Humiliation greets visitor at airport

The Mercury News ^ | August 13, 2002 | Truong Phuoc Khánh

[snopercod]

Every summer for the past 25 years, New Zealand native Maggie Anderson and her American husband have visited their family in Portola Valley.

But never before had her visit begun in handcuffs and humiliation.

Upon landing at Los Angeles International Airport at 11 a.m on July 24, Anderson -- a former flight attendant who had flown in and out of U.S. airports hundreds of times -- was questioned and arrested by federal immigration agents.

[Neophyte]

She was put on a list and caught.

How brave!

Meanwhile, couple dozens of towel heads sneaked into the country unbothered... don't you think that a little profiling (yes, on the base of race and country of origin) would be reasonable?

[BlazingArizona]

She's married to an American yet stays a New Zealander by choice, so she pays the price when she chose to overstay her visa.

The problem is that her treatment is totally out of proportion to a technical violation that occurred three visits ago. How do you think her fellow Enzedders will feel about vacationing in the US now?

[Willie Green]

Should we feel like we're doing the right thing if this is the sort of comment we get from people like you, let alone iron curtain treatment from government approved "Dr Jellyfingers" at LAX is resultant?

Well, at least they didn't arrive at San Francisco.
It coulda been much worse!
Just the same, my advice is avoiding Kalifornia altogether.
Government services in that state are ALWAYS fouled up one way or another.
Not that other states and other airports don't have their faults, but for some reason, Kalifornia excels at irrationality.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

This is sickening.

[Neophyte]

Hard to have sympathy or respect for someone who lives most of their life in America taking advantage of all she has to offer, but then doesn't want to become a citizen

Neither she (a NZoolander, what a shame! :-))nor her husband (an American) live in America. But she did visit the US more than 400 times - as a wife and as an airhostess.

I still can't understand what's wrong with all this? There're lots of Americans, Dutch, Germans and so on here in NZ who keep their citizenship living in the country for decades. So what?

[SW6906]

ooooops! my bad. Never mind my comment about citizenship. I still think if one does a crime (overstaying one's visa) one should expect to suffer some consequences.

[Maurice Tift]

Spread your legs. When she didn't spread far enough, one agent kicked her foot causing her to nearly fall to the floor, Anderson said.... Anderson remained in the INS detention room for 21 hours, with the mounted television set on the whole time featuring Jerry Springer, Sally Jessy Raphael and wrestling.

   This is happening in America and it's embarassing. The treatment is horrible and the choice of television shows reinforces the idea that the people doing the interrogation are extremely low-class. Searching a woman from New Zealand makes no sense. I've never heard of a terrorist from New Zealand. This is not the way to stop terrorists. All this is happening and our airline captains are still not permitted to carry guns.

[Stavka2]

I saw, a month ago, a woman forced to send her little son's carten of french fries (note: there were about 4 or 5 fries left) through the x-ray machine....guess they enjoyed making the little boy cry. Waste of sperm, that's what most of these morons are...and having a couple of armed National Guard is so much safer, after all, terrorists are known for taking over whole airports.

[Trajan88]

I now see why one Toronto airport customs agent (back in '98) treated me like a criminal - I guess do on to others as they do to you.

My trip to Canada was great until the final 200 feet prior to boarding my NW flight to St. Louis. I only traveled internationally once before and I didn't know the rules - it was a minor deal, I didn't know I had to be with my bag at all times prior to putting it on the conveyor belt. I now know the rules - but was made a fool of. If he would have calmly explained it to me I would have had no problem. All the other Canadian customs agents were cringing at what was happening. I guess the Maple Leaf I got stuck with was having a bad day.

Bottom line is is that customs agents rule the roost - one must take the good with the bad and be on one's merry way.

Trajan88; TAMU Class of '88

[shaggy eel]

,,, on the occasions I've connected with US Customs and Immigration, I've only been thru Hawaii once and that was great. All other times I've been processed thru LAX. I take the view that it's like a public toilet - I'm there because I have to be. The place is a tip. I've only been to SFO once and I flew in from Newark, so no experience at all there.

We don't need visas for [tourist] visits up to 90 days in the US.

[SW6906]

I realize now this has nothing to do with the story at hand, but I gotta say this:

I'm one of those that believes if you spend most of your life in a given country because of what it has to offer, taking advantage and enriching oneself because of what it has to offer, one should become a citizen. I have a relative who is a Canadian citizen. She has married a US citizen and given birth to two children here who are citizens. She hasn't been to Canada in decades, despite living only three hours drive from the border. They will never move there. Ever. Why not become a citizen?!!? She has nothing to gain from remaining a Canadian citizen and much to gain from becoming an American citizen. I just don't understand it.

[Don Corleone]

I'm not weak; I'm not easily intimidated; I've been around the world,'' Anderson said. ``But I am frightened out of my wits because I understand these people have power.''

And don't you ever forget it. Power corrupts...absolute power corrupts ABSOLUTELY! The clock is ticking on our freedoms and the United States we once knew. As far as I know there are no Patrick Henry's or Thomas Jefferson's out there looking for a cause celebre'. Cuidado!

[First_Salute]

I cannot understand why the federal government has not set up sandbagged machine gun nests in the airport terminal corridors and hallways.

I also cannot understand why it is taking so long for John Q. Public to realize that the federal government is not listening ... the Congress is not listening ... the federal law enforcement agencies have entirely abandoned their responsibilities as public servants: they will not recognize that the people are sovereign.

If you think it's bad now, just wait for the holidays.

This all happens because idiots are in charge, all the way to the Oval Office --- bureaucrats who are weak people.

All bullies are weak people.

[johnb838]

HELOOOO? Quit Flying!

Ya know, this is a good point. I keep hearing (haven't heard it in a while actually) that it is your "patriotic duty" to keep the planes flying. Well that's crap. If this was the 1960s when people were still around who remembered something about civil defense they'd be saying that your patriotic duty is to stay OFF the planes until we get this security situation under control. Stay out of the way. More people just means more risk of another 9-11 style attack. The government needs to s*** or get off the pot. Either nationalize the airlines or let them go down the tubes if they aren't able to compete in the new world. But for all you amateur travelers out there I say, for God's sake stay out of the airport if you don't want to be roughed up. I know I will. I like it right where I am. If I have to go somewhere I'll drive. If it's too far to drive I won't go. Send a message to the government. Send a message to the airlines. Stay out of the air. I think they lie. I think it is NOT safer than your car. Not these days. You have some control over your car. In the air you really are just a statistic, hoping that you won't be the one the terrorists choose, and they won't even let the pilots carry a gun. They don't care about your life. Run away. Yeah, air travel has been great, but the game is up. It is not a civil liberty. Its a perk. We're spoiled. Our system can't support this many passengers and they WILL NOT ADMIT IT!!!!

[snopercod]

It's as if the feds are hell bent to put the airlines out of business...

...or nationalize them when they become insolvent.

[gitmo]

The newest styles with traveling American women eliminate federal gate rape.

[spitz]

The NZSAS are in Afganistan. It’s a contribution that NZ can make and asked nothing in return. Out of the British, Aussie and NZSAS, theNZder’s have the finest tracking skills out of them all. A valued skill in unknown terrain chasing a fleeing and elusive enemy.

[First_Salute]

I amend my remarks; I was too kind.

What is happening to people is because Bush wants it to happen to people; it's a show of incompetence; a failure to address other forms of more subtle surveillance about which there is a requirement of operating on a level of higher standards.

But that conflicts with Bush's insistence on keeping the lowest possible Denominators in Charge.

Because he is a political capitalist --- what BushBots call a political realist.

Either way, he's a coward when facing some of these most serious of his responsibiltiies.

The man is seriously "conflicted."

He would erase Saddam and cease Iraq's nuclear power; while he builds a nuclear reactor in North Korea.

He would feel up the breats of women in airports; while he lets people steal across the borders into the United States and supports economic "freedoms" for these people.

The lady in question in the story above, should have figured it out by now, I'd guess --- she should have landed in Mexico and stole across the border.

The President of the United States, by the way, is directly responsible for all law enforcement activities and all military activities.

What is wrong with our systems ... is what is wrong with him.

[snopercod]

I guess I'll get flamed for saying this, but I hold President Bush personally responsible for this BS.

If you do get flamed, it will be a sad commentary on the "modern" FreeRepublic. If this had happened three years ago, FR would have been apoplectic over clinton's abuse of power.

But some think it's OK since "our guy" is doing it.

Tyranny is wrong no matter whether (R) or (D).

[Willie Green]

They keep on saying that some day an earthquake ("The Big One") is gonna hit, and Kalifornia is gonna break away from the mainland and float out into the Pacific.
Should that ever happen, let me be the first to extend a friendly invitation to New Zealand to float over in our direction and voluntarily attach itself to our West Coast, taking Kalifornia's place in the Union. IMHO, you Kiwis would be welcome additions and America would be better off with the exchange. Let the Kalifornicators drift around out in the Pacific on their own for a while.