Dealing with nasty US immigration

[starrylove]

Everytime I go into the country for months at a time, they see a need to interrogate me like a criminal. Is there a trick to minimize this?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Swim across the Rio Grande like the Mexicans do. Then Hillary will try to get you a drivers license as well for free.

[banana]

Or try not to wear turbans or shemaghs when flying in.

[maneo]

Everytime I go into the country for months at a time, they see a need to interrogate me like a criminal. Is there a trick to minimize this?

Minimize going back.

You should just be happy if they don't give you a cavity search.
Land of the free.

[starrylove]

Hhaha sorry. I just had to rant. I am mentally scarred for life.

You guys are so funny. :p

[durain]

what if you say no to interrogate? throw you out???

[taxico]

they the feds now. they can violate everyone of yo civil rights!

and scan yo balls! and get yo prints! and search yo ass!

but honestly, i think they're overworked and underpaid and have to deal with strange tourists day after day while being pressed from above to be ever vigilant.

you can't blame them, really. sympathize! it's a tough job!

[ScoobyDoes]

For more than just this reason i refuse to set foot in the US ever again!

[starrylove]

Any advise on which West Coast airport to fly through to have it better? :p They (immigration) told me not to even try to fly through San Francisco because they are meaner. I am thinking they are lying!

[Strong Eagle]

Any advise on which West Coast airport to fly through to have it better? :p They (immigration) told me not to even try to fly through San Francisco because they are meaner. I am thinking they are lying!

They are all about the same IMHO except that SFO is worse than LAX if that is possible. Seatle might be better but connecting flights are generally more expensive.

Immigration doesn't seem so bad for Americans but the customs guys... holy moly!

[starrylove]

I thought maybe places with more Asians coming in and out would be easier. Might try LAX next time.

[Strong Eagle]

I thought maybe places with more Asians coming in and out would be easier. Might try LAX next time.

I almost always fly into LAX because SFO just is absolutely terrible to make connections and Seattle is too expensive.

You are correct, there are lots of Asians flying in/out of the international terminal (Tom Bradley). But so what? Immigration is seriously understaffed, even Americans face long lines, and if you're not American, pack a lunch, and maybe dinner, because the lines will be very long when 3 or 4 747's land at the same time.

Customs is an utter zoo at LAX. Insufficient baggage carosels and long waits for baggage. Huge lines to get through customs. Customs officers that sometimes seem to care less, sometimes assume you are bringing in a combination of too much cash, rare and exotic animals, commerical products, you name it. Very slow, not very friendly. Must always allow an hour to get through customs if you have a connecting flight.

The only good thing about LAX is that because so many domestic airlines (and international) fly into LAX there is tremendous price pressure on fares. Example: I wanted to fly Continental business from Singapore to Houston. Cost: USD 10,000. Cost to fly to LAX: USD 7,000. But here is the kicker. If I fly to LAX I take the exact same flight to Houston SIN-NAR-IAH, then one more flight to LAX for $3,000 less. Go figure. I took Thai instead.

[starrylove]

Wow! It sounds like a nightmare there. I don't mind waits though, as long as I don't go through the same mental torture each time. I am scarred for life. Next time I fly, I'll make sure to give enough allowance for the connecting flight.

[Strong Eagle]

Well, remember that if you fly into LAX you will also have to fly OUT of LAX. I suppose the following is true of any airport BUT,

You will need to deal with the TSA people... TSA is supposed to stand for Transportation Security Administration but I am convinced it stands for "thousands standing around".

These idiots could f*ck up a two car funeral. There will be 29 carry on baggage scanners available but at peak periods, only 2 will be open. There will be a clown asking to see your passport and boarding pass as you enter the line, a second clown wanting to see the documents again as you approach the baggage scanner, and of course, yet another clown who will want to see them before you walk through the metal detector. Geezuz-H-Murphy-Christ, do they think I have morphed waiting in line for 40 minutes?

The, they will appoint a near blind, social misfit, with a really bad temper to actually scan the bags. She'll run your hair dryer, after forcing you to completely empty your carry on bag, through the scanner 4 or 5 times because she thought she saw a 'blade' in it. Hell with the fact that people have a plane to catch.

And of course, since it is the US, your flip flops will undoubtedly contain several pounds of high explosives and therefore your refusal to remove such covering footwear guarantees a full body search.

I had a 4 hour layover in LAX. Five times I walked through the Continental terminal security, each time about 20 minutes apart, just for fun. Five times I refused to remove my sandals. Five times my bag was opened, I was body searched... by exactly the same clowns each time. Oh well, it killed the time.

US security policy is about as dumb as it gets. Oh, did I forget to mentioned that on a very tight connecting flight to LAX I was trying to check in to a flight to SIN, except the TSA clown examining luggage decided he had to swab all 13 golf clubs in my bag for explosives. Amazing. Even the EVA guy, who had to hold the plane for such nonsense was amazed. Turns out that none of my golf clubs were explosive.

[Plavt]

SE,
Seems you have so many clowns in the US maybe you could start a circus.