Originally Posted by
kwildnj
And MSP, for the record, you were in the "pen" at the gate after passing through Customs and Immigration, because in essence, you are already " in " the United States, and thus need to be in a sterile setting. Just as you do not get dumped into the main Terminal when arriving in the United States from a non-precleared city.
I understand that, but it isn't pleasant with barely a drinking fountain and not a large enough seating area. You can be stuck there for quite a while if you are cautious about wait times and your flight delays boarding.