Customs and immigration trippers.

[ladislav]

Just arrived in Houston from Mexico City. While Mexico has no actual immigration on the way out, they do have annoying customs people who ask too many question.

As I was checking in my bag, I was approached by a customs lady who said she needed to "interview" me. "What was your purpose of visiting Mexico? How long have you been here? Where did you go? What do you do for a living? How long have you been doing it?"
Telling her I was a teacher seemed to please her. Latinos love teachers.

Then, she put a sticker onto my passport that I "have passed a security interview". WTF?

Anyway, as soon as I felt I was being left alone, I approached the boarding gate with my boarding pass. You're supposed to scan your pass on one of those machines that would read your info and you would be let on the plane. After I scanned it, a big red light flashed back from the machine. They motioned me to step aside and then led me into a section nearby with an inspection table and a machine that looked like one of those cardiac readers. " You've been flagged!" they told me. Flagged for what? "Show me the palms of your hands". OK. The customs guy passed a strip of paper over them and put them inside the machine for reading. Then, he did the same with my pants and then, my bag: wipe them with the strips and feed them into the machine. Then, he had me sit down and take off my shoes. He bent them every which way and then, finally gave them back to me and sent me on my merry way.

I asked them what it was all about and he said they were looking for people who'd been dealing with explosives or gun powder. And I fit the bill?

When we landed in IAH, the immigration was kind of pleasant, but again, questions: " How long you been away?" "Business or pleasure?" Then, he let me go with a "Welcome back!"

Then, I needed to go through a long and wide customs lane. They have agents all along it. I guess they are trained to spot suspicious people and pull them aside. So, you pass by one, and then, there is another one down the lane. And a third one. Positioned at some 10-15 yards apart.

Went by the first one who pulled off one lady and asked her what was in her bags. Then, the second one stopped me some distance ahead." Where've you been? " "Mexico City". "How long were you there for?" "Five weeks". Y"ou were there for five weeks and that small bag is all you're bringing back?" I had one of those compact suitcases on wheels which can be stretched and a lot of stuff could fit in them. I showed him the real thickness of the bag.
"What were you doing in Mexico City?" " Vacation". "And where do you live?" "Palm Springs, CA". As soon as he heard the name Palm Springs, his face lit up and he let me go.

I get the impression that their job is basically to ask you some questions to trip you up so that you give some illogical answer and that would be a reason for them to search you and find something compromising so that they could make an arrest. This was the reason I did not take my prescription medicines with me from Mexico and just left them at my hotel for safekeeping for when I'd be back. I gave the hotel a tip for keeping them. You just never know with these people. They're never on your side.

A traveler has to deal with Customs and Immigration and these are probably the least pleasant people in the world.

And in some airports, they put their agents in unexpected places and ' after' you passed all the security and entering in the waiting lounge, they stop and question you.

Once, in the DR, I passed all the security, and immigration on the way out, and bang, there was this man standing in front of the departure lounge. "Passport!" He thumbed through it. "You travel a lot, huh?" he said with a mocking smile while tapping his foot on the floor. "Yes, I am a teacher and I work contracts" " Oh!"

If you teach, it seems to disarm them because when they see so many stamps, they suspect an illegal lifestyle.

In India, I was again leaving the country and again, outside the immigration, way past the customs inspection there was the man again. " How much money do you have on you?" " Oh, $6,000. " I see". Then, as I was about to take my seat, a whole team of customs agents bolts out of nowhere and make a beeline for me ready to arrest me. "Come with us!" They dragged me into this customs inspection room." Empty your pockets!" I did as they told me. " Count the money!" $6000. "Did you declare it? " " You were supposed to declare anything over $5000". Yes, in India, it's not $10,000 but $5000. There was a long silence as they were staring at me. Here I go again, "I am a teacher and I earned this money the honest way".

"Oh! Where do you teach?"

"In Oman, but I was now in India to help the Untouchables. I went to their villages and bought rice and lentils for the poor families".

"Oh! You did charitable work? Well, now we see that you're a good man, but please next time declare your money. And always do a good thing and you will be protected by God!"

They let me go.

In some countries, they are apparently flexible.

In the US, the more southern the airport, the less unpleasant they are. Apparently, the most watched one is Detroit. I was coming from the Philippines and they immediately pulled me over and sent me for inspection. They took my computer and asked for the password. I guess if you refuse to give it to them, you may get arrested. OK, here you go. They had some kind of machine to copy my files. Just like that.

Then, at the same time, they started clicking on one file and picture after another. Again, I had nothing illegal, but they kept me for 20 minutes. They even told me with a suspiciously cocked head. " Sir, we can't guarantee you will catch your connecting flight" Of course, I had nothing to hide so they let me go. I saw anoher guy, a young black dude being interrogated as they were going through his tablet clicking on one picture after another. One customs agent thundered at him, " Have you ever been arrested?"

They are all on some kind of power trip.

I was going to the Philippines once, and there were two agents standing inside the jet bridge. They let all the Asian looking people through, but stopped me. "What's the purpose of your trip?" "I'm going to visit some friends". "Friends and not a girlfriend?" "No". They let me on.

I think they're trying to pull a Colombo on you. They suspect you of doing something illegal and want you to feel you're in the clear, but then, they want to catch you unawares, so that they could trip you up when you are already relaxed. Of course, I am not doing anything illegal, but it's still unpleasant.

I could go on and on.

How do you avoid or reduce the unpleasant encounters with these people even if you are not doing anything wrong? When going thru security, customs, etc, always choose the most crowded conveyer and/or when heading out and thru the Customs lane, wait for a big crowd and enter with them. Never be a sole passer. Try and get behind or to the opposite side of someone with lots of bags or more bags than you. They will be f...ing with them but will usually leave you alone.

If you get questioned, do not give long answers. Answer with one word sentences. "Yes, no, pleasure, three weeks, etc". Do not joke or try to seem humorous. These people are not known for their sense of humor. Their job is to find someone who they could f... with.

If you can choose flights, the more red-eye the flight and the more it's out of the 9-5 schedule, the less they will be inclined to harass you. If you arrive at 3 AM, they are all sleepy and just want to let everybody go by as soon as possible. Now, if you arrive at noon to around 3 PM, that's the worst time.

If you can choose immigration officers, middle aged white officers are usually the worst in the US. Younger guys and girls of any color are nice and so are middle aged black and Hispanic male officers. Middle aged black women can also be unpleasant. I try to find a lane where there are no 30- 60 year old white officers or black middle aged female officers. A younger black lady is nice. But if she is 35+, not so much.

Anyway, what are your experiences with these not so pleasant people and how do you reduce interaction with them?

[HappyGuy]

If you can choose immigration officers,

I try to find a lane where there are no 30- 60 year old white officers or black middle aged female officers. A younger black lady is nice. But if she is 35+, not so much.

I'd stay away from ginger tsa too.