UK: Border Agency officials 'illegally targeting' bus passengers

So the border police have a pretty good idea what to look out for in terms of appearance, clothing, demeanour, etc. This is their job. To the extent that they might target people more likely to be from that country they'll be more likely to ask some people than others. That's all. Whether this is "racist" in the sense that some people seem to be supposing, and whether this is pointer to the state of British society, is arguable. It's probably not a good thing.

This is definitely racial profiling. No other way to put it. And as a black American in all likelihood I would be one of the persons pulled just due to the color of my skin. The fact that I'm born and bred in the U.S. and in their country legally wouldn't matter one iota. This, to me, is highly unfair.

And as a black American in all likelihood I would be one of the persons pulled just due to the color of my skin.

Not if they were picking up a bunch of Chinese illegals. They're not that stupid.

The sort of scenario Winston may be referring to:

He and a friend from work hop on the bus to go to the movies. The bus is boarded by a couple of officers of some sort and they scan the crowd. Unbeknownst to Winston they have a tip that there may be an illegal Nigerian in the area (we can talk about whether this is a good use of funds elsewhere). Eyes fall upon Winston. The officers walk to Winston and ask him to have a word. Now I'm a white southern dude....it is hard for me to imagine the emotions this could churn up...but it sorta makes my skin crawl to think about it.

The officers ask Winston if he is a citizen. Winston says "no", but he is in-country legally. They ask for his passport. Who takes their passport to the cinema? Come with us. The locals tut. Maybe they are from his neighborhood. The bus leaves with Winston standing out there being frisked...

Except I am guessing that Winston does not have a Nigerian accent and may be obsessively carrying his drivers license as most american expats still do (just in case) which would not prove his status, but would be a pretty good indicator that he is not an illegal Nigerian.

Except I am guessing that Winston does not have a Nigerian accent and may be obsessively carrying his drivers license as most american expats still do (just in case) which would not prove his status, but would be a pretty good indicator that he is not an illegal Nigerian.

Well, yes, I would probably have my DL on me as I carry it in my wallet at all times at home...that's just standard practice. However, the fact that I wouldn't have a Nigerian accent doesn't negate the humiliation and subsequent anger that being singled out on a bus full of passengers would cause. And in all likelihood, I would be pulled off just same and questioned to verify that my visa status is still current and legally obtained. The bottom line is that the UK Border Agency is becoming increasingly racist in their approach and are assuming (more times than not) that a non-white that's in their country is there under questionable circumstances.

I apologise if my post offended you Winston. It was not intended that way.

I cannot speak to whether or not the UKBA is racist. Perhaps they are, perhaps they're not. But I do think that if illegal Nigerians were the intended target, stopping little old white ladies would be less than fruitful. My partner is half Egyptian with an arabic surname. He is "randomly" selected and searched EVERY time we fly to the US. Annoying? Yes. Humiliating? Not at all.

As well if the police were searching for a criminal who matched my physical description, I would not be offended or humiliated by being stopped. It might inconvenience me, but I'd rather law enforcement do their jobs.

But that is just my opinion. We all choose how we react to other people/situations. YMMV. 

I wasn't offended by your reply. I am, however, offended by the fact that persons of color have been historically thought of as inferior and 'up to no good' (for the most part). And you are right, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) are rather tense and apprehensive about darker skinned persons entering our country. As a federal contractor, I speak to those guys all the time and basically their stance is that since 9/11 their job is to protect our borders - at any cost. So, I totally get it. I understand UKBA's stance as well regarding INTITIAL checks, but it seems you have to go over board to prove yourself worthy versus a white tourist/passenger.

Well, I am of Latin appearance, I have Portuguese ancestors, and I have been called a "greaseball" in the USA, and never had any kind of labelling at all in the UK, so I can't agree that the UK is as racist as you seem to think.

Fair enough Winston. I have no idea what it feels like to be targeted. But my partner is chosen "randomly" based on his name alone. His name is 100%, triple barreled arabic, but he is a blond haired, blue eyed guy. Because he has family in Egypt, and loves to travel, his passport history combined with his name means he is under scrutiny. He thinks it's vaguely amusing and loves having a story to tell about american immigration.  

I think my point, badly executed ( ) is that if you were the best applicant for a job but were overlooked because you are black, to me that is racist. If you are questioned because they are looking for a black man and you are in the area, that's a different story.

They give a hard time to young American women coming through Heathrow. Is it agism? Is it sexism? Is it anti-Americanism? Or is it that young American have earned themselves a solid reputation for illegally overstaying their visas?

You are less likely to be pulled off a bus than many, Winston.