9 ms·

Even as an American citizen but an Australian resident - these stories make me afraid to travel to the US. Might the border agents find me to be unacceptably f

by tomlock 10y ago

Even as an American citizen but an Australian resident - these stories make me afraid to travel to the US. Might the border agents find me to be unacceptably foreign?

hubert123 10y ago
There were plenty of other reasons to be afraid before, the random gun crime, police state, lack of healthcare and the TSA cancer machines / groping being the main ones. Being legally disinvited is only a fear if it's financially a hit to have to fly back from their airport.
- cylinder 10y ago
  Thanks to the USA, those body scanners have infected the Australian airports already (for international departures).
- tbihl 10y ago
  Was it really worth watering down a list of worthwhile fears with absurd sensationalism, just to make it longer? The risk of death in a vehicle far exceeds that of gun violence. If you're talking about injuries perpetrated by a stranger, that disparity grows more yet. The lack of healthcare doesn't exist, though you'll certainly have to pay up. But really, 'lack'? If you find yourself injured, you can probably look up and find a billboard for a hospital (see the previous point on how you're likely to get hurt.) And there will almost certainly be first rate care at said hospital. And most egregiously, 'cancer machines'? Are you referring to the backscatter x-rays, which deliver a smaller dose than a single banana? Or the millimeter wave machines, which operate at low intensity, and actually deliver no dose of ionizing radiation whatsoever, due to operating at a wavelength with photon energies measured in MILLI-eV? Why not plan your travels around local geology and only travel by boat? Because if you think you're sensitive to millimeter waves, you're really going to be upset at the gammas coming from ground sources, as well as the ones hitting you when you're not underneath those final 7km of sweet, sweet radiation-attenuating atmosphere. There are valid reasons not to travel to the US, even in your own post. Why bury them under such nonsense?
  - hackuser 10y ago
    > The risk of death in a vehicle far exceeds that of gun violence. Per the CDC: * Motor vehicle traffic deaths: 33,804 * Firearm deaths: 33,736 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/injury.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/injury.htm > If you're talking about injuries perpetrated by a stranger, that disparity grows more yet. I'm not sure where to find this data, but it seems likely to me that most motor vehicle deaths are self-inflicted (if not intentionally). Of course, because motor vehicle deaths are much more often due to accident than intention, I suspect strangers are more commonly involved (the person who shoots you has a good chance of being someone who knows and dislikes you).
nngrey 10y ago
Today, my wife, who is an American citizen of Indian origin, told me she is afraid to travel around town without her passport. We read stories like this and about broad ICE raids and the shooting in Kansas and it begins to take a toll.
fixxer 10y ago
And as an Australian resident, you are used to difficult bureaucracies, amirite? As an American with Australian family, they always tell me how much easier dealing with the G is here when they visit and drive their massive rented RV around.
- tomlock 10y ago
  Yeah, but if a French historian can be detained for having the wrong type of visa how am I gonna fare as a tattooed hipster aussie with no respectability?!?! :O As for the injustices suffered by RV drivers, I cannot comment. Although, I'm sure their road to recognition in our country has been long and pothole-filled.
  - fixxer 10y ago
    I'm sure you'll be treated fine (after the obligatory cavity search). P.S. The trick is to relax.
frio 10y ago
My partner and I are visiting Europe shortly (from NZ). We were going to transit the US on the way back, stopping for a few days. Luckily we hadn't booked return flights yet, and have since decided to visit Canada instead (luckily, Air NZ runs direct flights from Vancouver to Auckland now). We're pretty boring pakeha, and I doubt we'd have trouble at the border. But... given a few months more until we'd be visiting, we're uncertain enough about what other legal requirements might get rammed through (and the ETSA is already enough of a hassle) that it just doesn't seem worthwhile. This is just an anecdote, and I'm sure I'm being overly paranoid. But I don't really want to tack on a potentially very stressful end to a holiday. It makes me sad to think of how trivial an inconvenience this is for me, compared to friends I have who are much more strongly affected by the ban.
- Joky 10y ago
  > (and the ETSA is already enough of a hassle) I don't get this part? Can you clarify what part is a hassle? ESTA just seems great to me: fill a form online and get (most of the time) an "immediate tourist visa". When you're from a country that isn't in the ESTA program, then it can be a hassle! You don't really get a visa, but an approval for visa exemption I believe.
  - frio 10y ago
    You're right -- the concept is great :). Last time I got an ESTA, however, the site was somewhat byzantine, chock-full of confusing legalese and the response was slow. Comparatively, to get into Europe for 90 days we just have to arrive (https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/travel-tips-travel-europe https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/travel-tips-travel-europe) -- same goes for Canada. However, after checking, it does seem like the site has improved a lot. It's been a while :).
    - emilyfm 10y ago
      Canada does require advance authorisation to arrive by air, the ETA (CA$ 7 online). http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp
cylinder 10y ago
As the article says, agents feel empowered to find ways to deny. Be prepared to have all your devices searched too. I'm talking about your photos, your online banking app, your emails, your Whatsapp logs, etc (just happened to an Australian I know) if they suspect you may be violating the terms of your visa. You can decline, but do you really want to cancel your trip, wait 12 hours for the next 15 hour flight back home? (Edit: this is for non US citizens. US citizens don't need to answer any questions at entry, but be prepared to be taken aside for screening. You'll be asked to unlock your phone most likely, and if you refuse, they will confiscate it, but then you can enter.)
- chetanahuja 10y ago
  "Edit: this is for non US citizens. US citizens don't need to answer any questions at entry, but be prepared to be taken aside for screening" Also be prepared to answer questions about your religion... regardless of if you're a citizen or not. we finally have a religious test to enter the country.. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/26/muhammad-ali-jr-trump-travel-ban-muslims-border-agents https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/26/muhamm... http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/13/us/citizen-nasa-engineer-detained-at-border-trnd/ http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/13/us/citizen-nasa-engineer-detai...

by tomlock 10y ago

Even as an American citizen but an Australian resident - these stories make me afraid to travel to the US. Might the border agents find me to be unacceptably foreign?

hubert123 10y ago

There were plenty of other reasons to be afraid before, the random gun crime, police state, lack of healthcare and the TSA cancer machines / groping being the main ones. Being legally disinvited is only a fear if it's financially a hit to have to fly back from their airport.

cylinder 10y ago
Thanks to the USA, those body scanners have infected the Australian airports already (for international departures).
tbihl 10y ago
Was it really worth watering down a list of worthwhile fears with absurd sensationalism, just to make it longer? The risk of death in a vehicle far exceeds that of gun violence. If you're talking about injuries perpetrated by a stranger, that disparity grows more yet. The lack of healthcare doesn't exist, though you'll certainly have to pay up. But really, 'lack'? If you find yourself injured, you can probably look up and find a billboard for a hospital (see the previous point on how you're likely to get hurt.) And there will almost certainly be first rate care at said hospital. And most egregiously, 'cancer machines'? Are you referring to the backscatter x-rays, which deliver a smaller dose than a single banana? Or the millimeter wave machines, which operate at low intensity, and actually deliver no dose of ionizing radiation whatsoever, due to operating at a wavelength with photon energies measured in MILLI-eV? Why not plan your travels around local geology and only travel by boat? Because if you think you're sensitive to millimeter waves, you're really going to be upset at the gammas coming from ground sources, as well as the ones hitting you when you're not underneath those final 7km of sweet, sweet radiation-attenuating atmosphere. There are valid reasons not to travel to the US, even in your own post. Why bury them under such nonsense?
- hackuser 10y ago
  > The risk of death in a vehicle far exceeds that of gun violence. Per the CDC: * Motor vehicle traffic deaths: 33,804 * Firearm deaths: 33,736 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/injury.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/injury.htm > If you're talking about injuries perpetrated by a stranger, that disparity grows more yet. I'm not sure where to find this data, but it seems likely to me that most motor vehicle deaths are self-inflicted (if not intentionally). Of course, because motor vehicle deaths are much more often due to accident than intention, I suspect strangers are more commonly involved (the person who shoots you has a good chance of being someone who knows and dislikes you).

nngrey 10y ago

Today, my wife, who is an American citizen of Indian origin, told me she is afraid to travel around town without her passport. We read stories like this and about broad ICE raids and the shooting in Kansas and it begins to take a toll.

fixxer 10y ago

And as an Australian resident, you are used to difficult bureaucracies, amirite? As an American with Australian family, they always tell me how much easier dealing with the G is here when they visit and drive their massive rented RV around.

tomlock 10y ago
Yeah, but if a French historian can be detained for having the wrong type of visa how am I gonna fare as a tattooed hipster aussie with no respectability?!?! :O As for the injustices suffered by RV drivers, I cannot comment. Although, I'm sure their road to recognition in our country has been long and pothole-filled.
- fixxer 10y ago
  I'm sure you'll be treated fine (after the obligatory cavity search). P.S. The trick is to relax.

frio 10y ago

My partner and I are visiting Europe shortly (from NZ). We were going to transit the US on the way back, stopping for a few days. Luckily we hadn't booked return flights yet, and have since decided to visit Canada instead (luckily, Air NZ runs direct flights from Vancouver to Auckland now). We're pretty boring pakeha, and I doubt we'd have trouble at the border. But... given a few months more until we'd be visiting, we're uncertain enough about what other legal requirements might get rammed through (and the ETSA is already enough of a hassle) that it just doesn't seem worthwhile. This is just an anecdote, and I'm sure I'm being overly paranoid. But I don't really want to tack on a potentially very stressful end to a holiday. It makes me sad to think of how trivial an inconvenience this is for me, compared to friends I have who are much more strongly affected by the ban.

Joky 10y ago
> (and the ETSA is already enough of a hassle) I don't get this part? Can you clarify what part is a hassle? ESTA just seems great to me: fill a form online and get (most of the time) an "immediate tourist visa". When you're from a country that isn't in the ESTA program, then it can be a hassle! You don't really get a visa, but an approval for visa exemption I believe.
- frio 10y ago
  You're right -- the concept is great :). Last time I got an ESTA, however, the site was somewhat byzantine, chock-full of confusing legalese and the response was slow. Comparatively, to get into Europe for 90 days we just have to arrive (https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/travel-tips-travel-europe https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/travel-tips-travel-europe) -- same goes for Canada. However, after checking, it does seem like the site has improved a lot. It's been a while :).
  - emilyfm 10y ago
    Canada does require advance authorisation to arrive by air, the ETA (CA$ 7 online). http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp

cylinder 10y ago

As the article says, agents feel empowered to find ways to deny. Be prepared to have all your devices searched too. I'm talking about your photos, your online banking app, your emails, your Whatsapp logs, etc (just happened to an Australian I know) if they suspect you may be violating the terms of your visa. You can decline, but do you really want to cancel your trip, wait 12 hours for the next 15 hour flight back home? (Edit: this is for non US citizens. US citizens don't need to answer any questions at entry, but be prepared to be taken aside for screening. You'll be asked to unlock your phone most likely, and if you refuse, they will confiscate it, but then you can enter.)

chetanahuja 10y ago
"Edit: this is for non US citizens. US citizens don't need to answer any questions at entry, but be prepared to be taken aside for screening" Also be prepared to answer questions about your religion... regardless of if you're a citizen or not. we finally have a religious test to enter the country.. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/26/muhammad-ali-jr-trump-travel-ban-muslims-border-agents https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/26/muhamm... http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/13/us/citizen-nasa-engineer-detained-at-border-trnd/ http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/13/us/citizen-nasa-engineer-detai...