I arrived from Mexico back to the USA this week. I'm a US Citizen and went to the US Citizen immigration line. After waiting in a very slowly-moving line for a few minutes, a woman came and stood next to the line without making contact with any of us in the line. I asked the person in front of me "Is she in our line now?" and he said "I guess so."

I went through immigration and they wrote three letters on my form...CXL maybe. As I entered customs, they selected me for a "random" audit which took a good 10-15 mins. The agent was typing everything from the blue form into the computer and asking me lots of questions about where I work etc and even asked for a business card. He then thoroughly examined my suitcase. I did not fit the profile of others in this area...everyone else appeared to be Mexican citizens with large backs. I am a caucasian businessman with a boring old rollaboard suitcase and a laptop bag.

The whole thing left me unsettled - as if I'd been pulled over for speeding - when I don't think I did anything wrong. I can't but wonder if that code the agent wrote meant "disgruntled passenger, check this guy out." I asked the agent if I had done anything to trigger the investigation and he said "We cannot reveal our tactics but we are mandated by the US Congress to conduct random searches." OK....

Lesson learned is to keep my mouth shut next time and just smile as people cut into line... which is normally my approach, but after 6 hours crammed in a Mexicana coach seat I just wasn't feeling the love....