@ Jordan
Hey mate !
Sorry to hear about your "warm welcome" @ O'Hare ..
FWIW and if it's any consolation ... it happens occasionally to me too, although I'm
Caucasian on a EU passport with valid E-2 visa status travelling in and out frequently for most of my adult life.
So he calls over his assistant, and they have selected me for extra security. we are ushered into a room that resembles a jail with a bunch of foreigners where we are kept waiting for 4 hours! These foreigners we were with, like from African countries, middle east countries, all had problems with their papers, and on hearing some interviews some were jus outright lying about why they were there.
Example:
My last time about 4 weeks ago was similarly horrific - arriving in ATL and having seemingly just
bad luck with the first Immigration Officer (who was AA).
Ended up for absolutely nothing (error by first IO in "reading his screen"
) in the 2nd Security Check - exactly as you described complete with one single screaming and intimidating officer in charge and
no phone calls allowed - it reminded me very much of movie scenes from WW2.
After approx 3½ hours of waiting in this holding pen it was discovered - with one single look at the screen - that I was held for nothing at all and was promptly stamped and released without any apology or remark.
The whole ordeal had taken approx 6 hours and of course made me miss the last flight of that day to my final destination - home.
Had to sleep at the airport - with my loved ones extremely worried and waiting at the other end.
They really make you feel very welcome - don't they ?
My Advise: pick your point-of-entry carefully and observe diligently during the long queue-times which IO looks the most "welcoming" in his handling of foreigners @:-) and - with all due respect - never ever respond with disparaging remarks
