I had a physical altercation with DFW Customs agents
Apr 15, 2019, 2:09 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,231
It absolutely blows me away that people just comply. Even when you are not doing anything wrong, you still comply. For me, it would absolutely enrage me if somebody did that to my mother, my daughters, my wife. If they would do that to me why shouldn't they do that to anybody else? We pay these people not to be a** holes but to get us through customs. I'm not 2 years old, don't tell me to walk back through the direction I came in then walk back to your desk. Don't attempt to grab me and take my phone away. I'm not like all the other sheep in line. If I am not wrong I will deal with it in the way that I think it should be dealt with. And if they had a touch me again I would absolutely fought back. It was my line, it may not be your line but remember I paid just like you these people salaries to to a job. They are supposed to be DE escalators and these people escalated it it every single point. They are not safe to be around. I do not want them to do that to anybody's family into get power trips around anybody's family.
I might not have survived your encounter, and everyone would have shaken their head and said 'he should have complied'. That's why I would have complied.
That being said, sorry that you experienced this. Luckily you came through it ok.
Apr 15, 2019, 2:18 pm
#17
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Outside of Cleveland Ohio
Programs: UA *G. DL ̶G̶O̶L̶D̶ Member, Hilton/SPG Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 362
I am still enraged. I cannot believe how horrible they are. Arrived from LIR 4/14/29 at 8pm. Went strait to a completely empty Global Entry line. Nobody was there. They had 8 of those switchbacks that i had to walk back and forth through. Again there WAS NOBODY IN THE LINE AT ALL. At about the 7th switchback, i just ducked under the last one. Immediately i was told agressively by the Customs agent that that was not legal, that I must walk through the 8 switchbacks and walk back through the switchbacks. I immediately demanded a supervisor. One was not available, so i stood there in the empty line continually demanding one. I pulled out my phone to tell my wife i would be late and was having problems with customs. The agent jumped from behind his desk and ran toward me grabbed my rm and tried to grab my phone telling me it was illegal to have a phone out while in a customs line. I pulled back and another agent grabbed me and i pushed him off hard. The supervisor showed up and in the loud authoratative voice they are trained to use stated, "I would have had you walk back through just like the agent said". He asked me for my Global Entry card, and told me I must have it on me, and he could pull my GE for not having it. Look, i am an easy guy to deal with, but i am a big guy an spent lots of time in military law enforcement, i was not intimidated, and i know when BS is happening, and at that moment i drew a line in the sand and i would have died before i walked back through the switchbacks. I had lots of aggressive words with these people. i was surrounded and nobody was coming to my defense, (all the sheeple just thinking i was causing the issue) . I told the supervisor I want to go home now, he said we want you to go home also, so with that I grabbed my passport from his hands grabbed my bag, pushed through 2 agents and walked right through customs and exited, the whole time I thought they would stop me. As luck would have it, the DFW watch commander Krutzle was by the baggage claim. I told him what happened, and he confirmed that everything the agents and supervisor told me were not accurate. You can go under the rope, you can have your phone out, and you do not need your GE card when traveling. He assured me that nothing at all will be happening to my GE status, and telling him was the same thing as filing a formal complaint. Anything else i should do?
Perhaps differing from the others on this forum if I were confident enough in myself I would do as you did. Far too often these 'public servants' use any pretense to try and exercise their petty authority. I would encourage you to peruse an apology from the agents in question. They were in the wrong. imitating a physical confrontation is extremely inappropriate for them in this situation. The fact that they (and many LEO"S) will lie to you in order to do as they wish is inappropriate at best. Good on you for standing up to their petty tyranny.
Apr 15, 2019, 2:33 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA, UA lowly commoner
Posts: 783
But if you want to test the limits, I guess you will.
Apr 15, 2019, 2:48 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA PLATINUM
Posts: 127
so many sheep
Sheeple have made so many contributions to humanity and freedom.... SAID NODODY EVER
Apr 15, 2019, 3:04 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA PLATINUM
Posts: 127
Brother, I walk the walk with no regrets. I do it for me and my family, and actually you guys benefit as well. and I dont mind sheep, the world needs them, I am just surprised so many here. and to take it further, If I see in public any of your wives, kids or mothers being treated like trash by public servants or anyone for that matter, I will never hesitate to step in. I always have and always will. And I have come to the realization that while I will step in and defend anybody from some BS, I fully understand that most of you would never stand up for my family if they were in that situation. I'm OK with that but it's unfortunate
Last edited by CUSO; Apr 15, 2019 at 3:11 pm
Apr 15, 2019, 3:11 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: Coffee Shop Buy 10 Get 1 Free
Posts: 296
Sounds like both of you were the problem
Apr 15, 2019, 3:18 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 139
Brother, I walk the walk with no regrets. I do it for me and my family, and actually you guys benefit as well. and I dont mind sheep, the world needs them, I am just surprised so many here. and to take it further, If I see in public any of your wives, kids or mothers being treated like trash by public servants or anyone for that matter, I will never hesitate to step in. I always have and always will
Apr 15, 2019, 3:29 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2003
Programs: American Airlines Platinum, National Executive
Posts: 3,790
I do give credit to the OP for standing up against an improper application of governmental authority. we’d be like North Korea if everyone just followed orders.
However, I’d still pushback about consequential things and wouldn’t bother about inconsequential things.
However, I’d still pushback about consequential things and wouldn’t bother about inconsequential things.
Apr 15, 2019, 4:02 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PDX
Posts: 908
This thread reminds me of some stories where people going through internal Border Patrol checkpoints refused to answer agents' questions. A noble thing to do, no objections from me. However, few of them realized that their success stories were due to the fact that they were white and spoke accentless American English. I myself don't mind being privileged because of my race, but it's important to acknowledge it. Something that OP doesn't get. His "lion" status is not because of his brave attitude but due to some criteria outside of most people's control.
Apr 15, 2019, 4:19 pm
#26
Join Date: May 2006
Location: KSNA/KLAX
Programs: IML GOLD, Bonvoy LTPE, WOH Globalist, AAEXPLT
Posts: 649
Kudos to OP for asserting his rights in Customs. All too many times do we see tales travelers being harassed because of some over zealous officers. Like OP says, he has law enforcement training, and his wife practices law. So aside from irreparable damage such as getting accidentally shot, i'm sure that he'd be made whole if the agents were to break the rules and cause harm. That being said, 99% of travelers probably don't know the rules and regulations very well, so the rule of avoiding confrontation is probably what everyone else should stick to.
Apr 15, 2019, 4:25 pm
#27
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 264
I was OK getting arrested. I know the law well and my wife is an ATTY. He initiated illegal contact, if they arrested me, there was no doubt that there would be a settlement. I was OK with that. Just because they are law enforcement does not mean they can violate the law. Legally I have every right to defend myself from illegal physical aggression, even from police.
Even if you are in the right, it is a 2 minute walk really worth getting arrested over.
Apr 15, 2019, 4:29 pm
#28
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 7
I ducked under the rope of an empty switchback at a different airport recently. The agent there shouted at me "Sir! Please don't do that. Go through properly." I looked around and calmly pointed out that there was nobody else around. She explained that it was set up like that so that the cameras in the ceiling got lots of clear shots of everyone that passed through. Seemed like an acceptable reason, so I apologized. She smiled and said it was no problem, but don't do it again.
I'm not saying the situation is the same at DFW, but sometimes there are reasons for those switchbacks, and being polite to people who are doing their job instead of immediately demanding a supervisor can help defuse a situation.
I'm not saying the situation is the same at DFW, but sometimes there are reasons for those switchbacks, and being polite to people who are doing their job instead of immediately demanding a supervisor can help defuse a situation.
Apr 15, 2019, 4:43 pm
#29
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Dulles, VA
Programs: UA Life Gold, Marriott Life Titanium
Posts: 2,757
If more people stood up, we would have a lot less problems in the world.
Apr 15, 2019, 4:55 pm
#30
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FWIW - both of you and the CBP agents were wrong.
Yes - the CBP Officer should not become the king of the world asking you to go back and forth. It is plainly stupid. But at the same time, you used a cellphone in a prohibited area, or otherwise allowed.
Bottom line - 2 guys (assuming all males) with strong ego made a power play at the wrong place and the wrong time.
The show is over. Now move on.
Yes - the CBP Officer should not become the king of the world asking you to go back and forth. It is plainly stupid. But at the same time, you used a cellphone in a prohibited area, or otherwise allowed.
Bottom line - 2 guys (assuming all males) with strong ego made a power play at the wrong place and the wrong time.
The show is over. Now move on.