bzbdewd

The short version... In the hallway prior to customs MrBzbdewd asked a CBP Officer if he went down the "one stop" lane, if Global Entry was available. Instead of answering the question the CBP officer decided to ask a bunch of questions himself and took exception to the fact that my husband didn't want to tell him where he works (he answered the where was he coming from/going to questions). MrB was calm about it but declined to answer. He was told if he had "nothing to hide" he would answer any/all questions. He ended up getting escorted through the regular customs line, a retaliatory bag search (everything out) and had his passport copied (he called for a Supervisor). The officer told him that he would "See to it" that his GE was revoked along with a whole bunch of other threatening and abusive BS.
The Supervisor told MrBzbdewd it was unlikely that anything would come of it... but any ideas how likely it is?

GUWonder

If it is revoked, write in to DHS/CBP and your elected officials (if applicable) in the US and mention what happened with details about the CBP threatening him.

Silver Fox

Well what did he expect?

Ari

Under the terms of the program his GE should be revoked, for two reasons:

(1) One of the many terms of the program is cooperating with inspection/examination. Those who wish to stand on their rights and not answer a simple question are not 'cooperating' in any ordinary sense of the word. If an officer asks your favorite sex position or the color of your underwear, that's one thing. But "where do you work" is a pretty fair question. You are not required to answer any questions as a citizen, but CBP is not required to keep your trusted traveler membership active if you don't.

(2) The GE application asks for an employment history going back 5 years; on what basis could one maintain GE membership without answering that question when asked?

I don't condone whatever "other threatening and abusive BS" happened, but the threat to get him kicked out of GE seems very fair to me. That does not mean I am hoping that it turns out badly for him, just that he didn't follow the rules of the program and getting kicked out as a result is perfectly fair.

Presumably the supervisor planned to tell the officer to let it go, otherwise the supervisor wouldn't have given an assurance like that.

Um, what good would that do? Complain that you got kicked out for breaking the rules of the program? You may not like the program, but the rules are pretty simple.

GUWonder

What good is silence after subjected to an administrative penalty?

Absent complaints or some other things about how the program may operate, changes to the way CBP operates are relatively less likely and what some deem improvements may become more remote.

Employment status-based discrimination, some of which is related to discrimination on the basis of ethnic and/or sex status, is concerning to some of us who don't like the CBP's use of employment-related information in who to hassle and how, whether or not it involves GE.

To be considered to be cooperating with the screening process shouldn't be contingent upon an admissible person discussing their employment information when the fundamentals of customs declarations for a US person are accurate and complete.

jkhuggins

Disclaimer: I'll admit up-front that I'm terribly ignorant about GE.

Why is this a "fair question"? What does the name of the OP's employer have to do with whether or not the OP can be admitted to the US? What security purpose is served by knowing the OP's employer?

I know those questions sound rhetorical, but I'm serious about the questions. The questions seem, to me, to be unrelated to anything related to border security.

But, again, I'm terribly ignorant about the ways of GE, and would gladly accept some education in that regard ...

Often1

OP was asked a question about a topic which he has already discussed with CBP (it's right on the GE application). He refused to answer and he's subject to having his GE revoked.

Maybe the supervisor will tell the line CBP Officer to let it slide and maybe he won't. And, maybe the line Officer will or won't listen.

If OP's GE is revoked, he can certainly take all of the actions listed above and maybe he will eventually suceed, but it won't be without a lot of time & effort, which in a world where time=money, costs a lot.

Maybe OP's husband forgot that he'd already answered the questios before and that the Officer was likely just doing a random double-check?

bzbdewd

He gave his full employment information when he signed on to the program. I thought that was kind of the point - to do away with the 20 questions routine and speed you on your way.
An additional point which I will add to the original post. MrB asked the CBP Officer if he went down the "one stop" lane, if Global Entry was available. He had not even gotten into the customs hall, he was just in the hallway. Instead of answering the question the CBP officer decided to ask a bunch of questions himself, started with the threats, "escorted him" through the regular customs line, and in fact never did answer the question about GE being or not being available from the one stop lane.
I guess the bottom line is this - you can pay a fee, give up your private information and still be subjected to the "obey my authoritah" of CBP. The whole point of doing GE to me is to limit the amount of hassle one has to put up with at CBP.

bzbdewd

I'm also wondering if he should file a complaint immediately, not wait to see if something starts from this?

Often1

GE does not guarantee anything. It offers the opportunity for expedited processing and that opportunity is reality most of the time. This is even true of non-GE. Some people are processed with little or no interaction and others are processed with more.

The better solution here would have been to answer the Officer's questions and then file a complaint if OP's husband found the questions burdensome or inappropriate. There's nothing here which OP's husband hasn't already provided to CBP and which CBP, if it wanted, couldn't pull from a routine credit report if it wanted to double-check any person's answers.

cottonmather0

Unfortunately, I think this is very similar to the foibles of Precheck. GE is a privilege and as such it can be taken away for whatever reason they decide, even if it's because a single officer files a groundless (in your eyes) complaint.

The only *right* you have in the end is being admitted into the country as a US citizen, and he wasn't threatening you with that. If that were the case, then bowing up and asking for supervisor would have been correct, but if you're going to take advantage of the special privileges, then you're going to have to play whatever stupid games they decide to make you in return for those special privileges. This is why such a vague and catchall term as "cooperating" is used in the first place, to give them room to revoke your privileges whenever they see fit.

Your choice. My interactions with TSA and Precheck are well documented here and I have made a conscious decision now not to rock the boat in a security line because I value my Precheck (and Global Entry) previleges. I was bribed. Your Global Entry status is just as much of a bribe. Either you play the game quietly and enjoy your status most of the time or you complain about the one time it doesn't go smoothly and (in theory) lose your privileges forever. That's just how it is. You have much more to lose by rocking the boat than CBP ever has a chance of learning a lesson and changing their policies.

Bicostal

I think perhaps the long version had has a bit more "color" to it...in my countless travels across the borders of the US, I have never encounterd a CBP that hasn't, at minimum, been professional.

That is his choice - but then again, he's the one who wants to enter the US using his GE benefit.

It is the GE holder who has the requirement to maintain the information used to qualify for GE up to date. It's an open question as to employment history, but certainly the GE application requires this information and the GE profile includes this information. The request from the CBP officer is within his arera of responsibility and the failure to answer is grounds for expulsion.

GE is a voluntary program that requires the release of personal information. He agreed to it. If he now feels uncomfortable revealing it, then he doesn't need to be in the program. Simple as that.

Silver Fox

Tried to get smart, got caught out.

bzbdewd

Last night we were having skype issues so I didn't get the first part clear. I thought he had gone through and scanned his Passport and was asking about Precheck. When I first posted I didn't realize the Officer was just standing in the hallway prior to customs and I think that is significant. But if that is just "color" to you... ok.

If you've never encountered a CBP Officer who wasn't professional I'd count yourself as lucky.

Ari

They are very clear that the program isn't a 'get-out-of-inspection-free' program, but rather a program to expedite entry. That means random luggage inspections sometimes and questions other times. To wit:

http://www.globalentry.gov/about.html

But the program does prevent you from waiting in line in any case.

This is just strange. It sounds like the officer saw fit to give him an attitude adjustment; given his later refusal to answer a simple question, I am inclined to guess that he did something to set the officer off during the initial encounter. You talk about "threats" and "abusive BS" but haven't taken the time to describe them at all; why is that?

Otherwise known as "further examination when entering the United States."

Then you and CBP differ on that point as they believe it is a program to expedite entry, not to limit their authority to conduct examinations when they believe it is warranted.