. If you don't like it then just leave and go back home" .

When it was my turn and I was there to see if someone could tell me if an interview had been scheduled, as I could clearly see via USPS informed delivery there was a USCIS letter waiting for me but I happened to be a long way from home and not back for maybe a month. In other words, a perfectly reasonable request, given the online case status had not updated, as it often doesn't.

The response? "You are asking me to look up something and to check a letter for you? Who do you think you are? You immigrants coming here and demanding stuff...go home and check your own mail rather than wasting my time" .

Absolute clown. I was not polite. 

Those sorts of people are, in my fairly extensive experience at this point, unfortunately prevalent within USCIS. I did make a complaint and, surprise surprise, I never heard a thing back.

 

CBP on the otherhand, I have found to be generally pretty polite and efficient...you get the odd bruised apple, but it isn't the rotten barrel that you have with USCIS with whom there are many who are anti-illegal, anti-legal, anti-people, and anti-doing their damn job.

Edited June 4, 2022 by mindthegap

[Crazy Cat 41,851]

3 minutes ago, mindthegap said:

Honestly, thats the impression I get from USCIS

I am not happy with USCIS, myself..

[Loren Y 2,755]

12 minutes ago, mindthegap said:

CBP on the otherhand, I have found to be generally pretty polite and efficient...you get the odd bruised apple, but it isn't the rotten barrel that you have with USCIS with whom there are many who are anti-illegal, ant-legal, anti-people, and anti-doing their damn job.

I agree with this 100%. I am good friends with a few of them, have one right now I am texting with as I type who just traveled to Thailand yesterday. Funny thing I am the officiant who performed their same sex marriage to a Thai national and they are currently going thru the immigration process same as everyone else who has done a K1. Trust me when I say CBP does not have much love for USCIS either, and they suffer just like anyone else trying to do things the right way. Are there bad apples in the bunch, sure, like anything else, but I have a lot of interaction with CBP personally and when traveling, and as far as dealing with them in a whole, they are usually more than reasonable, just doing their job. Like I said before, I have been in the room with the stainless steel table and chair, kept extra cold to make life miserable, but I have always come out the other side with a story to tell at the next family gathering. I have been handcuffed and placed in a chair . I just sit there and smile and think about the shawshank redemption movie knowing I will get mine in the end as I haven't done anything wrong or illegal. Does it piss me off, sure, but knowledge is power, and I can't stress enough knowing your rights and the process is invaluable when issues arrive. I don't think I have ever been delayed more than 3 hours total, so could be worse I guess, I have yet to require a attorney in dealing with CBP, where I have had to retain them for many other things and agencies.

[mindthegap 2,590]

1 hour ago, Loren Y said:

 I just sit there and smile and think about the shawshank redemption movie knowing I will get mine in the end as I haven't done anything wrong or illegal. 

That is a superb analogy for the I-751, and indeed most processes to do with USCIS: "crawl(ed) through a river of s**t and came out clean on the other side".

 

[Bob in Boston 705]

7 hours ago, martinzl said:

I have a suggestion.  Anyone returning to the US on an extension letter should be immediately taken to a side room and given their ROC interview. 😊

you should run for congress

[Rocio0010 5,579]

11 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

OK.  I just saw that video.  The video was some TikToc attorney.......it was all hear-say....100%....... 

 

OBJECTION!!! Lol just joking, I had to keep up with media 

[Rocio0010 5,579]

13 hours ago, Mr Genuis said:

Hello All, three  weeks ago I posted on here about my experienced  when returning to USA with an expired green card. I carefully explained how I was treated and some of you posted and say it's normal. Today I just saw a post ( video) with someone Returning to US with a extension and just like me they took her to the secondary inspection room. They asked for her phone. Check on messages and dicovered that she was talking to someone that  wasn't  her husband. So they cancel her green card and gave her a parol to temporarily enter US and explain to USCIS why she should keep her GreenCard. Fam, this things are not normal. It's New , They just started sending people with extension letter  to secondary inspection room and can do what they want. Please becareful... Having extension letter is not 100% similar to having a grencard. Having a greencard is not same like a citizen. If your trip is not that important I will advise you to wait to have your greencard or citizenship before leaving the U.S. watch the link:

 

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1508984162719170/permalink/3270949793189256/

 

At least give us a screenshot for those of us that do not want to join the group!!!

Just because it’s on Facebook, it doesn’t mean it’s genuine. And even if it is, the person might be posting pieces of their story. Maybe they had a rocky AOS, who knows?!

If you don’t have anything to hide, then going to secondary doesn’t mean much. It’s just extra time that you have to spend at the airport. Leave some extra time if you need to catch a connecting flight, that’s all.