#customs #JFK #detained #travelnightmare #bordercontrol
Last night, I flew into JFK from London and was detained by customs for six hours. They told me that I was randomly selected by an algorithm for those coming into the country, and then I was escorted to an office where I was questioned for six hours. They kept my belongings, including a phone and laptop.
I asked if I was free to leave and they told me that I could go but they would keep my belongings until they “were done with them.” I was given a phone call, so I had my parents come pick me up.
Is this legal? I feel like it should violate search and seizure. I know that there are more limited protections at the border, but this whole scheme sounds wrong.
## Understanding the Problem
Being detained by customs at JFK for an extended period can be a distressing experience. It can make you feel helpless, confused, and frustrated. The lack of information and uncertainty about your situation can exacerbate these feelings, leaving you feeling vulnerable and isolated. This process can be dehumanizing and leave a lasting impact on your overall travel experience.
## Practical Solutions
### Know Your Rights
It is crucial to educate yourself about your rights when dealing with customs officers. Although there are limited protections at the border, you still have rights that you can assert. Familiarize yourself with what customs officers can and cannot do, and make sure to advocate for yourself during the questioning process.
### Stay Calm and Compliant
While being detained can be a stressful situation, it is essential to remain calm and cooperative. Avoid confrontation and follow instructions from customs officers to prevent further complications. Maintaining a polite and respectful attitude can help ease the situation and potentially shorten the detention period.
### Seek Legal Advice
If you believe that your rights have been violated during the detention process, consider seeking legal advice. A knowledgeable attorney can guide you through your options and help you understand the legal implications of the customs officers’ actions. They can provide valuable insight into the next steps you can take to address the situation effectively.
### Share Your Experience
Sharing your story can raise awareness about the challenges individuals face when dealing with customs at airports. By speaking out about your experience, you can shed light on the issues surrounding border control and potentially advocate for changes to the system. Your voice matters, and by sharing your story, you can empower others to speak up about their experiences as well.
In conclusion, being detained by customs at JFK for six hours can be a daunting experience. However, by knowing your rights, staying calm and compliant, seeking legal advice, and sharing your experience, you can navigate through this challenging situation with resilience and assertiveness. Remember that you are not alone in facing these issues, and by taking action, you can work towards creating a more transparent and respectful border control system. #travelwoes #bordercontrolwoes #advocacy #travelrights 🛂✈️
What country are you a citizen of, what countries had you visited on the trip, and what were the topics of the six hours of questioning?
Are you by any chance a muslim male of military age? Had you visited any countries that are unfriendly to the USA?
>they would keep my belongings until they “were done with them.”
Did you give them the passwords?
>They told me that I was randomly selected by an algorithm
This is often a fib that they tell passengers to foster cooperation, as some passengers will be less cooperative and start demanding a lawyer or invoking their right to remain silent if the officer starts the conversation by truthfully disclosing “We have referred you here to secondary inspection because we suspect you of being involved in drug smuggling/child sex tourism/terrorism.”
They don’t “randomly” choose passengers and question them for six hours and seize their electronics. This was targeted; they have a genuine suspicion that you are involved in something very naughty.
JFK is known for this, but you might have some sort of trigger. There is absolutely an algorithm, but an algorithm alone isn’t going to have you detained for 6 hours. If you change flights last minute, or have been to multiple destinations in a short period of time you can get flagged. If you post random shit on social media, and/or make jokes that sound like threats etc… big brother has been watching for a while. I hope they actually catch terrorists instead of terrorizing regular citizens.
lol this happened to me in 2018 after spending a year backpacking Africa and some of the Middle East.
They interrogated the shit out of me for four hours or so. Said same thing, passport was flagged by an algorithm. They made me go step by step through each country in great detail. Finally I convinced them to give me my phone back and just showed them my Instagram.
They did let me go with all my belongings.
My roomate thought i died. I texted him I landed and would come meet him for lunch l then went radio silent for almost four hours.
19 USC 482, border search authority and exception to the fourth amendment. No warrants or probable cause needed for search.
It’s harder to offer advice without knowing your citizenship. Given that you were told you could leave (albeit without your belongings), I’m assuming you are American.
Unfortunately CBP are allowed to keep your items for a reasonable period of time for search. My guess is they wanted time to gain entry into your personal electronics.
I agree with others that you were not randomly selected. Is there anything in your travel or personal history (please don’t answer here) that might trigger an extended search? Were you rude to CBP during this interaction or in previous interactions? This can also unfortunately create issues for you.
I personally would not follow up on this unless you are repeatedly detained going forward. CBP were within their right to search you and you were no longer detained once CBP declared you free to go.
If you think you might be searched again, definitely go full MAGA with your belongings and troll them.
Guarantee they are scanning your laptop and phone for anything illegal. Nothing found, you’ll get it back. It’s a hassle, but a good reason never to fly internationally with your main computer and phone that could get lost, stolen, or gone through. For data, use a cloud service , encryption, a vpn, and download it when you get there.
You are fucked buddy
Airport and border searches are exempt from 4th amendment laws
Yes, it’s legal and it happens both ways. It’s not specific to America. It happens in Canada and Europe as well to foreign nationals traveling there occasionally will be stopped and sometimes subjected to a lengthy interrogation. This is one of the benefits of having pre-clearance if you’re able to go to an airport that pre-clears customs for the US you can avoid this whole problem.
What country are you citizen of? Entering the country gives CBP some latitude that normal police would not be able to.