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Original poster

U.S. Immigration. WTF?

297 replies

KennDodd · 19/06/2019 22:19

Why are they so rude?

OP posts:
Quintella · 19/06/2019 23:13

The anti-American sentiment on here is bloody tiring. Imagine if you said all Black immigration officers were awful?

Bore off. It's not anti-american sentiment when it's people's actual experiences. American people: generally lovely. American immigration staff: significantly less lovely. This is not a sentiment confined to this thread.

Quintella · 19/06/2019 23:14

and 'all black immigration officers' would include a heck of a lot of countries, so that makes no sense.

Iamtheworst · 19/06/2019 23:21

The thing is though no part of their job is to be nice. There only job is to weed out people who shouldn’t be entering the country and correctly process those that should be. No customer service. You’re going through or not, the traveller can’t decide to not use customs. And you can imagine the pressure they are under to pick up on any detail that will flag a problem and keeping people under pressure is part of that. Guilty people behave differently under pressure. Lots of airport jobs are clear about whether or not you have to smile and make nice with travellers. And the answer is not to appear friendly or a soft touch who could have the wool pulled over their eyes.

I’m not excusing it, no one enjoys it but I think understanding what’s going on makes it easier to deal with.

Expressedways · 19/06/2019 23:21

I’ve had ones wave us through with no questions, I’ve had ones give us a good quiz and sometimes they’re not friendly but I’ve never known them to be outright rude. Last time the chap was really nice to my DD who was crying (it was late, she’d been asleep on the plane and wasn’t impressed to be moved when we landed). One did yell at me to put my phone down once, completely my fault though as they have huge no phone signs so I won’t count that. I’m curious what they said/shouted that made your child cry given they have to ask you immigration questions? Sounds like you had a horrid experience but at least it’s short lived, they may not be friendly but then you’re through and can forget about it. The holiday will be worth it so don’t stress!

GrapefruitIsGross · 19/06/2019 23:26

We go via Dublin instead of Belfast now to avoid immigration on the American end. The officers there are still American, but way more chilled out.

purplecorkheart · 19/06/2019 23:27

Thankfully, I go through preclearance in Ireland. They are normally firm but polite. Last time I went through the officer I dealt with was very pleasant

EdWinchester · 19/06/2019 23:30

We go to the US a LOT.

I’m rather fond of the immigration officials, especially in Miami. Yes they can be curt, but they’re very professional really. We’ve had many amusing comments from them over the years.

MadisonAvenue · 19/06/2019 23:33

I've flown into numerous US airports (and frequently crossed the US-Canada border) in the last 30 years and have always found them to be polite and efficient.

The only time that I can remember thinking people were rude in a US airport was at security in SFO around 12 years ago before flying back to Heathrow, but that was something we'd found throughout the city itself anyway.

LittleCandle · 19/06/2019 23:34

I've been through a few times. They haven't been friendly, for the most part, but not vile either. It pays to be 'yes sir, no, sir' with them and if you say you've made some kind of mistake, they generally are more helpful. Last year when we went through, my sister and daughter went right through, but because I had changed my name since the last time, I had to be rephotographed and finger print scanned. The officer did make a joke with me about it. A lot depends on your attitude, too. To the PP who demanded to know if they were going to get to you, then no wonder he was rude. So were you. Of course the US citizens get through first - its their home country!

Terriere · 19/06/2019 23:34

SFO was horrible - massive crowd of people herded into a claustrophobic room, people barking orders as if we were under arrest chucked all our valuables and passports into open trays that we then had to search for - and this was just to leave the country. Buncha bastards

Quintella · 19/06/2019 23:38

To the PP who demanded to know if they were going to get to you, then no wonder he was rude. So were you. Of course the US citizens get through first - its their home country!

In what way was she rude? Confused It doesn't read as though she 'demanded' anything.

SecretWitch · 19/06/2019 23:39

I’ve always had excellent interactions with US immigration :)

The worst experience I’ve had was with the French.

saraclara · 19/06/2019 23:42

I don't think we realise what our own countries' immigration officers are like if you arrive as a foreigner. I had an awful experience with one when I entered the US (I'm British) and compared him to our calm and polite immigration officers. Some of my American friends pointed out that when they come to the UK, our officers are far from pleasant and polite to them.

bigtoes · 19/06/2019 23:43

I very calmly walked over to ask if he would allow us to present our documents next.

OMG I'm cringing that you actually did this...
rule number one. Stand with a blank non-expectant expression on your face for however long it takes whilst in an immigration queue. Never ever ever question if they are going to do their job. That's if you want to be allowed in the country.

Inniu · 19/06/2019 23:51

Never had a rude US immigration officer and I have been over and back a lot. I would mostly but not always clear immigration in Ireland. Had a lovely chatty guy in Dulles Airport last week.

LittleCandle · 19/06/2019 23:59

She was rude because you stand and wait until you are called forward. You have no automatic right to enter any foreign country and if you wish to do so, you obey the rules, which includes waiting. Marching over and asking if you can be taken shows a level of entitlement. The PP was quite fortunate that they did let her in, as they could have turned her away and put her on the next plane home!

Quintella · 20/06/2019 00:02

'demanding' and 'marching'. It's interesting how much detail you decide to add to another person's post.

FrancisCrawford · 20/06/2019 00:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OralBElectricToothbrush · 20/06/2019 00:19

I've only had rude ones in Newark. But OMG, the ones in T5! And we're British. Fucking arseholes. Not to mention their no separate queues for EU nationals under 18 (even if you are British). Nope, you queue up with all the other international flights they landed in the last 3 hours, even if you have a disabled child. Never again! I don't care how cheap it is!

Retreatbynameretreatbynature · 20/06/2019 00:44

I think that Bigtoes and Littlecandle have both referred to my post but have completely distorted the facts. Now that’s the kind of actions immigration officers might take notice of! But there was certainly no “marching” or “demanding” on my part and to imply there was is offensive. There was no other people left waiting and so I felt, and still feel, it was reasonable to make a very polite enquiry as to whether my family could be processed next. Clearly Bigtoes and Littlecandle think I was wrong and support their view by exaggerating the truth. How sad!

Retreatbynameretreatbynature · 20/06/2019 00:45

Thanks Quintella for noticing the embellishments from other posters.

SemperIdem · 20/06/2019 00:52

They were very friendly pre 9/11. I remember quite vividly the shock I had at the difference in the general demeanour between my holiday to America in August 2001 and the one in the August of the following year. I was 12 and 13 respectively.

They’ve been on high alert ever since, I would imagine. Though I found them to be more relaxed when I visited the US last year.

I’m not bothered by their manner particularly, they’re doing their job as they are briefed to do it. As long as I get to go on my holiday, they can be as standoffish or as friendly as they like.

BrigitsBigKnickers · 20/06/2019 01:16

We waited in line for two hours in Orlando once. Apparently I have indistinct finger prints ( they had taken them at security when I had been there the year before.)

I was marched to a dimly lit room where the table and chairs were chained to the floor and grilled for some time about why I was in the states ( we were going to Disney- I had the passes to prove it...) and why I had arrived on exactly the same date as the year before ( we went to Orlando two years in a row- pure coincidence on the date...)

Seriously- I was 42 year old teacher and mother of two. Hardly the profile of terrorist or an illegal immigrant!

Oh and my four year old nephew was shouted at as he was spooked by the scanner thing that puffs air...

Never had any rudeness from border staff anywhere else in the world.

LadyBrienneofTarth · 20/06/2019 02:38

@KennDodd

What made your child cry ? How did that happen ?

BritWifeinUSA · 20/06/2019 03:02

I traveled here over 40 times before I immigrated (DH is American and we did long-distance for 4.5 years). If you think you’ve got it bad as tourists, it’s even worse when you are married to a US citizen as statistically this is the demographic most likely to overstay. I was taken to secondary, they called my employer, wanted to check my bank account, had to put all my money on the table to be counted, questioned about our relationship. Awful.

Now that I live here and have a green card it’s much nicer. When I come home I get “welcome home! How was your trip?” Of course US citizens and GC holders go through first. It’s our tax dollars that keep them there.

To the PP who said “I’m a 42-year-old teacher and mother of 2, hardly likely to be an illegal immigrant”...you’d be surprised at the demographics of the illegal immigrants here. That’s why CBP can never assume anything.