California - Cellphone use at SFO immigration hall - confiscation?

Yesterday the purser on my UA flight into SFO announced repeatedly that if you use your cellphone prior to leaving the immigration and customs hall at SFO, it will be confiscated. A FA on the flight told me it was a new rule in place for about a month and that people had had their phones taken.

I asked one of the INS officers about it and he said it wasn't true or rather that it was true for a bit and he personally had it changed. He just said don't be on your cellphone while at the counter.

I don't know what the actual situation is. Anyone else heard about this or had it announced on their flights?

I just don't understand this rule. I think it's OK to use a cellphone as long as you are not at the booth already.

And do they really have the right to confiscate something belonging to you? I can't believe that!

Once at ORD I came down the escalators into the hall with the immigration booths, talking to my father on my cellphone. An officer approached and said I have to turn the cellphone off immediateley. He really got angry with me as I needed 10 seconds to end my call...

Yes, I heard that announcement early this month. People were using their phones anyway.

"And do they really have the right to confiscate something belonging to you? I can't believe that!"

Believe it. The rights you have until immigration says you are admitted into the US and Customs clears you are extremely limited.

And really, how did we survive for the first five hundred years of commercial aviation without being able to turn on the cellphone (as in not having one) spontaneously when the seatbelt sign is turned off?

For whatever reason, them's the rules. Maybe there is a rational reason. It is somewhat interesting that in the US, while the departure gate areas are not sterile (yes, even now), the int'l arrival areas sure are, which is very different than most other countries.

I say the signs and one Customs agent tell a person waiting to collect bags to turn off phone - happened at ORD earlier this month.

Ever notice how there's no payphones at immigration? Never understood why, but they're banned. Now that people have cellphones, they're trying to do the same.

Of course, if you need to make a call, just lock yourself in the can.

Into SFO last sunday on NW from NRT...Nothing announced regarding cell phone rules.

Same at LAX... Warning upon landing not to use phones otherwise confiscation.