Are US Immigration Officials the Rudest?

[ShotOne]

Over the past year I have witnessed some stunningly rude behaviour from US immigration officials towards passengers. I saw one guy shouting "you are stupid stupid stupid, get to the back of the queue!" at some poor woman before crumpling up her (supposedly incorrectly filled in) form and throwing it at her face.

I have travelled to many countries including several totalitarian states and never witnessed such nasty treatment. I realise they have an important job to do but why must it be done in such an unpleasant way?

[N380UA]

As I have studied and lived in the US for some years, I have experienced such incidents myself on occasions. Surely immigration officers must be vigilant and ensure entry to those who are eligible to do so. However, the attitude towards passengers often seems to be somewhat out of a Wild West movie "What do you want in my town stranger?".

[MAStake]

YES.

[Ivan Ivanovich]

The US offers some great experiences, but getting in there is such an ordeal. I too have been to most places in the World - including Comminist and Police States - but the USA has always been the least welcoming place on Earth.

It's perhaps one facet of American life where service doesn't come with a big smile. In its defence though, once you're in it's a great place to visit.

[LRRP]

I have had one bad experience at Newark and many good ones at other airports.
At Newark they tore up my visa waiver card 3 times and stuck me in a room full of people I can only assume were going through the same experience.
The only reason I could imagine was that I was wearing a suit and the official did not like the look of it.
My wife had to drag all of our luggage and two children around on her own to meet the connecting flight without knowing what was going on. (the people at United Airlines found me and told me my family was o.k.) (My wife and kids have U.S. passports so they went through a seperate line).
When they eventualy called me after about an hour and took my fourth card and told me I could continue I asked them what the problem was and they said "You did not have a visa waiver card filled in" (They had torn up 3 of them filled in exactly the same as the 4th one!) The United Airlines staff got me on to the plane just in time.

When my American wife came to the UK after visiting her parents in Colorado Springs she was given a hard time by UK imigration at EGLL (questions like how do we know you are not comming here to sponge of the state etc...) and she asked them at the end of it all what the problem had been and they said:
"oh nothing really, it's just that in the states they give so many of our people such a hard time we like to give some back occassionaly"

Seems to me that in some countries the only qualifications required to get some jobs are that you failed the trafic warden exam. but I do not see that treating visitors to our own country in a reciprical manner will help to make it better for anyone in the future.

Are imigration at Heathrow and Newark really playing a game using the pax as pawns ?

[Young Paul]

Hmm. I've had a few bad experiences with US Immigration, and that's certainly been the tensest point of the transatlantic crossing. On the other hand, my last two encounters - one at JFK, and one at IAD - have been absolutely fine.

[relapse]

YES!!!

I recently arrived in LAX. In the address in the US box I wrote "touring, none arranged". The ape behind the desk shouted loudly "where have you been, don't you know what has happened" He said because of Sep 11 I had to have an address in the US.

I got out of the situation by responding in the same manner. Suggesting that if he didn't let me in I would go home and support someone elses tourist industry.

Thinking about it I wish he hadn't let me in. I met many loud and rude people, none quite so as obnoxious as he was.

I won't travel to the States for pleasure again. It certainly was no pleasure supporting an employment policy which leads to some employees expecting tips in excess of 20% by right, regardless of service. Carrying food to your table seemed to get the accolade excellent service. If the tip was not forthcoming they were incredibly rude about it.

[Gaza]

As in most walks of life there are good and bad INS agents. Last year I was transitting thro LAX. To get to the NZ lounge I had to clear immigration. The INS agent had no problem with us doing this but then he asked who I worked for (large US multinational). He then ranted at me that he had invested part of his pension in them and had lost loads of money, blah, blah, blah. I just smiled and told him I was in the same situation (a huge lie but he wasn't to know <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> . He eventually stamped my passport. Last week I flew on Concorde to JFK and had a very pleasant INS agent. He chatted to my wife and I and wished us happy new year. Unfotunately a few rogues tarnish the reputation of others.