Are you miserable in life? The INS wants you!

My fiance is a contractor, and travels a lot for jobs.  When he doesn't have any jobs on, he stays with me for a couple months at a time in the US (never overstaying his visa waiver I94).  We've never had any problems in almost two years of courtship until a few months ago when we traveled on a mini break to Mexico.  On the way back in, he was stopped by INS, and detained for more than an 3 hours.  They finally let me in with him, where they proceeded to check all of our bags, including going through our holidays snaps (some not meant for public viewing). 
We recently got engaged, mostly out of love and adoration for one another, but partly because of the sick and twisted means of harassment put on by the INS. 
Can't even imagine what non-english speakers are put through in that holding area!  While waiting for my fiance to be processed, I watched as two INS agents shouted and screamed at an Iranian woman. 
I'm glad that we will shortly be married, and thus have less difficulties when traveling together.  But feel for those in similar circumstances just trying to visit loved ones. 
I'm not up for listening to some post 9/11 rhetoric either...I wonder if these men (prodominantly men) were bullied as children? 
Ugh, emigrate the INS.

Anyone else have similar stories?

Can't even imagine what non-english speakers are put through in that holding area!  While waiting for my fiance to be processed, I watched as two INS agents shouted and screamed at an Iranian woman. 

Anyone else have similar stories?

I'm British and went over to the US on a 10-month student visa back in August 2003. Stupid me accidentally packed an important immigration form in my suitcase instead of in my carry-on and I got detained in one of those holding areas for 2 hours until I was able to go down to baggage claim and retrieve the document.

It was not a nice experience at all - they made me feel like a criminal just because my form was in the wrong bag! I was put into this room with a load of scary people and while I was in there a young teenage boy asked to go to the bathroom. The female officer on the desk ordered him down the corridor in an impatient tone, but the boy came back a minute later to say that he couldn't find it. The officer then shouted at him, saying that he'd already been told and that he wasn't going to be told again. Poor boy ended up having to sit down again without even finding the bathroom!

My UK girlfriend and I (USC) drove up to Canada from New York City a few years ago.  As we were coming back into the US, we handed our passports to an INS/DHS agent who obviously wanted to be a military drill instructor.  She had on mirrored sunglasses and leather gloves with the fingertips cut off, like at any moment she might go rapelling into action to stop Osama Bin Laden from driving into the US from Ontario.  She performed a little interview, but shouted all her questions:

Agent: DRIVER! WHERE WERE YOU BORN?!
Me: Michigan.
Agent: PASSENGER! WHERE WERE YOU BORN?!
Girlfriend: Bury St. Edmunds, England.
Agent: WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR VISIT TO CANADA?!
Me: We were visiting friends.

She handed back our passports and advised us to HAVE A NICE DAY!!  Thanks, and welcome to the USA.

Carl

camoscato-Your story reminds me of a time last year when my boyfriend was driving us to shopping outlets about 30 minutes from my house.  He were speeding (rented a mustang).  We got pulled over. 

The cop wanted license and registration.  He gave him the registration and provided him with his UK driver's license and a copy of the rental car agreement. 
The cop insisted that he should have an international driving license to operate a motor vehicle in Maryland.  He even threatened to take him to jail because, "he was driving without a valid license". 
Interesting, then, that Hertz would rent him a 40 thousand dollar car with a UK driver's license!! 
Of course, in the end, the cop backed down and an international crisis was averted, but not before some serious verbal threats.  Paul now has a UK driver's license, international driver's license (which, by the way, is just a piece of cardstock--seems easy to fake!), AND a Maryland Driver's license.  I almost WANT us to get pulled over again, just so he can hand over all three documents! 

Law Enforcement Attitude.
A friend of mine said when he was stopped and given verbal abuse, he said to the officer "If you are paid to be belligerent to the public you don't have to over do it"

I crossed the Canadian border and the people in both countries were quit professional.

Paul now has a UK driver's license, international driver's license (which, by the way, is just a piece of cardstock--seems easy to fake!), AND a Maryland Driver's license.

I'm curious as to how he got his MD licence as I know you have to show a valid status there, (as in not on an I-94W) items with your address on and do a three hour drug & alcohol course before you can take your test if you have a licence from another country.

As for the IOs and secondary processing - nothing beats having a valid visa and having to wait hours while all the other people in the room, (who seem to have complicated cases) are seen to before you although you know that your processing will only take minutes to do. 

It's a hard job and your damned if you, damned if you don't.  Let in an person who shouldn't be there and that person committs a crime, you get in trouble.  Let in someone who is smuggling drugs, or decides to kidnap someone and drag them across the border and you have lots of guilt.

Peopel get mad at them, curse them out, probably try to kill them.  I wouldn't want that job. 

On the other hand they can take it too far as well. 

I haven't had any trouble, but when I was in Budapest a guard almost let his german shepard loose, and he had a sub-machine gun pointed at us, because we caught the wrong train due to daylight savings.  Meh, misunderstandings happen. 

quote author=Tam link=topic=48859.msg691365#msg691365 date=1227120140]
I'm curious as to how he got his MD licence as I know you have to show a valid status there, (as in not on an I-94W) items with your address on and do a three hour drug & alcohol course before you can take your test if you have a licence from another country.

That is exactly what he had to do.  I tried for about 3 weeks to get through to make him a document review appointment, and was finally accepted after hundreds of "redial" attempts (the line was shut down for about a month due to the high surge in calls).  I made the call in August, the first available appointment was October. 
He needed 2 proofs of residency
-We put a cable bill in his name and he opened up a checking account
-Passport
-Drug and Alcohol certificate (which you can get at any time before your appointment)
At the appointment, they reviewed these documents, he sat the written exam (computer test), and completed the closed driving course.
After that they sent him his driver's license in the mail (about one week).

That is exactly what he had to do.  I tried for about 3 weeks to get through to make him a document review appointment, and was finally accepted after hundreds of "redial" attempts (the line was shut down for about a month due to the high surge in calls).  I made the call in August, the first available appointment was October. 
He needed 2 proofs of residency
-We put a cable bill in his name and he opened up a checking account
-Passport
-Drug and Alcohol certificate (which you can get at any time before your appointment)
At the appointment, they reviewed these documents, he sat the written exam (computer test), and completed the closed driving course.
After that they sent him his driver's license in the mail (about one week).

Did they ask him for an SSN as well? I do remember the hassle of trying to get my docs verified - no fun. Then again, sitting around for three hours in the MVA waiting for the 'written test', eye test et al was not much of a joyous occasion either especially at 5/6 months pregnant!

Did they ask him for an SSN as well? I do remember the hassle of trying to get my docs verified - no fun. Then again, sitting around for three hours in the MVA waiting for the 'written test', eye test et al was not much of a joyous occasion either especially at 5/6 months pregnant!

Nope, no social required!  But he was there half the day!  But at least he could take all three tests (eye test, driving test, written test) in one day.  The MVA isn't fun for anyone, but they certainly do make a lot of hurdles for immigrants (especially if you are not on a visa).  Of course, if he wanted to insure a vehicle, he was REQUIRED to have a valid MD driver's license.  I can't imagine how many uninsured driver's are out there, and I can't blame them, as the procedure is a nightmare--such bureaucracy!

Now I'm moving to England, and he won't ever need the license again!  Also, it's not a good idea for him to travel back and forth to the US with the license on his person, as it looks suspicious.  INS can't seem to understand that he's not working here, he's just madly in love!  haha!

I've had problems crossing the US/Canadian border pre-9/11. My car used to get searched every single crossing into the US if my ex (Canadian) was with me. Once, we were detained for hours. I asked flat out why we were detained and they said my ex didn't have strong ties to CA (at the time he worked for a family business and lived in his parents' house). I think it was because he wore a full beard and we were of a certain age and they thought we probably had weed on us.

We were searched once by the Canadians as well. When I crossed alone, I never had a problem, and the Canadians always tried to chit chat with me.

The funniest crossing story I know of is when my friends went to Canada for the day. They saw a sale on toilet paper, so they picked some up. Crossing back into the States, the border agent asked if they were bringing anything in from Canada. My friends mentioned the TP. The agent asked them what was wrong with American toilet paper. I guess the guy was very stern and serious about it. :-D

I think it's interesting how certain borders/airports are easier or more difficult to cross through than others.

I find Heathrow to be a bit miserable, but the border agents at Bristol airport are lovely and cheery! 

My fiance prefers flying in to BWI as opposed to national or Dulles.  Does anyone else have certain airports they prefer over others?