Originally Posted by
SQ421
Genuine Question. Why do US Immigration / Customs officers carry sidearms?
You are in a secure area of the airport, interacting with passengers who are arriving on international flights and have been screened for weapons before boarding.
I have traversed through Immigration and Customs in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India and the United States, and the US has so far been the only country where I have been greeted by a Immigration officer carrying a sidearm.
Its fine and dandy to say one should not be physically threatened by a uniformed officer with a holstered sidearm, but people in most of the civilized world who don't see guns very often can and do get intimidated at the sight of a uniformed person bearing firearm. Surely the very first interaction that a foreigner has on US shores can be a little less intimidating.
Two points to make:
1. Yes, everyone has been screened before getting on a commercial airliner en route to the USA. But what is the quality of that screening?
Here is just one example of poor screening.
2.
What about checked luggage?
I have no strong opinion on the issue, but I can certainly understand the argument in favour. Honestly, the extra weight on every officer's waist for the next 25 years is bound to do more collective damage than anyone at an airport with a gun ever will (I hope).
Originally Posted by
We Will Never Forget
Because we don't have "state police" roaming the airports with machine guns and heavy body armor. Apparently this doesn't bother you, but a CBP Officer with a gun does.
Good point!