I am usually a pretty happy and positive person, always joking and talking with security and people who are helping me--because i appreciate their help. Well, today my husband who has his permanent resident visa with stamp in his passport (still waiting for the green card to come in the mail) went to the USCIS office to see why he hasn't been put into the system yet. well first of all the security guard (rent-a-cop mind you) was completely rude as we approached. He said to me, One at a time, but I guess my husband didn't hear and told the guy--I'm with her. The security said no you aren't and closed the door in his face. okkkk....then proceeded to bark orders at me to pass through the metal detectors. Ok whatever.

Then when our number is called, we went up to the appropriate window. Keep in mind, this is 730 in the morning so we were like 3rd in line...I mention this because the probability that the immigration officer has dealt with a ton of horrible people already today is quite low. so we walk up, and he barks "Appointment form!" so we hand him the infopass printout. Then he said "what" as in what do you want. I explained that we had gone to the social security office and they couldn't issue us a number because he hasn't been put in the system yet. And before I finished my sentence, he cut me off and said "probably because he's illegal!" I said no, he's legal he has the stamp in his passport. He was fumbling through the passport almost ripping pages out and my husband said, "here, i'll show you". The officer literally threw the passport back...it hit the window!! OK.... so we show him the page and all the while he is yelling at us and of course never making eye contact. Finally, he finds our information and said "See just like i said, it take 6-8 weeks...your paperwork is in the texas service center waiting to be processed. But don't come back at the 8 week mark because it could take even longer. And don't even think about expecting your green card for a year." Ok..... We thanked him very much and left.

I understand that it must be hard dealing with immigrants all day...trying to speak in a common language can be frustrating. BUT hello.....I spoke to him in his own accent! How could someone possibly be so angry so early in the morning? What is so frustrating is that these people take advantage of the immigrants because they need him to help them! There is no he would speak to people that way in a normal situation. These people thrive on having power and control over others just to compensate for their own shortcomings!

I was thinking of saying something to him like "did i offend you in some way" but I could just picture him hitting the delete button with pleasure on my husband's record.

What a way to ruin the morning!

Sorry just venting!

Thanks for listening.

Sorry to hear about your experience. I really don't understand the attitude some of these people have. OK, this is your job, it's not like someone is holding a gun to your head telling you that you have to do this. If you don't like it, find something else. They know what their job entails. I wonder what he would have said if you had asked to speak to his supervisor. There should be ways to file a complaint against individuals like this. Not like anything would come about from it.

WOW.. sorry to hear a bout such a nasty experience. That is just bad manners. I sometimes also think... if people don't like dealing with people... why the mother of all Fk's do they get service jobs????????? The answer escapes me.
Hugs, L.

Been there, had that happen more than once!
Sucks as normally I'd have cut loose on the a hole or turned his butte in.
What did I do?
Smiled with my BP going nuts and walked away.
Yeah! Who knows what they can do with your papers.
Delete button is easy to push.

Thru the entire VJ process I've had to be a complete WIMP!
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Nothing you can do tho but shut your mouth and smile.
Hint!
Take a couple valiums before you go to a USCIS office or call them on the phone!!!

Ugh, sorry to hear about your experiences. (And of course hoping that won't happen to me, hehe.)

I really don't understand why grumpy people get customer service jobs. If you hate dealing with people, then why are you at your job? *scratches head* On the other hand, if you're having a bad day, why would you take it out on people? I guess we'll really never know.

Eventually (as in, never) I'll stop giving people the benefit of the doubt and actually be one of "those" people, you know who I'm talking about.

some people just need a good slap.

Sorry to hear about your experience! Frankly, this sort of power trip really annoys the hell out of me. Yeah, I hate having to be a wimp or feeling so powerless.

I keep fantisizing that when this whole process finishes, I should write to Lou Dobbs or someone and ask them why the hell LEGAL IMMIGRANTS are treated so badly - hey - we're here to be future Americans, married (and in love with) Americans and paying taxes!!! I know this process has totally opened the eyes of my USC spouse - I think it comes as a shock to him to be treated this way as well, for no apparent reason.

I know that tons of experiences with USCIS are also really positive and it isn't everyone working there, but I think the lack of any avenues to really file a complaint, without fear of retribution, is the most difficult thing!

We had one rude guy on the phone (what some VJ-ers refer to as the "mis" information line) and while I had no idea what he looked like, I just imagined throwing pie in his face - and wow, did it feel good:-))))

I suppose I've been lucky, but all the officers I've come across so far have been very friendly. I am dealing with the Seattle, WA office, located just south of the city. One officer I dealt with helped me far more than the expensive immigration attorney I originally consulted with, and sent me away with a very positive outlook on the USCIS system.

However, like I said, I know that I was lucky. I don't know what I will come across when I go in for my interview. I HATE the feeling of being completely under their control, not knowing what they could do to your case if they so chose. I'd like to think that they have no power whatsoever, but we do not know what they're looking at on their computer monitors and what they have access to.

I imagine that like restaurants, the staff are as good as the management: they'll be far nicer if they like working there and are treated well by their supervisors. If I were you, I'd file a formal complaint against this officer, but you may want to wait until your husband's Green Card has arrived!

And no, we don't deserve to be treated like this when we've spent thousands of dollars and waited in line for the privilege of becoming an American resident.

Sorry to hear about your experience....But if that happened to me I would ask him to look at me and then I would tell him that he will get sued if he doesn't behave...These immigration officers are just a bunch of uneducated hobos...You have every right to show them what they are...Life's too short to get treated badly just for a damn green card.

They can also make your life a living hell if they want to.

I know exactly what you are talking about. When I was getting my first passport (I'm a dual Canadian/U.S. citizen) I had to go to the consulate here in Calgary several times.

The person who was helping me there (supervisor) was extremely helpful, pleasant, informed etc..

On the other hand one time when I went there I told the security officer why I was there (if memory serves I was dropping off original documentation). He said I should speak to the receptionist first (I have no idea why, maybe he didn't understand why I was there....not sure).

Weeeelllllll, you would think I had insulted her and her first born. She appears at the desk from an area off to the side and on an angry scale of 1-10 she was already at an 8.

She looked at me like - why are you here at my little area looking through my glassssss - and basically told me the same thing.

Now I have no idea if she has a history with the security guard sending people to her window for no particular reason or what - but I bit my tongue and said nothing. Normally I would never had put up with that - I probably would have said - hey, are you this rude to all your customers or is it just me?

I am not sure that we should put up with that kind of treatment and in hindsight I would probably have handled it differently (ie: I would have just walked away and later sent a letter of complaint).

I would have taken his name and reported him to his superior. They are just as accountable as a cashier at Wal-Mart and they are not actively encouraged to be rude.

They cannot affect your case either, so don't be scared on that front.

I'd do all the complaining after you are done with everything. I know what you are saying Mags, but I wouldn't want to rock the boat on an already stressful journey.

I hate when people are rude for no reason. Some people are just naturally mean. Sorry he ruined your day:(.

I can remember only three different times when officers were nice and treated me with a respect. Rest of them (and I have dealet with them for almost eight years!) were just insecure jerks which showed me a power for no reason. Guys, they get paid from OUR money, 99% of they salaries comes from OUR fees, plus, we pay taxes! I was brave enough to tell interviewing officer what he didn`t expect after treating me horrible, and guess what-he is still in the game making my life without a desicion on my case for the past three years. To be an officer, you actually don`t have to have an education or to be clever; even for ajudicational officer to be accepted for the position is enough to be able to write decent paragraphs with minimal grammar mistakes (I checked USCIS job offers-was in shock)-we can all do that, and most of us (and, I speak for myself, too) are much educated than them, it must pissed them off. Most of them are bunch of loosers who get federal benefits and salary from our pocket.

I'd totally report them. Well I'd get my USC husband to do it and not give any info on my actual case when filing the complaints. I'd also have him file a complaint with the ombudsman.

I am sorry what has happened to you. Please understand that it is a waste of time to go for an Info pass. You can get the same information if you call the 800 number and then, tell them to speak to the IO. I have dealt with this stupidity for more than three years and I can personally tell you that Info Pass is a waste of time. You are right that they take advantage of immigrants because they know that our cases are stuck and we can not do anything because we are dealing with a Stupid Agency.

Every single person I've dealt with in the Immigration business has been horrible. I honestly think they are trained to be this way. Kinda like they would rather make you quit than finish out the process, making their workload less. I think of it like a boss who keeps getting under your skin, trying to get you to quit rather than be fired. I'm sure I'm wrong about this, but it sure does feel this way. I can just picture those training classes for "rent-a-cops" at the local immigration offices....."discourage, discourage, discourage. If we help too many immigrants successfully, then we will have to work harder". I'd love to meet one of these people on MY turf.

These kind of threads frustrate me on many levels, one of which being that we have people on VJ that actually work or have worked as custom/border crossing agents, and at one of the service centres as an USCIS employee and are being tarred with a very wide and unfair brush.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a complete apologist for the employees in this system, because SOME can be complete and utterly rude, etc, but I find it curious that we all expect them to treat us like we're the only case they deal with that day, when they have to deal with thousands of people all the time.

There's always other career choices. What frustrates me is when we are treated this way, meanwhile illegals are practically given an open door to abuse our systems.

Furthermore, it shouldn't matter if they see thousands of other cases. When it comes to dealing with a person ( a customer) they should always be treated with respect and made to feel as if "yes, you are the only case." It's called good customer service. It's not our faults that they chose to work in a field that deals with a high volume of customers/cases. It still doesn't make it right to treat people like crap.

Please don't compare getting a ear bashing from a USCIS phone operator to the hardships illegal aliens have to endure. Although the press like to portray them as living in the lap of luxury off our tax dollars, that's far from the truth. Sure its their choice, but it was also your choice to come here and deal with USCIS!

I have been fortunate enough not to experience a rude USCIS person either time I've called, and the CBP officer at the border was very helpful and polite even though I was being a bit of a pitbull about the work authorization. And C. only had good things to say about Hartford when he made an Infopass appointment.

While I'm sure we've been lucky, I wouldn't tar them all with the same brush. And I'd report the guy who called your husband illegal. That's uncalled for.

Respectfully, I couldn't disagree more with the underlying premise and sentiment here. IMO, US Citizens following processes made by their government that they indirectly funded should be entitled to competence and respect. IMO, Persons here in this country illegally (actually illegal, not simply being unjustly accussed of being illegal) should have no standing and therefore no expecation of anything other than an expectation of being deported.

Warm Regards,
Samby

Yea, I get better service at the DMV or Walmart. No wonder so many people hate the USA. So many nice people bare their souls and even their private parts for a stupid visa especially if your not rich in the country your from. The frontline employees are scary and do not reflect credit upon themselves or the USA when behaving in anything less than professional and friendly. We have given too much power to those who do not deserve it in this country at all levels. Thats all for now.

Charles W.

Dr LHA,
I wasn't verbally bashed over the phone. i was treated like crap at a field office that I drove an hour and a half to get to. I have no problem with the robots who are actually doing the processing. My beef is with these cocky, rejects that can't find a job as a real cop or soldier. You may have seen them, they are disguised as security guards that any airport would fire. You should be ashamed of yourself for standing up for these CRIMINALS living in our country and benefitting from our system. I am a proud American citizen, who has served his nation and I could care less about their conditions. They can now apply for bank accounts, driver's licenses, health coverage, etc. Compared to their homeland....that is the lap of luxury. Every single illegal is a criminal. Period. They need to go. We struggle daily, all of us, with this waiting game of doing things the right way. And for this our reward is what?? A basement dwelling momma's boy who works the door at these local offices, getting his kicks out of horrible customer service? Maybe where you are from this is standard. but here, we take pride in customer service. And Uncle Sam should set the bar. If I've offended any bleeding heart liberals....I'm just so sorry.

I've been treated like crap by all parts of the Federal Goverment. Treating people like crap is the government is their MO. Hell I've been treated like crap at the damn post office. Customer service is not the Federal Governments strong suit. I've also been detained at the airport by CBP for no good reason, so probably have more reason to complain than you do. However I've learned to be above it.

I'm not standing up for anyone. I'm just pointing out that these "CRIMINALS" don't have an easier time of it than you do, which is what you implied.