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Going overseas currently and we are spooked by the airport customs check on the way back despite being a citizen. I am sure many feel the same.

ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
If a customs officer decided to dispute your citizenship, what would happen then? Would your citizen rights disappear and then you could have no way to defend your position? Purely hypothetical as I can't see why customs officers would want to deny citizens entry (providing they're not racist etc).
- genocidicbunny 2y ago
  > Purely hypothetical as I can't see why customs officers would want to deny citizens entry (providing they're not racist etc). Well, you already provided one answer to your own question. But another is that plenty of people in law enforcement in the US are there because they want to have power over people, CBP included. So why would they deny entry, or make it a hassle? Cus it's fun to them to have the ability to ruin someone's day on a tiny whim; It makes them feel powerful.
- csa 2y ago
  > Would your citizen rights disappear and then you could have no way to defend your position? They would be delayed. They can/will detain you for made-up reasons if they want to. Simple example: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna195406 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna195406 Folks I know who are concerned about this: - folks of Latino heritage - folks with African (black and Arab) or Asian (East, South… really all of it) heritage - naturalized citizens - Muslims - anyone who may share a name with a criminal immigrant by coincidence —- I have a super Anglo name, but I was almost locked up once by police for sharing a name with a guy with a long rap sheet Eventually your rights will come around, but they can put those on hold for way longer than one may want. Another simple example — an acquaintance of mine was arrested for dui on a Friday night. He was “lost” in the system for four days, and that was with people at the jail ready to pay bail the next morning. It turns out that he was to be released without bail after he sobered up, but… whoopsie. He has no recourse, and those four days in jail were not good for his mental health.
- nashashmi 2y ago
  Unless we are lawyers, or unless we are willing to sacrifice our time, we are not interested in educating the officer and practicing on the laws. I think it’s a fight of two bullies, us with the laws on our side and them with the authorities on their side.
yalogin 2y ago
We are in the same boat! I am worried that we may be mistreated or worse coming back into the country. What if they put us in some detention center and no one will know where we are either. Even if they release us in a few days the damage is done.
nashashmi 2y ago
No longer going. :(

ndsipa_pomu 2y ago

If a customs officer decided to dispute your citizenship, what would happen then? Would your citizen rights disappear and then you could have no way to defend your position? Purely hypothetical as I can't see why customs officers would want to deny citizens entry (providing they're not racist etc).

genocidicbunny 2y ago
> Purely hypothetical as I can't see why customs officers would want to deny citizens entry (providing they're not racist etc). Well, you already provided one answer to your own question. But another is that plenty of people in law enforcement in the US are there because they want to have power over people, CBP included. So why would they deny entry, or make it a hassle? Cus it's fun to them to have the ability to ruin someone's day on a tiny whim; It makes them feel powerful.
csa 2y ago
> Would your citizen rights disappear and then you could have no way to defend your position? They would be delayed. They can/will detain you for made-up reasons if they want to. Simple example: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna195406 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna195406 Folks I know who are concerned about this: - folks of Latino heritage - folks with African (black and Arab) or Asian (East, South… really all of it) heritage - naturalized citizens - Muslims - anyone who may share a name with a criminal immigrant by coincidence —- I have a super Anglo name, but I was almost locked up once by police for sharing a name with a guy with a long rap sheet Eventually your rights will come around, but they can put those on hold for way longer than one may want. Another simple example — an acquaintance of mine was arrested for dui on a Friday night. He was “lost” in the system for four days, and that was with people at the jail ready to pay bail the next morning. It turns out that he was to be released without bail after he sobered up, but… whoopsie. He has no recourse, and those four days in jail were not good for his mental health.
nashashmi 2y ago
Unless we are lawyers, or unless we are willing to sacrifice our time, we are not interested in educating the officer and practicing on the laws. I think it’s a fight of two bullies, us with the laws on our side and them with the authorities on their side.

yalogin 2y ago

We are in the same boat! I am worried that we may be mistreated or worse coming back into the country. What if they put us in some detention center and no one will know where we are either. Even if they release us in a few days the damage is done.

nashashmi 2y ago

No longer going. :(