Panama Jack
21st Sep 2004, 08:20
By Kate Kelland
LONDON (Reuters) - Complaints from international travelers to the United States about hostile treatment by immigration officials have prompted them to clean up their act, the official in charge of border controls said Monday.
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20040920/t/r1262839027.jpg
Robert Bonner, commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), said the complaints -- many of them from Britons traveling for business or pleasure -- had forced the CPB agency to institute a code of conduct to ensure officers treat visitors with respect.
"Even one incidence of rude or hostile conduct tarnishes the image of the CBP and gives the United States a black eye. One instance of rude behavior is too many," Bonner told a journalists' briefing in London.
He said complaints had come from all over the world, but his department was particularly struck by the number from Britain.
"We have a very special relationship with the United Kingdom -- and frankly most of the complaints were coming from here."
"It was a question of our reputation. This just wasn't the image we wanted to project."
Bonner said one of the major issues was the handcuffing, detention and deportation of some potential visitors who had committed "minor technical visa violations" previously -- such as briefly or unwittingly breaching a 90-day permission to stay.
He said risk-free travelers would no longer suffer such treatment and added that CPB officers now had discretionary powers to allow entry to visitors who had committed only minor violations.
"While we must -- and will -- secure our border against terrorists, we must treat all travelers professionally and courteously," Bonner said.
"The vast majority of people who seek entry to the United States are law-abiding and present no threat whatsoever ... (and) there is absolutely no reason for denying entry to people who pose no risk."
Bonner warned that while security procedures at all U.S. entry ports were now much tighter than at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, there was still a significant threat.
He said incoming cargo, as well as passengers, presented a threat. "There continues to be a risk of potential terrorist operatives getting into the country. But the even greater concern is the potential for making a container into a weapon -- either with explosive material or as a dirty bomb."
Bonner said security agreements were now in place with 26 major trading ports across the world to ensure full screening of cargo containers before they begin their journeys to the U.S..
LONDON (Reuters) - Complaints from international travelers to the United States about hostile treatment by immigration officials have prompted them to clean up their act, the official in charge of border controls said Monday.
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20040920/t/r1262839027.jpg
Robert Bonner, commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), said the complaints -- many of them from Britons traveling for business or pleasure -- had forced the CPB agency to institute a code of conduct to ensure officers treat visitors with respect.
"Even one incidence of rude or hostile conduct tarnishes the image of the CBP and gives the United States a black eye. One instance of rude behavior is too many," Bonner told a journalists' briefing in London.
He said complaints had come from all over the world, but his department was particularly struck by the number from Britain.
"We have a very special relationship with the United Kingdom -- and frankly most of the complaints were coming from here."
"It was a question of our reputation. This just wasn't the image we wanted to project."
Bonner said one of the major issues was the handcuffing, detention and deportation of some potential visitors who had committed "minor technical visa violations" previously -- such as briefly or unwittingly breaching a 90-day permission to stay.
He said risk-free travelers would no longer suffer such treatment and added that CPB officers now had discretionary powers to allow entry to visitors who had committed only minor violations.
"While we must -- and will -- secure our border against terrorists, we must treat all travelers professionally and courteously," Bonner said.
"The vast majority of people who seek entry to the United States are law-abiding and present no threat whatsoever ... (and) there is absolutely no reason for denying entry to people who pose no risk."
Bonner warned that while security procedures at all U.S. entry ports were now much tighter than at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, there was still a significant threat.
He said incoming cargo, as well as passengers, presented a threat. "There continues to be a risk of potential terrorist operatives getting into the country. But the even greater concern is the potential for making a container into a weapon -- either with explosive material or as a dirty bomb."
Bonner said security agreements were now in place with 26 major trading ports across the world to ensure full screening of cargo containers before they begin their journeys to the U.S..