Has this ever happened to You???!!!

[CroozeAddict]

 

Both can be rude (no matter how "respectable" you are) and have little respect or interest in what you have to say. Best to just be helpful and get out of there (no matter how hideous their attitude).

 

Boo

 

I need to throw in my 2 cents here.

 

All too often people misinterpret "rudeness" for the agents being "firm and on the alert". Disrespect towards you has nothing to do with it at all. Folks need to understand that they are there to protect you from all the bad guys in the world. The best advice is to cooperate and answer all questions. If you don't, prepare for some REALLY bad attitudes.

[zantedeschia]

Wrong, after 911, Customs and Immigration are combined under one agency.

While this is true, BooBoo was also correct. The part of concern about the person going in and out of the country is defined as immigration, the part about what they are carrying in and out of the country is defined as customs.

 

Last year I took a Greyhound bus to Mexico for a day trip. On the way back, about 10 miles across the border we got stopped at a checkpoint. The bus driver informed us that a person from Immigration was coming on board and to please answer all his questions. He wanted to see our IDs and asked what we were doing in Mexico (shopping). The guy ended up taking 2 people off the bus and keeping one of them.

 

Perhaps it would be more concise to say CustomsandImmigration. :p :rolleyes:

 

I hate to say it but that guy was extremely stupid for being aggressive around the Customs officials. (Blame the women who try to smuggle contraband by pretending to be pregnant, or more pregnant than they are). Always, always be polite and co-operative. Always.

[temple1]

To answer the original question - Yes, something similar happened to me at the Birmingham AL airport a few years ago. The flight I was on was over booked and I volunteered to take another flight. The airline put me on another flight with a different airline that required me to go out of the secure area to a different secure area.

 

When I went through security again I was pulled aside for one of the "searches" I asked what was going on and why. No one would answer my questions. When I asked, repeatedly for someone from the airline or somewhere to explain to me why I was being searched - they called the police and threatened me with arrest for being uncooperative.

 

I finally found out at the gate that anytime you change airlines - you are "marked" for the special treatment. My question - why couldn't they just tell me that instead of the big power act?

[temple1]

I'm sorry - flame me if you like - but read these posts! Then read Ann Frank, Diary of a Young Girl.

[temple1]

oops double post

[Boo Boo]

Ok--it's a "pat" down--not a "pad" down.

And, these folks, customs, immigration, whatever...are government employees--meaning WE pay their salaries with OUR tax dollars. They should NEVER be rude, unless and until they find you guilty of something! Then, have at it! I can understand that they have a job to do, but we are all INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty...or has that little item flown by the wayside?

 

Yes, since 9/11.... Now law agencies have a lot more power to hold people without a good reason (although they need to mention is "suspected of involvement with terrorism" - no matter how unlikely! - and wham).

 

It doesn't mean that the new legislations are completely wrong, but put into the wrong hands (and there are a lot of wrong hands...)...

 

Boo

[Boo Boo]

Wrong, after 911, Customs and Immigration are combined under one agency.

 

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing/

 

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/ready_set_go/

 

But they are still seperate things: an apple and an orange are both fruit, but both different. Immigration is worried about who is coming in, Customs are worried about what you are carrying: the guy who stamps your passport (at a port or airport) DOES NOT search your bags...

 

Boo

[cage keeper]

This past January when my DH handed his passport to the custom agent at the window it took him a really long time to scan it and then he kept trying it over and over finally they took both of us to a back room with a huge counter and many customs officials. We were asked to sit down at a row of chairs while they took his passport again. They then asked him to come up to the counter but told me not to move from my seat, they asked him some questions and finally motioned for me to join him. Turns out his passport had been flagged due to a warrant that was issued for a traffic violation he had in Illinois ( the ticket had been paid but there was a glitch in the system and it issued a warrant). The custom officials kinda laughed it off but did tell us that we were lucky that Florida does not extradite to Illinois or he would have been going back home on a prison bus not on the plane with me.

I can tell you that I was terrified the whole time! They did not search our bags and they were actually very friendly to us, I can imagine the torrment your family went thru....that must have not only been scary but very intimidating!

 

I hope he went to straighten this out when he got home.

[SomeBeach]

I've had it happen and it is not pleasant! I at least had something of an idea as to the why. The parting words from the agent I first saw were "maybe it's not you." This led me to believe that I had a name similar to someone on the the watch list.

I am all for the security that is in place since 9/11 but I can say the agents I had, 1 female and 1 male, were extremely rude right from the time they latched onto me. You are guilty until they decide to say you are innocent. Once they determined that I was not whomever they thought I was, they said, "just a routine check."

Yeah right, ever watch an agent turn, page by page, 121 pages of a childrens book? :rolleyes:

[SomeBeach]

I feel that it is okay for them to be checked based on a tip' date=' for "whatever" reason because that keeps all of us safe. The only problem that I have with the scenario is that her duffle bag was ripped and not replaced immediately. :mad: [/b']

 

Because I fly often, a friend sent me this article..... see if you still feel the same.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200811/airport-security

[crusinmama06]

Ever cross the Canadian border back into the US? ;) You will see many cars pulled over and searched.

 

We always laugh because the agents on the US side letting us into Canada say "Business or Pleasure"...you answer and they said "Have a great day". The agents on the other side, letting you back into the US say "Why were you in Canada? Do you have any blah, blah, blah? Where did you stay...etc, etc, etc" So we joke that it's easier to get into Canada than into the US...LOL. ;)

 

Usually the TSA are more short (and rude) with us than the customs/immigration agents. But they aren't there to be your friend.

 

I have never been pulled aside and I hope I never am. :) It would scare the beejeesus out of me that's for sure.

[temple1]

I have never been pulled aside and I hope I never am. :) It would scare the beejeesus out of me that's for sure.

 

It is frightening and upsetting! You are no longer a citizen of the US - you are a suspect. :(

[Kenna]

I am one of those "little old ladies" that for some reason always gets checked when traveling internationally. I have been told that it is probably due to my common last name or because I have quite a few stamps in my passport. I have to say that everytime I have been checked, either by an American or an immigration person from another country, they have never been rude to me. Maybe I am just lucky. I have seen some people who have been treated unfairly and I feel for them. All I can say is just cooperate and hopefully everything will be ok.

[It'sRC4ME]

I'm sorry - flame me if you like - but read these posts! Then read Ann Frank, Diary of a Young Girl.

 

Thank you! I understand that it's impossible to make a stink when you're trying to make your flight/cruise, but the idea that we "have to take it" because "they're just doing their job" to protect us from "bad guys" is really scary. Seems to me that plenty of people were rightly tried and convicted at Neurenberg (sp?) after WWII for "just doing their job".

 

The last group of "bad guys" to attack us showed ID and passed through airport security (with metal detectors and bag X-rays) and no one thought they looked out of the ordinary. I guess they kept their answers short and polite.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I live in south texas and go to mexico 3 to 4 times a year. On the return, at the checkpoint it is usually" Are you an american citizen?" Yes-go through. Last October my GF and I were asked to pull over and the vehicle was completely searched! They also took a picture of my car! I won't go into details, but I was not treated as an american citizen. It was very demeaning. BUT they are the law, so just cooperate and *itch about it later.

 

My DH's boss had an even worse experience crossing the Mexico-US border. He goes to Baja at least once a week to check on their stores there and usually doesn't have a problem crossing the border to go home.

 

One day, he was waiting in the walk-over line and the person in front of him had a strong smell of pot. The Border Patrol agents walked along the line with their dogs. He didn't think much of it when the pot-smelling person in front of him quickly left the line. The dogs stopped where he was and he was pulled out of line.

 

He was padded down, then strip-searched, put in a cell and allowed one phone call on his cell phone. He was questioned for hours. After about 12 hrs., he was released. The reason for all this? The dogs smelled pot on HIM, which obviously was from the person in front of him in line.

 

You just never know when something like that is going to delay you.

 

We saw it happen in Miami to a man whose passport kept coming up as flagged. He and his family were detained for quite awhile until it was straightened out. I was hoping they didn't have an early flight to catch!

[dforeigner]

Last year I took a Greyhound bus to Mexico for a day trip. On the way back, about 10 miles across the border we got stopped at a checkpoint. The bus driver informed us that a person from Immigration was coming on board and to please answer all his questions. He wanted to see our IDs and asked what we were doing in Mexico (shopping). The guy ended up taking 2 people off the bus and keeping one of them.

 

.

 

That checkpoint you went through is manned by a totally different Agency. The one at the border entries have blue uniform. The agents that checked your bus away from the border wear green uniforms.

[As the ship sails]

Ever cross the Canadian border back into the US? You will see many cars pulled over and searched.

 

We always laugh because the agents on the US side letting us into Canada say "Business or Pleasure"...you answer and they said "Have a great day". The agents on the other side, letting you back into the US say "Why were you in Canada? Do you have any blah, blah, blah? Where did you stay...etc, etc, etc" So we joke that it's easier to get into Canada than into the US...LOL. ;)

 

 

Actually when return to the US you are dealing with the American border officials not Canadians. You cross the Canadian border when you enter Canada. You are crossing the US border when you are returning to the US.

 

The reason the you get friendly agents entering Canada is because the Canadian agents are nicer.:p :D To enter Canada you are dealing with Candian agents. Canadians are are friendly bunch!;) The agents to enter the US are American agents.....and you know what they say about Americans....right?????:p :p

 

LOL!!!! Really just teasing you with this last comment but I just had to say it.

[crusinmama06]

Actually when return to the US you are dealing with the American border officials not Canadians. You cross the Canadian border when you enter Canada. You are crossing the US border when you are returning to the US.

 

The reason the you get friendly agents entering Canada is because the Canadian agents are nicer.:p :D To enter Canada you are dealing with Candian agents. Canadians are are friendly bunch!;) The agents to enter the US are American agents.....and you know what they say about Americans....right?????:p :p

 

LOL!!!! Really just teasing you with this last comment but I just had to say it.

 

Oh I know. ;) That's what is funny about it. The Canadians say come on in. The Americans don't want to let us back...lol.

[browneyes7]

I was "patted down" at the Gattwick Airport in London. My husband thought it was hysterical. I am "honest to a fault", so he thought it was really funny. :D

[brian153]

The agency in question is actually Immigration and Customs Enforcment aka ICE. As both issues (things and people) are related, it was a better idea to fold the two departments into one. Coming from a cruise means you were in a few countries in a short period of time. Many of these contries have a lesser quality of law enforcment and that will give some the ability to smuggle stuff, ie pot from Jamaca, cubin cigars, fruit or palm tree hats maybe knock off prescription drugs made in India and sold in Cozumel just to name a few. These are very readily available there and can easily find their way into passangers bags. You may not even be the one who put the item in the bag. The bags are out of your site for a long time. The handful of agents get to see the thousands of returning happy and pleasent passengers that ALL want off the shop after the vacation. I know I am always at MY best at 9am after a 12 day vacation and facing another year befire my next trip. I am always so happy. I don't think these agents have much time for small talk. The agents want you to leave as much as you do. As I have experianced even on this forum, Some people just can't even be spoken to. After a week or two on a ship where everyone is nice to you, anybody without a smile and a friendly "good morning!" is going to seem rude. Its all relitive. I had a cheap duffle bag that the bottom fell out of in the St Marteen airport, you should see my cheap old dirty clothes carring dufflue bag packed full with everythiong rolloed into a ball. othing like dirty underware thats been rolled into a ball and sitting in a closed up bag for a couple of weeks. If it was ripped, there may have been a reason. Rarly do these folks tear open or damage things with no reason. Did the bag look like there was something bulging at a seam or a false bottom that would hold the bag to a shape?Was the bag locked and key not provided? Seems that the first thought is the govenment is out to mess with everybody but it is not likely. Can you imagine if they stopped checking older people? The young folk would scream "profiling" and old folks would start smuggling drugs. Just my thoughts. Thats why I try to give them a bit of a break and be thankful that it is being done in the U.S. and not one of the countries I was just visiting.

[twoputt.plusone]

Ever cross the Canadian border back into the US? ;) You will see many cars pulled over and searched.

 

Yes and some of us are even (GASP) government employees. :eek: Yep we get it too. As a matter of fact, I got the patted down on my last flight and my luggage is regularly searched by Homeland Security. I know this because they leave love notes for me. :D While we're on the subject, there have been several employees where I work either put on probation or fired for unnecessary rude attitudes toward the public. Don't mistake firmness for being rude. IMO rudeness is never justified.

 

2P.P1

[DrivesLikeMario]

In 2004, I had the "pleasure" of being searched multiple times at LAX. I found out the reason why - we had checked our bags curbside. There were 4of us and I got the dreaded "S" on my boarding pass.

 

My DH & DSs didn't know what was going on when I was summoned behind a dark screen. I was out of their sight for a good 10 mins. while I was searched and questioned, the whole time they were really worried as to why I was singled out.

 

Once we got to the gate & everyone boarded including my family, I was again stopped. They pulled me out of the line to the side where I was once again searched by a TSA crew that was summoned to the gate.

 

The TSA agent who searched me again called the police because she said I can't possibly travel without a purse or carry-on. I told her I never travel with one, but it didn't matter. She wanted to take everyone off the flight and search the plane from top to bottom to find the supposed purse or carry-on I was lying about not carrying. :rolleyes:

 

The whole time I was calm, but I was starting to get irritated that she didn't believe me. My DH & DSs were on the plane without me and wondering if I was going to make the flight.

 

The flight attendant got in an argument with the TSA person, while the police watched. The flight attendant said the TSA person was being totally ridiculous and that the agent was harrassing ME. The flight attendant won. He told me to board the plane, rolled his eyes & off we went. The TSA person was fuming.

 

I'm sorry, but having experienced it first-hand, I feel the TSA has a little too much power. They need to be held accountable for their actions too, just like we do.

[jaspercat]

Actually when return to the US you are dealing with the American border officials not Canadians. You cross the Canadian border when you enter Canada. You are crossing the US border when you are returning to the US.

 

The reason the you get friendly agents entering Canada is because the Canadian agents are nicer. To enter Canada you are dealing with Candian agents. Canadians are are friendly bunch!;) The agents to enter the US are American agents.....and you know what they say about Americans....right?????:p :p

 

LOL!!!! Really just teasing you with this last comment but I just had to say it.

 

Oh I know. ;) That's what is funny about it. The Canadians say come on in. The Americans don't want to let us back...lol.

 

I couldn't help but laugh reading these two posts!! As a Canuck I hate to say 'this is so true'! Last cruise think someone got up on the wrong side of the bed -- agent was so grumpy. Must have flipped the pages in my passport 10 or more times, eventually stamped it but then flipped the pages some more. Didn't ask me anything other than purpose of travel and where I was going. On my arrival back in Ottawa -- walk up to the agent, he asked me where I'd been, looked at my passport and said "welcome home".[/color][/font][/font]

[jagsfan]

I've been searched luggage and person several times. The first time, at

Gatwick, they weren't set up for the luggage search so we (my 22 year

old son and I) had to get in a line, then go around a partition where a

gentleman upended both our suitcases, 2 people rummaged through them,

and then shoved everything down to the other end for us to repack.....Next,

please? When we got to the gate, my blond blue-eyed very American son

got patted down and then taken away to be further searched. I know exactly

why this happened. They asked if we had any electronic devices, and I

said only my son's Walkman, but it quit working.

That's all it took.

Why the 3 or 4 other times, I don't know, but I survived all of them.

I've managed to stay calm and polite, and have never missed my flight for

that reason. If you get hostile, you'll get hostility back.

We've gotten so used to total freedom that the new security has been

difficult to adjust to........Frankfurt airport has always been tough...we're

just late in catching up.

[wrp96]

Guys, the TSA and ICE are two separate agencies, maybe with some of the same type of people working for them, but definitely different agencies so let's not confuse the two.

 

A search by the TSA is much different than a search by ICE would be. TSA usually only makes your life miserable for a few minutes at a time, but ICE has the authority to make your life miserable for days (sometimes weeks and months) without question.

 

Also, a lot of those rights that we have against unreasonable search and seizure we do NOT have when crossing the borders as the Supreme Court has given them a lot of leeway in border searches. So what is unreasonable when we are driving down the road in middle America, suddenly becomes acceptable when we try to cross into the US from another country.