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Customs Agent: Where did you buy that XXXXX?

Customs Agent: Where did you buy that XXXXX?

Old Jan 28, 2016, 7:15 pm
  #76  
 
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Originally Posted by Boggie Dog
Not claiming to be a Constitutional expert so would you please point out that passage please?
Sorry, I meant the REPEAL of prohibition. Missed one key word while typing fast, thanks for catching my miss.

I was referencing Article XXI section 2
Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

It has been argued this gives the states full reign with regard to alcohol thus CBP enforcing said laws.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 7:27 am
  #77  
 
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Originally Posted by jlmcp
Driving to Vancouver, Canada from Seattle, WA with some fellow attendees of a hacker conference in late 1999:
Canadian Border Agent: "Gentlemen, do you have any drugs, firearms, or dangerous materials in the vehicle?"
My (idiot) friend, after leaning towards the officer: <snif> "Yeah, sure, whadda ya need?"
... add another 4 hours delay to the trip for being smart-asses. Good story now, but sucked at the time.

Jake
Cannot believe this hasn't been picked up on in the proceeding pages - but totally not original.

That line is from Steven Wright - I Have A Pony, Circa 1985

Shame on you
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 7:50 am
  #78  
 
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Originally Posted by seavisionburma
Cannot believe this hasn't been picked up on in the proceeding pages - but totally not original.

That line is from Steven Wright - I Have A Pony, Circa 1985

Shame on you
Even thirty years later we all laughed - where is the shame in that?
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 12:21 pm
  #79  
 
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Originally Posted by Section 107
Even thirty years later we all laughed - where is the shame in that?
No shame in laughing at it at all - its funny. That Steven Wright release is one of my all time favourites, which is why I was able to spot the lines.

But don't pass it off as your original anecdote when its not - that's just lame
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 3:37 pm
  #80  
 
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Originally Posted by seavisionburma
No shame in laughing at it at all - its funny. That Steven Wright release is one of my all time favourites, which is why I was able to spot the lines.

But don't pass it off as your original anecdote when its not - that's just lame
I've always liked "Any drugs or alchohol?"
"No, we've got plenty, thanks,"
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Old Feb 8, 2016, 10:43 pm
  #81  
 
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Originally Posted by FlyingHoustonian
It has been argued this gives the states full reign with regard to alcohol thus CBP enforcing said laws.
Not just "argued". In State Board v. Young's, the Supreme Court more-or-less signed off on states having all sorts of power to do things normally forbidden to them, so long as it involves regulating alcohol.

More recently they've started to walk back some of that, ruling that the 21st Amendment didn't remove states' obligations of equal protection under the 14th, and chipping away at the power to treat in- and out-of-state sources of alcohol, but State Board still hasn't been overturned.
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Old Feb 10, 2016, 2:45 am
  #82  
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Originally Posted by FlyingHoustonian
It has been argued this gives the states full reign with regard to alcohol thus CBP enforcing said laws.
I don't think CBP's actions have anything to do with the 21st amendment. States are allowed to regulate any product as long as it doesn't infringe on the commerce clause. CBP is not obligated to enforce state laws, but in the case of alcohol, has chosen to do so.

Originally Posted by ubernostrum
Not just "argued". In State Board v. Young's, the Supreme Court more-or-less signed off on states having all sorts of power to do things normally forbidden to them, so long as it involves regulating alcohol.

More recently they've started to walk back some of that, ruling that the 21st Amendment didn't remove states' obligations of equal protection under the 14th, and chipping away at the power to treat in- and out-of-state sources of alcohol, but State Board still hasn't been overturned.
True, but even if State Board were overturned, CBP could still enforce state limitations on alcohol (or any other product).
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Old Apr 23, 2016, 7:28 pm
  #83  
 
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I returned to Chicago from Tokyo as part of a larger trip that also included HK and Shanghai. I went to the Global Entry kiosk (with was about as crowded as regular immigration), answered the questions including saying I had nothing to declare, got my slip, and went to the exit line with the final customs check. The agent asked if I had anything to declare and i said no, which I didn't. He then became more specific, alcohol, tobacco, are you sure you don't have any alcohol or tobacco. He then wanted to know why I was in Tokyo. I told him a business trip, which it was. He then said business trip is vague, what were you doing in Tokyo. He's had an attitude the whole while but I'm thinking what the h**l, is this really information he's entitled to. So I tell him I met with a Japanese asset company to discuss opening a domestic fund for one of our funds.He instructs me to go over to the line where they X-ray your luggage and if they choose to do so throughly search your luggage. I really didn't have anything so all they did was x-ray it and send me on my way. My question is the agent entitled to question me this way, as in "business trip is vague, what did you do in Tokyo?" It seemed to me this guy was acting more like immigrations office than customs office and a real pain of a customs office at that. Can I tell the guy that it was none of his business what i was doing in Tokyo? And clearly Global Entry signified nothing to him regarding my basic credibility.
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Old Apr 23, 2016, 8:44 pm
  #84  
 
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Originally Posted by Negishi
It seemed to me this guy was acting more like immigrations office than customs office
CBP handles both customs and immigration.
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Old Apr 24, 2016, 4:23 am
  #85  
 
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Originally Posted by Negishi
The agent asked if I had anything to declare and i said no, which I didn't. He then became more specific, alcohol, tobacco, are you sure you don't have any alcohol or tobacco. He then wanted to know why I was in Tokyo. I told him a business trip, which it was. He then said business trip is vague, what were you doing in Tokyo. He's had an attitude the whole while but I'm thinking what the h**l, is this really information he's entitled to.
Of course he's entitled to this information. Asking why you were traveling and then wanting an answer more specific than "business" trip? What's the point of asking the question if one word answers are sufficient?

My question is the agent entitled to question me this way, as in "business trip is vague, what did you do in Tokyo?" It seemed to me this guy was acting more like immigrations office than customs office and a real pain of a customs office at that. Can I tell the guy that it was none of his business what i was doing in Tokyo?
Immigration is about whether you're permitted to enter the country. Once you are positively ID'd as a US citizen, that they don't want to speak to for some reason, immigration is done with you.

Customs is about what you're carrying. They are more than entitled to ask where you were: to decide your risk of bringing in prohibited items, dutiable items, diseases, anything like that.

It's not a particularly intrusive question. And it is his business, as long as it's relevant to his job of preventing dangerous things coming in the country.

And clearly Global Entry signified nothing to him regarding my basic credibility.
The CBP officer isn't required to trust you simply because you're GE. If you seem like you don't want to answer the question, then he's going to doubt your answer. And it sure seems like you didn't want to answer, and he knew it.

How long was this customs interview anyway? 2 minutes? I would take the extra 15 seconds to answer their questions directly and be out of the door quicker.
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Old Apr 24, 2016, 12:12 pm
  #86  
 
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He's entitled to "ask" anything he wants. You are entitled not to answer. You don't have to tell Uncle Sam what you were doing in Japan if you don't want to. They still have to let you in if you have proven that you are a US citizen.

They can't deport you for refusing to answer. They can't arrest you for refusing to answer. They can't keep you at the airport forever for refusing to answer. All they can do is yell at you and stamp their feet and threaten you and search your bag and then let you go home in 1-2 hours.
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Old Apr 24, 2016, 6:41 pm
  #87  
 
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Originally Posted by jphripjah
He's entitled to "ask" anything he wants. You are entitled not to answer. You don't have to tell Uncle Sam what you were doing in Japan if you don't want to. They still have to let you in if you have proven that you are a US citizen.

They can't deport you for refusing to answer. They can't arrest you for refusing to answer. They can't keep you at the airport forever for refusing to answer. All they can do is yell at you and stamp their feet and threaten you and search your bag and then let you go home in 1-2 hours.
To each his or her own, I guess. It just baffles me that people would go through the time and trouble of signing up for a program to expedite screening and then willingly stonewall the screening process on principle.

Seriously: if you are GE with no previous violations then 90% of the time you are basically though immigration AND customs after speaking with CBP for only 1-2 minutes MAX. They are simply asking you a few broad questions relevant to their job.
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Old Apr 25, 2016, 1:16 am
  #88  
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Customs agents all over the world are trained to spot inconsistencies and asking such questions (which are sometimes meant to annoy you) are part of that technique.
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