America the Unwelcoming

[isleta521 5]

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America the Unwelcoming

The United States is the only major country in the world to which travel has declined amid a tourist boom.

By Fareed Zakaria

NEWSWEEK

Updated: 1:23 PM ET Nov 17, 2007

As an immigrant, I've always loved Thanksgiving for all the corniest reasons. It's a distinctly American holiday, secular and inclusive, focused on food, family and gratitude. But the one Thanksgiving tradition I try strenuously to avoid is travel. For those of you who must do it—and that's 27 million people this year—brace yourselves for massive delays and frayed tempers. President Bush announced a few measures to ease congestion, describing this week as "a season of dread for too many Americans." I only wish he would keep in mind that for foreigners now traveling to America, the dread is far more acute, and it's lasted far longer than a few days in November.

Every American who has a friend abroad has heard some story about the absurd hassle and humiliation of entering or exiting the United States. But these pale in comparison to the experience of foreigners who commit minor infractions. A tourist from New Zealand, Rick Giles, mistakenly overstayed his visa in America by a few days and found himself summarily arrested for six weeks earlier this fall. Treaty obligations say his country's embassy should have been informed of the arrest, but it wasn't. A German visitor, Valeria Vinnikova, overstayed her visa by a couple of days and tried to remedy the situation—so that she could spend more time with her fiancé, the Dartmouth College squash coach. Instead she was handcuffed and had her feet shackled, then was carted off to be imprisoned. She now faces deportation and a 10-year ban on entering the United States. (Thanks to AndrewSullivan.com for drawing attention to these.)

According to the Commerce Department, the United States is the only major country in the world to which travel has declined in the midst of a global tourism boom. And this is not about Arabs or Muslims. The number of Japanese visiting the United States declined from 5 million in 2000 to 3.6 million last year. The numbers have begun to increase, but by 2010 they're still projected to be 19 percent below 2000 levels. During this same span (2000–2010), global tourism is expected to grow by 44 percent.

The most striking statistic involves tourists from Great Britain. These are people from America's closest ally, the overwhelming majority of them white Anglos with names like Smith and Jones. For Brits, the United States these days is Filene's Basement. The pound is worth $2, a 47 percent increase in six years. And yet, between 2000 and 2006, the number of Britons visiting America declined by 11 percent. In that same period British travel to India went up 102 percent, to New Zealand 106 percent, to Turkey 82 percent and to the Caribbean 31 percent. If you're wondering why, read the polls or any travelogue on a British Web site. They are filled with horror stories about the inconvenience and indignity of traveling to America.

For many, the trials begin even before they arrive. In a world of expedited travel, getting a visa to enter the United States has become a laborious process. It takes, on average, 69 days in Mumbai, 65 days in São Paolo and 44 days in Shanghai simply to process a request. It's no wonder that quick business trips to America are a thing of the past. Business travel to the United States declined by 10 percent between 2004 and 2005 (the most recent data available), while similar travel to Europe increased by 8 percent. Discover America, a travel-industry-funded organization that tries to boost tourism, estimates that the 17 percent overall decline in tourism since 9/11 has cost America $94 billion in lost tourist spending, 200,000 jobs and $16 billion in tax revenues.

The administration and Congress say the right things, have passed a few measures to improve matters and keep insisting that the problem has been solved. But the data and loads of anecdotal evidence suggest otherwise. The basic problem remains: no bureaucrat wants to be the person who lets in the next terrorist. As a result, when one spots any irregularity—no matter how minor—the reflex is to stop, question, harass, arrest and deport. If tens of thousands of foreigners are upset, so what? But if one day a jihadist manages to slip in, woe to the person who stamped his passport. The incentives are badly skewed.

In his 2003 book "Courage Matters," Sen. John McCain writes, "Get on the damn elevator! Fly on the damn plane! Calculate the odds of being harmed by a terrorist. It's still about as likely as being swept out to sea by a tidal wave." He added what seemed like a sound rule of thumb: "Watch the terrorist alert and when it falls below yellow, go outside again."

Except that since 9/11, the alert has never dropped below yellow (which means an "elevated" level of risk from a terrorist attack). At airports, we have been almost permanently at orange—"high risk," or the second highest level of alertness. Yet the Department of Homeland Security admits that "there continues to be no credible information at this time warning of an imminent threat to the homeland." The department's "strategic threat perspective … is that we are in a period of increased risk." What is this "strategic perspective?" Is it the same as the "gut feeling" that Secretary Michael Chertoff cited when he warned, in July, that we were likely to be attacked during the summer? Or is it a bureaucratic mind-set, the technical term for which is CYA?

URL: http://www.newsweek.com/id/70991

© Newsweek Mag

Wished my wife's family / friends could visit us but that would just be close to impossible here in the US.

[JODO 2]

Well my Egyptian MIL was able to get a tourist visa, so Fort America can't be all that difficult to get into. Furthermore, no wacko, radical crazy will ever stop me from traveling.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Here's more evidence of problems visitors have crossing the border:

from Chatham Daily News, November 28, 2007 (Chatham is an hour's drive east of the Detroit border):

Case of mistaken identity; Blenheim woman has repeated trouble at border

Posted By TREVOR TERFLOTH

After reading similar horror stories, a Blenheim-area woman has come forward with her own harrowing experience at the U.S. border.

A case of mistaken identity with a Texas woman led to Cindy Graves being arrested and detained by officials at the Windsor-Detroit crossing in September.

She and her husband, Rudy, were heading to Ohio in their motorhome to watch auto racing.

However, when she handed over her driver's licence and birth certificate, the agent said into the microphone: "It is the passenger."

Almost immediately, eight guards swarmed the vehicle, Graves told The Chatham Daily News.

"They stood with their hands on their guns," she said. "They were banging on the doors and took the keys from Rudy."

The 48-year-old woman was frisked, handcuffed and led away to a cell, where she was held for two hours.

Graves' border incident wasn't an isolated one. She said armed officers also surrounded her in January before she was interrogated and released.

However, she said she crossed afterwards a number of times with no difficulty.

"I've had two traffic tickets my whole life," she said. "I don't have a problem. I have a clean record."

Despite this, Graves said border officials told her this procedure could happen each time she crossed.

She said she visits the U.S. seven or eight times a year and still plans on returning.

While she understands cases of mistaken identity sometimes occur, she was more upset by the treatment from border guards and that there was no apology.

"I don't think they had to handle me like that," she said.

Earlier this month, Sarnia's Jeff and Kelly Thomas were presenting identification at a U.S. inspection booth in Port Huron, Mich., when a security alert sounded.

Armed guards surrounded the vehicle and ordered them out. The couple was handcuffed and taken into custody in front of their children, aged 10 and 14, before being released a short time later.

In July, Debra Young of Lexington, Mich., said she and her husband, Jim, were returning home after an evening at the Point Edward Charity Casino when they were dealt with in a similar manner.

She said more than 20 guards, with guns drawn, ordered them out of their vehicle and told them to lie on the ground.

Graves said the issue has been all too common in the news.

"This is going on too much," she said. "And here we are, two people in a motorhome with proper identification."

She recently spoke with the Chatham-Kent police and is awaiting a letter confirming she has no criminal history.

However, Ron Smith, public affairs chief with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Detroit, told The Daily News this wouldn't necessarily have prevented the situation.

"If the alert says this is a dangerous person and that person reaches into her purse to get a letter, the officer doesn't know what is coming out of that purse," he said.

Smith did say an explanatory letter might expedite someone's release from custody.

He sympathized with visitors who have done nothing wrong, but said public security and staff safety are of the utmost importance.

"Anytime it happens, it's too often. Fortunately it doesn't happen that often," he said. "Unfortunately for the innocent person, it's a real hassle because officers have to treat them as if they are the person that the warrant is for before we can verify they're not."

Smith said there is a comment card visitors can fill out if they wish to complain. They can also speak with a supervisor if not satisfied.

However, he admitted some might be too distraught to even bother.

"Their initial reaction is embarrassment, and maybe they get mad," he said. "The last thing they want to do is talk to somebody else." He said there is currently no mechanism for a visitor with no criminal record to clear their name by entering it into a database. "I don't know if the technology is going to be there for us to do that," he said. "In some cases, the person we're interested in is an alias that they've gone by, and their birthday happens to be within a day or two from the person we have in front of us."

Smith said the number of dangerous offenders captured at the border makes the strict protocol worth it.

However, when asked why a disaffected traveller would continue to enter the U.S. after undergoing such an ordeal, Smith said it was a "good question."

He cited his name as an example, saying it's not that uncommon either.

"If we allow the individual out there - who's maybe using our name - to stop us from enjoying our life, we're holding ourselves hostage to them," he said.

[JODO 2]

That's unfortunate.

[mawilson 2,133]

That's unfortunate.

Yeah -- that's why it made the news.

[Krikit 1,164]

"Anytime it happens, it's too often. Fortunately it doesn't happen that often," he said. "Unfortunately for the innocent person, it's a real hassle because officers have to treat them as if they are the person that the warrant is for before we can verify they're not."

Ahhh. The old "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" ploy. I think that's in the Bill of Rights, n'est pas?

Thanks for the articles, Isleta and Kathryn. Interesting read.

[isleta521 5]

Well my Egyptian MIL was able to get a tourist visa, so Fort America can't be all that difficult to get into. Furthermore, no wacko, radical crazy will ever stop me from traveling.

Congrats to you . I do know people that have tried and won but I also know many much more that had very strong ties to their country and did not succeed. Most of my wifes family do have ties but may not own much property or maybe not even considered middle class, so it would be difficult to say the least. At best, a roll of the dice to say the least.

Edited November 30, 2007 by isleta521

[JODO 2]

Well my Egyptian MIL was able to get a tourist visa, so Fort America can't be all that difficult to get into. Furthermore, no wacko, radical crazy will ever stop me from traveling.

Congrats to you. I do know people that have tried and won but I also know many much more that had very strong ties to their country and did not succeed. Most of my wifes family do have ties but may not own much property or maybe not even considered middle class, so it would be difficult to say the least. At best, a roll of the dice to say the least.

You are so right. I was pleasantly surprised that she was able to attend our wedding. It really is a shame about the good people who are not allowed in. I agree it is a problem for some well-meaning people.

[Jasman0717 9]

Guess we don't want the huddled masses any longer

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

My folks - parents and siblings - visit regularly. Always 100% hassle free. My MIL from Ethiopia obtained a tourist visa and visited w/o problems. None of our family - either from Germany or Ethiopia - thinks of America as unwelcoming. Quite the opposite, actually. I guess we're all just very special.

[Fandango 1,439]

That original article is nothing but a bunch of Chicken Little #######, if you ask me. 'The indignity of traveling to America'...give me a break. Then the only examples the author gives are of overstays. Well if the travel was so bad, and America was so unwelcoming, then why are they overstaying?

Then the author precedes to say how it's nothing to do with 'Arabs or Muslims' then spouts figures starting from what? 9/11. First of all, I think the author was pretty rude....a much better thing to say was it's supposedly nothing to do with '9/11' not just a blanket 'Arabs or Muslims'. And then the rest peppered with words like 'jihadist' and talk of the terror alert system.

Then there's speak of 45 days being 'laborious' for a travel visa. Hah, everyone on here should only be so lucky!

Finally, I'm SICK to death of hearing nothing but people whine & loading their complaints with emotionally charged nonsense. No one is 'entitled' automatic entry into the US...just like no American is 'entitled' automatic entry into every other country. I personally was detained in the UK for 9 hours cos they thought I was trying to 'sneak' in....yes, it sucked...but they had a right to ensure that I checked out....and I didn't have a 'right' to demand that they let me in as to preserve my 'dignity'

Every American who has a friend abroad has heard some story about the absurd hassle and humiliation of entering or exiting the United States.

We're all becoming a global bunch of oversensitive crybabies with feelings of entitlement. 'I want it all and I want it delivered, and if you deny my wishes, you're being 'unwelcoming and compromising my dignity and subjecting me to humiliation' Gimme a break!!!!! Suck it up!

[pedroh 21]

That original article is nothing but a bunch of Chicken Little #######, if you ask me. 'The indignity of traveling to America'...give me a break. Then the only examples the author gives are of overstays. Well if the travel was so bad, and America was so unwelcoming, then why are they overstaying?

Then the author precedes to say how it's nothing to do with 'Arabs or Muslims' then spouts figures starting from what? 9/11. First of all, I think the author was pretty rude....a much better thing to say was it's supposedly nothing to do with '9/11' not just a blanket 'Arabs or Muslims'. And then the rest peppered with words like 'jihadist' and talk of the terror alert system.

Then there's speak of 45 days being 'laborious' for a travel visa. Hah, everyone on here should only be so lucky!

Finally, I'm SICK to death of hearing nothing but people whine & loading their complaints with emotionally charged nonsense. No one is 'entitled' automatic entry into the US...just like no American is 'entitled' automatic entry into every other country. I personally was detained in the UK for 9 hours cos they thought I was trying to 'sneak' in....yes, it sucked...but they had a right to ensure that I checked out....and I didn't have a 'right' to demand that they let me in as to preserve my 'dignity'

Every American who has a friend abroad has heard some story about the absurd hassle and humiliation of entering or exiting the United States.

We're all becoming a global bunch of oversensitive crybabies with feelings of entitlement. 'I want it all and I want it delivered, and if you deny my wishes, you're being 'unwelcoming and compromising my dignity and subjecting me to humiliation' Gimme a break!!!!! Suck it up!

LOL I know.. 45 days ain't a long time.. in Mexico sometimes it takes almost 1 month to get the appointment for the consulate! just the appt.. then the visa takes another 2-3 weeks.. plus.. we used to have a permanent visa, and then they reduced it to only 5 and 10 years

but I don't think a month or 2 is bad, when I went to Holland tostudy, my student visa took like 3 months to process I think

[Fandango 1,439]

LOL I know.. 45 days ain't a long time.. in Mexico sometimes it takes almost 1 month to get the appointment for the consulate! just the appt.. then the visa takes another 2-3 weeks.. plus.. we used to have a permanent visa, and then they reduced it to only 5 and 10 years

but I don't think a month or 2 is bad, when I went to Holland tostudy, my student visa took like 3 months to process I think

However did you overcome the degradation?

[pedroh 21]

LOL I know.. 45 days ain't a long time.. in Mexico sometimes it takes almost 1 month to get the appointment for the consulate! just the appt.. then the visa takes another 2-3 weeks.. plus.. we used to have a permanent visa, and then they reduced it to only 5 and 10 years

but I don't think a month or 2 is bad, when I went to Holland tostudy, my student visa took like 3 months to process I think

However did you overcome the degradation?

I became EMO In Holland because of that degradation, /wrist

[Fandango 1,439]

LOL I know.. 45 days ain't a long time.. in Mexico sometimes it takes almost 1 month to get the appointment for the consulate! just the appt.. then the visa takes another 2-3 weeks.. plus.. we used to have a permanent visa, and then they reduced it to only 5 and 10 years

but I don't think a month or 2 is bad, when I went to Holland tostudy, my student visa took like 3 months to process I think

However did you overcome the degradation?

I became EMO In Holland because of that degradation, /wrist

bwahahahahah!

Yanno, it's all Holland's fault. You should sue Holland.