I never realised this. Why on earth do they carry a gun ? If there's one place in the USA that the public you are dealing with are not going to be able to threaten you with weapons it's the arriving passengers from a plane flight !

I too find the attitude problem has skyrocketed in recent years. The immigration staff used to be welcoming and wish us a good holiday in the US or whatever, but all those staff seem to have been dispensed with in favour of xenophobes (sorry, US people, it's true). Almost the worst are those marshalling the long queues who bawl and shout, and really give the impression that they wish they were issued with a cattle prod to do their job.