Terrible experience in US security checks(Boston Logan)

[tamir]

Sorry about your experience with immigration. I randomly get selected for an extensive search everytime I fly. The way I deal with this is that I tell TSA, Immigration etc. to do their jobs.

When coming to the US you have to keep in mind that you'll be asked and searched a lot more than going to a different country. It is something we have to come to terms with.

To top all of this.... my 3 year old son was on the no fly list 3 years ago. I asked the immigration officer if he new how old my son was and he acknowledged he knew and was dumbfounded as well.

 

[deckingraj]

I am sorry you had such a bad experience at the airport. Unfortunately these are times we live in. I have been wanded and my luggage searched many a time.


If I can give you guys a tip from a fellow traveler.

1) Follow all reasonable request by the officer.

Everyone here is blaming the TSA but Deckingraj was dealing with an immigration officer.

If you has just said "Yes officer go ahead take my picture", he would have taken your picture and you would have been out of there, perhaps a little embarrassed.

I think you missed my point...I am all for security...however you are not doing good by profiling people based on their names and looks..Anyways thats a different discussion...The point here is that this was my 7 visit and never had such issues before(apart from some stringent checking)...My issue with the officers is not that they forced me to remove my hat...my issue is they did not show the courtesy of taking me to a private room....It is a delicate balance....You cannot compromise security but one should also be sensitive about religion and faith of others...In other words if for security reason it is imperative to see beneath my Hat then at least be sensitive about religious sentiments....Do you think it is unfair to accept that much????

By coming up with an excuse you forced him to take you to another room. The photograph was taken and you left humiliated and embarrassed.

That is where issue lies...what you think is an excuse is something very important for me....Its just a matter of faith isn't it??? The way it is offensive to ask someone to strip in public the same way it is offensive to ask a Sikh to remove his turban in public....

Understand one thing the officer is not going to back down. If it was a lady in a head to toe Burqa and said "Go ahead take my picture but I can not show my face" do you think the officer would comply? By the way this was tried for a drivers license in Miami.

No they should not comply and it is stupid to expect them to comply...However forcing the women to remove her burqa in full public glare vs taking her to a private room and making sure a women officer is taking her picture will do a world of good to the women and her religious sentiments...Don't you think so???

Once again this is the world we live in. Better to put up with a little humiliation than not arrive at your destination.

Trust me Sir..it is easy to write than to bear....What i felt there was really bad and no way in my mind was any urgency to reach my destination...

 

[deckingraj]

People need not respect other peoples religious feelings. Do you respect Taliban or Bin Ladens religious feelings? You need to respect people not their beliefs.

I am sorry but i did not get your point....How come you respect people but not respect their beliefs??? You do not need to comply/follow someone's belief but you got to respect them if you want to show respect to person.....As far as Taliban or Bin Ladens is concerned then they have nothing to do with religion.....

Please note when the immigration officer did not respect my religious beliefs i no way felt that he was showering respect at me but not at my beliefs...I was feeling disgusted....