4 ms·

Immigration processes millions of people each day. There are going to be mistakes. This sounds like they got a false positive, investigated, and released him.

by aneth4 14y ago

Immigration processes millions of people each day. There are going to be mistakes. This sounds like they got a false positive, investigated, and released him. That's how the process is supposed to work. Making this into some massive anti-American rant says more about the author than America. This experience sounds unpleasant, but like it was handled professionally. I've spent an hour being searched by customs. I don't know why - perhaps because I was returning from India and hadn't shaved in a month. It was inconvenient, but also the job of customs. This did not bother me. I fly domestically and internationally at least 20 times a year. I get caught up briefly in all sorts of different ways all over the world. It's part of travel, and it's really not that bad. This is how nations protect their borders and enforce their laws, because not everyone is a saint like you. All you idiots saying you won't work in or travel to the US because of the TSA searches - give me a break. EVERY country in the world I have ever been to has nearly identical search procedures as the TSA and most countries have stringent immigration checks. Many asking far more probing questions than American immigration, including Netherlands, Israel, and Britain. I was nearly denied entry to Britain because I didn't know the address of a friend who I was staying with. Sorry, I'm tired of all this false outrage about minor f-ups with the TSA and DHS. These organizations have some major policy and procedural problems, but a few hours one time while immigration officials do their job of making sure you don't have false documents is not among them. If you don't like it, go somewhere else where a $20 bribe instead of an objective investigation gets you admitted - which is most countries in the world.

nottrobin 14y ago
When was the last time you had to wait in one crowded room for 3 hours without being allowed to use your phone, and without a seat? The last time I was in a situation anywhere close to this was when I accompanied my girlfriend to get her visa renewed in London. We had to wait for about 5 hours in a fairly crowded hot room with pretty uncomfortable seats. But we had each other's company and while there was a sign saying we weren't allowed to use electronic devices, most people seemed to be ignoring it, so it wasn't so bad. But still worse than anything I ever have to experience in my normal travel as a white British man.
- aneth4 14y ago
  This is not a competition for the worst experience one can have. I've had plenty of horrible ones. Ever been detained for several days in a crowded third world jail for no legitimate reason and extorted a large sum of money to be released? Ever been stabbed by thugs too powerful for the police to do anything other than write a lie-filled police report? This is what happens every day in the actual world away from privileged white developers with US green cards. This is a privileged person, someone who travels internationally, writes a blog, was able to get a US green card (something tens of millions aspire to,) is in one of the most lucrative careers on the planet, and is the founder of a free enterprise despite being young and (presumably based on his caption) gay. In the grand scheme of things, this experience doesn't even measure on the pity scale, and to bitch and moan about such things reveals a major lack appreciation for what one has and a sad sense of entitlement. Sorry, no go.
  - adekok 14y ago
    > This is a privileged person, someone who travels internationally, ... ... and who has gone through extensive scrutiny to get a green card. Exactly the kind of person who should hit red flags at the border, right?
    - aneth4 14y ago
      What's your point? Nobody is arguing whether this was a mistake, not even DHS officer when asked. Nobody is saying the DHS is the most competent organization on the planet or that it can't be better. In the vast majority of cases, people enter the country without issue and in a tiny minority there is some inconvenience. Clearly many of the people in that room were there for a reason, as some was arrested and some were denied entry. The guy had to stand in a room for 3 hours before entering the country because he tripped a false positive. We can hope that this won't happen every time - if it does, he might have something to complain about, though still not justification for the exasperation shown in this forum.

by aneth4 14y ago

nottrobin 14y ago

When was the last time you had to wait in one crowded room for 3 hours without being allowed to use your phone, and without a seat? The last time I was in a situation anywhere close to this was when I accompanied my girlfriend to get her visa renewed in London. We had to wait for about 5 hours in a fairly crowded hot room with pretty uncomfortable seats. But we had each other's company and while there was a sign saying we weren't allowed to use electronic devices, most people seemed to be ignoring it, so it wasn't so bad. But still worse than anything I ever have to experience in my normal travel as a white British man.

aneth4 14y ago
This is not a competition for the worst experience one can have. I've had plenty of horrible ones. Ever been detained for several days in a crowded third world jail for no legitimate reason and extorted a large sum of money to be released? Ever been stabbed by thugs too powerful for the police to do anything other than write a lie-filled police report? This is what happens every day in the actual world away from privileged white developers with US green cards. This is a privileged person, someone who travels internationally, writes a blog, was able to get a US green card (something tens of millions aspire to,) is in one of the most lucrative careers on the planet, and is the founder of a free enterprise despite being young and (presumably based on his caption) gay. In the grand scheme of things, this experience doesn't even measure on the pity scale, and to bitch and moan about such things reveals a major lack appreciation for what one has and a sad sense of entitlement. Sorry, no go.
- adekok 14y ago
  > This is a privileged person, someone who travels internationally, ... ... and who has gone through extensive scrutiny to get a green card. Exactly the kind of person who should hit red flags at the border, right?
  - aneth4 14y ago
    What's your point? Nobody is arguing whether this was a mistake, not even DHS officer when asked. Nobody is saying the DHS is the most competent organization on the planet or that it can't be better. In the vast majority of cases, people enter the country without issue and in a tiny minority there is some inconvenience. Clearly many of the people in that room were there for a reason, as some was arrested and some were denied entry. The guy had to stand in a room for 3 hours before entering the country because he tripped a false positive. We can hope that this won't happen every time - if it does, he might have something to complain about, though still not justification for the exasperation shown in this forum.