Originally Posted by FlyingStella

For reference I am a 26 year old female, who has never been arrested and the most trouble I've been in with the law are a couple of speeding tickets.
In February I left Canada to meet a girlfriend and go backpacking in Central America.
My flight went through Toronto where I went through U.S customs, ending up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where i would meet my friend and then together board another flight to Nicaragua.

When going through U.S customs in Toronto I got detained and questioned by the customs officer.

Basically way back in 2012 when I was young and dumb, i met someone online and went to visit him in the states. He paid for my ticket, and I paid him back for half when I got there. Yes he was older then me. That is a personal preference. I've always been a bit of an 'old soul' and don't like guys my own age.
Obviously I know why the customs officer flagged this as 'suspicious' but the issue I had was I left there with my backpack being thrown at me and booted out the door because he accused me of being a prostitue, repeatedly asked me how much money I was paid to go there and wouldn't let me through unless I could supply 3-4 months of pay stubs from my job. (Not something I usually carry with me when I'm going backpacking for 6 weeks.)

Yes he had every right to deny me entry because I could not provide the required documentation however I left there feeling dirty, degraded, and absolutely horrible about myself.
I feel completely sick and am terrified to go through customs again because of the way I was treated, and I had to spend $1,200 booking a next day flight to Nicaragua that did not go through the U.S.

What I want to know is, can I make a complaint about the way I was treated, and send proof of employment to 'clear my name' before I travel through the states again or do I just have to risk it and hope for a better outcome next time? I don't want to pay for another flight only to find out I'm being turned away again, because quite honestly I can't afford that.

This whole experience has made me never want to travel through the states again, but most cheap flights go through there so I can either go through that nerve wracking process again or pay double or triple for flights from Canada direct to my next destination.

So basically I'm just looking for some guidance.. Can I complain? Will that just put an even bigger red flag next to my name? Does this mean I can't ever enter the states? I am a duel passport holder (I have an EU passport) if I try and go through the states on that passport is it going to look suspicious?
Would I be able to apply for a nexus card now that I've been denied entry and would that help for future visits to the states?

I had been to the states several times before this incident, but always driving across the border not flying. Why was it not an issue when I drove?