Interrogated at POE!

[sara..... 371]

one time when we came back from over seas we were asked where are you going to who are you going to see and how long do you expect to be in the USA and why are you in the USA we were like whattttttttttttttt we are going home to our home we are planning on staying as long as we want as we are USA citizens

sara

[Ming 1]

I was question two time and my bags was search when I got back from China. Maybe because what I do for a living.

[newlyweds2010 208]

From your comments it seems like it's better to be a foreigner when at a US POE

I have never ever had a single problem, except for the long line (compared to the rather short at the USC passports check, but probably they were all already in detention in some hidden room, searched in cavities and x-rayed). Just think of how many thousands of people enter the US daily from all over the world, both foreigners and US citizens. I'm sure that the vast majority of them is treated courteously.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Thanks, yes it was after I filed the petition. They also asked my occupation and where I worked. Asked how much money I was carrying all total.

If this ever happens again, you could always tell them your a Boeing Aeronautical Engineer working on a new missile defense system and in your off time you moonlight for WikiLeaks.

[Shenzhen 34]

It's going to get worse belinda63. Most Americans are deluded, operating on a fantasy about American Exceptionalism instead of paying attention to what is actually happening. They think that just because it is America, we must be free people with more rights than anywhere else in the world, and as the Chosen People it will never change. They don't have an appreciation for why America had more freedom - those principles embodied in the constitution that are increasingly suspended.

An important part of this delusion is thinking that despite more than thirty million illegal aliens in the USA at this time, that the police-state thugs interrogating the law-abiding at the border are even remotely effective. Whenever you hear people excusing this police-state behavior you know they live in some fantasy bubble where all the government has to do is say that it is for a good reason, and they're satisfied. They don't even want to look at any evidence that it is effective because their delusional views are too precious to their ego. They get angry when you point out how ridiculously ineffective it is.

We often hear people saying they are glad the government treats the law-abiding like criminals because it is keeping the thirty million illegal aliens that are here from entering. Those thirty million simply avoided the line the law-abiding must stand in. The police state thugs love a line of innocent sheep that will meekly obey every command. Why go out into the hot desert to stop what you know is 100% illegal entry by people potentially dangerous when you can have a nice cushy air-conditioned environment where you are the only person armed, every square inch is under your control, and less than 1% are criminals?

That's why the government sets up speed traps to ambush the regular citizens while allocating insufficient manpower to unsolved murders, rapes, assaults, etc.

I was entering in LA and seeing everyone with a laptop go through extremely invasive interrogations as they went through pictures on their computers. The guy in front of me was standing in front of a bed of flowers in one photo and the officer kept hounding him about it. Re-asking the same questions, expressing suspicion and doubt. I don't take any kind of computer or thumb drive if I can help it now because I got tired of these searches.

I was in the middle of a hostile interrogation from a border thug who was very envious that I travelled a lot, demanding to know more about my business and how I could run a business and still be able to travel, how much money I made to be able to do it, demanding I show him evidence of my business on the computer...

But there was an American in the next line who was questioning why they were doing such extensive interrogations of people - and every border guard in the area swarmed upon him. Mine left me to join the shark attack, which I was relieved about, but they strong-armed this guy into a room. The only thing he had done was question why they were being so invasive, but he was cooperating.

While they were forcing him into this room they were telling him loudly enough for eveyone to hear that the treatment by U.S. border officials was better than anywhere else in the world - that he should be grateful this was not China or some other place. As he was being roughed-up and forced into the room he was responding that he had been through China, Russia, Japan, Korea, etc, and no border people were worse than the USA. "Just look at what you are doing to me..."

He was absolutely right. Anyone looking at this had to be impressed at how delusional these thugs were, preening about how grateful the guy should be for being treated this way by his own government.

A couple of hours later I ran into him because we were taking the same flight to Seattle. He was extremely shaken by the experience. They had strip-searched him in there, including cavity search, and basically terrorized him because he dared to ask questions.

That action would be taken as sexual assault if it had been perpetrated by him on someone else. But because the government was doing it by force upon an innocent citizen, it is perfectly OK. That is how backwards and delusional our thinking is.

Most places I enter there are no questions, no searching - nothing. It is only the USA - my own country - that interrogates me and searches my stuff.

I have never seen border people do that to anyone except the USA. I even overstayed my visa in Russia once because my secretary had filled out the application to come home on the day my visa expired - but it was one day later in Russia as it was across the international date line.

The Russians asked me about it, but they were polite, courteous, and understanding. If I had been exiting from the USA, I would have been handcuffed.

My Fiance was interrogated when she entered. The border guys were very rude, asking in detail about sexual relations, and saying she really should be with them instead of me. Here again, these people can behave like lewd peeping Toms simply because they wear a government-issued costume.

Just watch though. Historically all empires become increasingly vicious and paranoid. Everything the USA is doing with respect to foreign policy, immigration, and domestic police-state spying is moving in that direction instead of getting better.

Your right why go out and look for illegals when you can sit there and search innocent people. Reminds me of the cops, why bust the dope dealers and the real criminals? They go after law abiding citizens because they can. Most are idiots with badges like the TSA agents. How many terrorists have they caught since 2001 NONE! The shoe bomber got through! The underwear bomber got through! We have paid an enormous sum of money for this. Billion's of tax dollars. Well we are able to fly safer now. I am glad I didn't have my laptop. I was wondering if they were going to check my video cam? The one officer seen the camera bag, but he was not near as bad as the other guy. Guess they had a slow day needed to justify their jobs. The airport was almost empty being the Sunday after Christmas.

[lori7734 6]

Would like to know if anyone being the petitioner was ever questioned about their travel and relationship by customs? I was on the way back from China yesterday and was detained and questioned by customs. What was I doing in China? How long was I there? Who did I visit? Did anyone give me money to travel. How much money was I carrying. Made to empty all pockets and coat and all luggage searched. I said this is the 3rd trip in the past year to go and get married and visit my wife! Then they asked me what is her name? Her birth date? Lots of questions then they asked me if I ever filed a previous petition or petitions. Of course I had so I answered yes they knew about those. They then grilled me on those 2 fiance visa's. I said I withdrew both of them. Which lead to more and more questions? Filed visa 2-13-10 for spouse. He said they are not just customs, but immigration and we are looking for fraud. I said I understood. All bags and belongings were searched. Every item in my wallet. Lucky I had pictures in their of her and some wedding photos. Receipts from money exchanges. Wanted to know if I had any evidence of marriage. Went to Guangzhou and did a Evolution of Relationship letter and had a copy of that handed that to them. I said I left all my our information there for her interview. In the end they liked all my answers and said this will help your case! In may 2010 I was detained and let go. They told me they had the wrong guy. They didn't say anything else I thought it was because it was because of my purchases. I also am glad I wrote down everything I bought. because they did check the customs form against my bags. I just want to make people aware and curious if this happened to anyone else?

i have been questioned to

[KemalTuanaYalcin 16]

Questioning by customs may not necessarily be directly related to the situation at hand regarding your application to bring your wife over here on a visa. You must remember, that anytime you travel, they keep track and records of people making frequent trips to similar places that do not necessarily have business ties or the like to that particular area. Plus, this is just part of custom's job. People have been detained for no reason, similar to the random searches you may be subjected to by TSAs at the airport. I understand it is a total pain, and in all honesty, I would feel very uneasy about the situation myself, however you seem to have all your information in order, you are not doing anything wrong, so just go with the program, answer their questions truthfully and honestly, always carry with you some documentation or support concerning your activities or reasons for travel and you should be okay. Remember they are simply trying to weed out those individuals who may be traveling for reasons that are not favorable. Don't read too much into this.

[LastSurvivor 0]

I have been to Thailand a total of 10-12 times. Once I went 5 times in one year and have never been subjected to the kind of treatment the original poster described. Yes, there have been questions about how long were you there and I just answered my fiance lives there and I was going to see her. Never more than a minute or two while he stamped my passport and welcomed me back to the USA. When my wife arrived and handed her packet with k-1 visa in to enter the country I felt like the immigration officer was a little short with her and with the questions but again only 5-10 minutes for that and we were out and on our way to our connecting flight. After our marriage and 2-year green card the officer pointed out that my wife's Green Card would expire in about 6 months and for us to apply for the 10 year card. I was very surprised he was so concerned about making sure we remembered. We've even flown over with a NOA and expired Green Card and not had any problems. In 2009 my wife went for 6 weeks and I flew over for 2 weeks then back and then over for another 2 weeks to pick up my family. I figured that would look suspicious but again no questions asked. I'm sorry you had issues but I think it is all just random and probably the other petitions you filed resulted in getting flagged in the system.

LS

[belinda63 2,990]

As a US citizen you cannot be detained without a reason, which is what is being described here. To verify your customs form is correct...yes, but to hassle you about where you went, why you went, etc is unreasonable search and seizure. As to the searching of laptops and other digital media,this issue is making it's way through the Courts. To make it short, where I traveled to and why is none of your business.

[desert_fox 32]

As a US citizen you cannot be detained without a reason, which is what is being described here. To verify your customs form is correct...yes, but to hassle you about where you went, why you went, etc is unreasonable search and seizure. As to the searching of laptops and other digital media,this issue is making it's way through the Courts. To make it short, where I traveled to and why is none of your business.

Not true. USCBP operates under an exxemption to the 4th Admentment. They can go thru all you stuff and open up any closed container without a search warrant. It has been that way since day 1.

Applies to the US Coast Guard also.

[TBoneTX 43,545]

As a US citizen you cannot be detained without a reason, which is what is being described here. To verify your customs form is correct...yes, but to hassle you about where you went, why you went, etc is unreasonable search and seizure. As to the searching of laptops and other digital media,this issue is making it's way through the Courts. To make it short, where I traveled to and why is none of your business.

Sadly, there's the "border-search exception" (one of the many "exceptions" that renders the Fourth Amendment into merely an inkblot).

What I object to (along with regular borders, TSA treatment, etc.) is the differing treatment at inland CBP checkpoints. The agents north of Laredo, TX merely confirm citizenship (as they're supposed to do). The agents south of Alpine, TX insist on knowing "where are you going? what are you doing? where have you been? have you been to Mexico?" and will not give people permission to go without answering. If I'm ever cursed with having to encounter that checkpoint again, my answer will be raised eyebrows and "Why, anywhere I want to go, of course. Isn't that the greatest thing about our country?" If a repeat of that doesn't work, I'll take names and badge numbers, ask for the supervisor, and threaten media exposure. Sigh.

The nickname for the year 2010 could realistically be "Your papers, Comrade."

Observation: Many Federal agents seem to believe that this is their country more than it is ours.

[Shenzhen 34]

Questioning by customs may not necessarily be directly related to the situation at hand regarding your application to bring your wife over here on a visa. You must remember, that anytime you travel, they keep track and records of people making frequent trips to similar places that do not necessarily have business ties or the like to that particular area. Plus, this is just part of custom's job. People have been detained for no reason, similar to the random searches you may be subjected to by TSAs at the airport. I understand it is a total pain, and in all honesty, I would feel very uneasy about the situation myself, however you seem to have all your information in order, you are not doing anything wrong, so just go with the program, answer their questions truthfully and honestly, always carry with you some documentation or support concerning your activities or reasons for travel and you should be okay. Remember they are simply trying to weed out those individuals who may be traveling for reasons that are not favorable. Don't read too much into this.

I believe it was tied to my past because some of the first questions they asked were did you ever file a petition for a visa. I said yes I did then gave him the dates. So obviously they knew about them. Their computers must be tied together.

[truebrit 4]

bit off track and in the opposite direction...but, my husband was held last january at manchester (uk) airport, because he said he was visiting his wife.

he always carries a fair bit of electronics (laptop/cables/cam/HD etc) and thought it was because of this, but they would not let him go until i arrived at the airport (i was running late...)

they wanted to know how long we were married and why he was here and about his ties back in america, when he was returning etc...

now they have that fantastic xray system in place they can see right through you.

personally, i have no objections to being questioned or held...nothing to hide and all that...and it cant happen soon enough.

[Amy and Nick 37]

At the end of the day, security is the issue, dont get me wrong, everytime im questioned at the POE i hate it. it makes me feel uncomfortable, makes me feel like a criminal when im not, but i wouldnt change it, because at the very least, theres 1 terrorist that is getting denied entry because the cant answer the questions. I would love it if i never had to be questioned again, but ill take it to avoid a situation of national security being breached.

[KemalTuanaYalcin 16]

I believe it was tied to my past because some of the first questions they asked were did you ever file a petition for a visa. I said yes I did then gave him the dates. So obviously they knew about them. Their computers must be tied together.

ohhhh how fun! Geez, I totally understand the reason for all this security and everything, but honestly sometimes it is a little overboard.