I'm looking at this this way, tell him that is bad to introduce items into an eco system that its not designed for, or just take them away and say its not allowed. I don't understand the whole holding them and treating with arrest thing. But its not this issue that really is the jist of it here. Its not just this issue but the larger issue at hand, Customs and Immigration officers yes I understand have a duty to security and protection, and I'm all for that, but that doesn't mean being rude, or giving rude treatment to people, not only being rude to your own citizens, but to foreign citizens visiting, I can't imagine how bad its for them visiting the US, its certainly no wonder why international tourism and business to the US is down, its because of shotty treatment by officials on arrival. I travel overseas and get treated better by foreign immigration/customs officers, then I do by my own.

Sounds to me like typically moronic Boston wannabe behavior.

Trying to be the tough-guy, next Greatest American Hero.

What makes you think this guy understands words like ecosystem?

Rudeness is rudeness, period. The guy wasn't polite enough to take his lumps. Furthermore, he caused enough of a ruckus to intimidate CBP-A, whose only line of defense is any CBPO that happens by or to call the cops. They don't even carry OC spray.

The agriculture officer was only doing his job. Usually the only ones I see complaining are US citizens.

Maybe because if some foreign national started complaining they'll be afraid that they'll be sent right to a detention cell or right back on the plane they came on?

The thing, I'm looking at is the overall status of CPB and treatment in welcoming back citizens and visitors not this particular incident. I guess a large part of the security forum would be out of business if no one had a complaint about procedure, treatment they received etc. Everything is just fine at port of entries.

IME, the worst treatment I've ever seen US Customs folks inflict on inbound passengers was at IAD where an elderly oriental woman spoke little or no English and ended up in the wrong line. The Customs officer was yelling at her and berating her for going down the wrong line, including "If you come to America, you better know how to speak and read English, otherwise maybe you should just go back to where you came from".

In my opinion, there is absolutely no excuse for acting that way to a visitor to the US, especially an elderly person.

This reminds me of standing in long lines in customs while trying to enter Ottawa, and having the "public servants" walk by and proceed to their own personal checkpoint...

I agree. Perhaps if these "better than the people that elected me" types were forced to wait in lines, be treated like crap by customs, TSA, etc., then and only then, maybe things would improve.

Let's see. 3 peaches, or uninspected overseas cargo arriving into the country. Which has the largest chance of devastation?

Once you've answered that (hopefully correctly), try this one? Between international passengers and overseas cargo shipments, which has the lower inspection percentage?

We've had agricultural product restrictions for years, all predating 9/11. There used to be checkpoints at the California borders until the funding was wisely eliminated by the Governator ;)

Not sure why the TSA would be involved as opposed to the USDA or Mass. Dept of Agric. The $300 fine sounds like a bit of overkill for a child's mistake, but it is gratifying to see the "do you know who I am" jerks put in their place.

Hope this guy doesn't plan to vacation in Maui anythime soon. They are very strict there.

As for the devasation comments, keep in mind that a few mediterranean fruit flies can wreak havoc on California agriculture, and we endured years of toxic spraying to eradicate them. So yes, 3 peaches sound pretty harmless - but the results can be far from pretty, even if they aren't lethal like anthrax.

Don't you think there are just some people who like to push the limits or who think they are exempt? I have come through immigration 18 times in the last 5years (including once from Cuba) and I have never once had a problem with customs/immigration.

No doubt there's going to always be someone who thinks they are eligible for something but thats in many other fields not just this alone, but on the other hand the overall number of people aren't criminals, but are treated like they are, and treated poorly by incoming Immigration and Customs officials, maybe your case is different, but I often see yelling officers at incoming travelers, many who probably don't speak much english to begin with, and gruff treatment even for citizens themselves.

Just look at the sharp decline in the number of foreign visitors and business to the US. Its so bad, that even Disney now has some consultants with the government in ways to help improve the experience for incoming and returning travelers.

Detaining for more than an hour for kid's fruit (heck, even for adult's fruit) is stupid, even if some here seem to derive gratification from seeing who it affects. This joy seems to be clouding judgement, at least I hope that's the case. Levy a fine or arrest someone, but detention is so seventh grade. Probably only done to try to shame him in front of his family, because they can.

Rude officers are rude officers. It's as simple as that. "You've lived here 17 years and you don't speak English? What's wrong with you?"

Rude passengers are just as rude.

In my experience, most of the passengers that get caught with food get a verbal warning. But I've also seen "third-strike" offenders get a huge un-mitigated penalty.

What is interesting is that the US seem to hold the whole family accountable. I thought only Arab culture was applying guilt to the whole clan and not to the individual.

If his daughter smuggled the fruit, then how can he have known it, even though he signed it.

He HAS to sign the customs form, as it says one per family but in the end shouldn't be the individual be liable?

And what if the person is just a visitor to the US and doesn't speak english much at all. Also, I've know people who live in the US for a very long time but only have a limited grasp of english, especially elderly immigrants.
Yelling at them to be in the right line isn't going to make a situation any clearer if they can't understand you to begin with, and you don't have to be rude about it to begin with. Its treating people with some respect. Portland for a time was soo bad with its Immigration and Customs officials, it was nick named de-portland and many travel agents specifically told people to avoid flying into Portland.

CBP officers are supposed to locate a translator in most circumstances. Sometimes one just cannot be located. In Los Angeles, you're usually never lacking in Spanish, Tagalog, Portuguese, and Farsi. In other airports your choices might be limited.

As for yelling at passengers who don't understand English or what it is exactly that you're saying is inexcusable. You get to a point to where you just can't take it anymore, the same thing day after day, or the twentieth time that day. I have alot of respect for the officers who can keep their cool no matter what is going on. Everytime I lose my patience, I beat myself up about it for some time, because losing your patience is just so stupid.