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An ammendment to my post directly above. I look at "the flyer talk forum" occasianally and did some research on this topic. I flew in from Sao Paulo yesterday morning in ATL and noticed that the at step 1 (passport clearance) they write on your customs card. Mine was a "ONE" and I had no problems. Apparantly they put codes on this card based on what they see when they scan your passport and the answeres to their questions.
At step 2 the customs agents sees this handwritten "code" on the card when you hand it in and know if you should be selected for secondary review with your luggage or not. It's all random and subjective but I think you got tagged at step one - maybe you acted nervous, maybe you answered a question wrong, maybe there was something on your passport that triggered something, who knows.
You went through the "nothing to declare line" right?
Yes, I had absolutely nothing to declare. When I landed at LAX and DFW, I had nothing to declare as well, and I didn't get hassled.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dd714
It's all random and subjective but I think you got tagged at step one - maybe you acted nervous, maybe you answered a question wrong, maybe there was something on your passport that triggered something, who knows.
The Immigration officer that scanned my passport was actually quite polite to me. He just asked me two basic questions: "What was the purpose of your trip?" and "How long was I gone?"
I didn't act nervous at all- though I didn't get any sleep on the plane.
Incidentally, I broached this same topic on FlyerTalk, and couldn't get any definitive explanations.
It doesn't sound random. It really sounds like they thought you were someone else, probably due to a similar name. Something like that happened to my husband when he was coming back from Canada last summer. I'm sorry that happened to you
I agree. It was something that happened that you were unaware of or as someone said, a name or description similar to your....I don't think it was profiling....
There are also 2 stages when entering customs (again, not related in any way to TSA) - 1.) passport clearance, and 2.) customs declerations for luggage. You got stopped at the second point, most people that have passport problems get stopped at the first point. You went through the "nothing to declare line" right? Normally, one just hands over the card and walks through at point 2, nothing is scanned. You being pulled out would have been a rare random full search (they may do this for 1 out of a 1,000 entrances), or maybe due to some physical redflags (walking funny, looking suspicious, etc. - although I am not sure, because of "profiling" sensitivies, how much customs does this) since at this point they don't know who you are and it's physically seperated from step 1 where they scanned who you are and cleared you. My guess is it's random - just bad luck.
Sucks but it happens, one of the pleasures of flying.
I got this type of treatment when i came back from visting family in Germany through JFK and i told the guy do i sound like i'm from another country along with my accent as thick as it is from beening alot of the southern states where i worked and been stationed a few years .. ...
As far as customs coding goes, I know for Canada they write R or V and then two numbers.
The R is resident, V is visitor. Each day a "hot" number is chosen, so the first number is the key. So the first number is either meaningless, which means you go on your way, or hot, which means you get sent down.
If you get sent down, the second number is why you're getting sent back. Either they don't believe you, you're over your exemption, think you have drugs, think you're smuggling something and so on.
Most of the time you get V11 or R11 and skate. Because they're the fastest to write, and your typical Union officer is too lazy to change, I've never heard of the hot number being 1.
In response to the random checking at the airports, I ALWAYS travel by myself. I'm not sure I quite understand why traveling by yourself is suspicious other than...you really like to travel. I'm also wondering how not having a family is also suspicious. Some people choose not to rush into potentially abusive marriages and divorce a year later.
I have been both questioned and randomly searched in one particular country (nothing bad about them. I really LOVE that country). Although in one of those airports, they were SUPER kind about it (can't say much for the other airport). I do realize I may LOOK Arab. I'm actually half Maltese (and half Irish). People try to guess my ethnicity all the time, and it's entertaining. Malta is in the EU mind you. I also have the biggest American accent ever (being born and raised there of course).
Yeah, being a victim of potential racism sucks for sure. But, I think I'm more concerned about looking suspicious just because you happen to be alone. Can anyone answer either of these questions?
Customs do not generally pull people over at random. They usually have good reason for doing it. Either they have had a tip off and you are unlucky enough to fit the profile, or there is someone on a watch list that has the same name or their sniffer dog has got a hit on your bag or something along those lines.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dd714
OK lets get one thing clear - people are confusing TSA security screaning with customs screaning - 2 different processes, 2 different agencies, 2 different purposes. TSA are not law enforcement officers (in fact, they have about as much skill as your local wallmart greeter), customs agents are. Discussing security screening is off topic to this discussion, it has abolutely no bearing on the OPs topic. 3 out of 4 responses to this post can be disregarded.
There are also 2 stages when entering customs (again, not related in any way to TSA) - 1.) passport clearance, and 2.) customs declerations for luggage. You got stopped at the second point, most people that have passport problems get stopped at the first point. You went through the "nothing to declare line" right? Normally, one just hands over the card and walks through at point 2, nothing is scanned. You being pulled out would have been a rare random full search (they may do this for 1 out of a 1,000 entrances), or maybe due to some physical redflags (walking funny, looking suspicious, etc. - although I am not sure, because of "profiling" sensitivies, how much customs does this) since at this point they don't know who you are and it's physically seperated from step 1 where they scanned who you are and cleared you. My guess is it's random - just bad luck.
Sucks but it happens, one of the pleasures of flying.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dd714
An ammendment to my post directly above. I look at "the flyer talk forum" occasianally and did some research on this topic. I flew in from Sao Paulo yesterday morning in ATL and noticed that the at step 1 (passport clearance) they write on your customs card. Mine was a "ONE" and I had no problems. Apparantly they put codes on this card based on what they see when they scan your passport and the answeres to their questions.
At step 2 the customs agents sees this handwritten "code" on the card when you hand it in and know if you should be selected for secondary review with your luggage or not. It's all random and subjective but I think you got tagged at step one - maybe you acted nervous, maybe you answered a question wrong, maybe there was something on your passport that triggered something, who knows.
Customs people do select people randomly to search to make sure one does not bring into the USA things that are contraband and also to make sure someone who states that they have nothing to declare actually has nothing in their baggage that needs to be declared. This type of random Customs search for people coming in the USA from international flights has been going on for many years prior to 9/11 (and prior to the formation of the TSA).
Customs people do select people randomly to search to make sure one does not bring into the USA things that are contraband and also to make sure someone who states that they have nothing to declare actually has nothing in their baggage that needs to be declared. This type of random Customs search for people coming in the USA from international flights has been going on for many years prior to 9/11 (and prior to the formation of the TSA).
Actually Customs, in Canada and the US at least, require a reason to search. 4th Amendment and the Charter in Canada don't allow for "random" searches. Now they can totally BS their reason if required, but technically there must be reasonable cause to make you submit to a search.
Different entirely with the TSA and your unaccompanied luggage, as your bags have no rights.
If you want to see random, go to Mexico and play the red light, green light lottery when you get off your plane.
its really very sad what has happened with you..but there may be some misunderstanding or else may be they found some unsuspicious thing inside your luggage..
Actually Customs, in Canada and the US at least, require a reason to search. 4th Amendment and the Charter in Canada don't allow for "random" searches. Now they can totally BS their reason if required, but technically there must be reasonable cause to make you submit to a search.
Different entirely with the TSA and your unaccompanied luggage, as your bags have no rights.
If you want to see random, go to Mexico and play the red light, green light lottery when you get off your plane.
I have never been to Mexico. But I have been to other countries that have red light/green light options at their Customs and I know people that were randomly picked out of line in one of those other countries.
I also remember coming as a 15/17 year old minor with my 11/13 and half year old sister to the USA to visit my grandparents when my family lived overseas many years ago. Our luggage was searched by Customs throughly although we were accompanied by a flight attendant who was responsible for us until we met up with my grandfather at the exit.
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