Originally Posted by
ESpen36
Of course, some airlines collect them at check-in counters (or prior to boarding begins, at the gate) for the sake of convenience, but that could pose a problem because then the foreigner could simply walk away, out of the airport, and be in the USA undocumented.
Which is entirely my point...
On my latest departure from the USA, all 1-94s and I-94Ws were collected by British Airways at BWI at check-in. So from this point until departure I did not have one, yet as others have pointed out I could have theoretically re-entered the country at any point up until boarding, pretty much.
The only time I have not had it removed until the gate was when my first segment was US Domestic (ie. DCA-PHL-MAN). No-one cared about I-94s at any point at DCA - they were removed at PHL before boarding the TATL sector.
catandmouse - bear in mind that the I-94 (white, for visa holders) - is still being used.