It just like the "random" security checks before flights where they swab your carry-on. The randomness for me is when they DON'T swab me. Must admit, I always fly alone and I am in that suspicious age group of over fifties!:rolleyes:

Huh? In my experience the number was the number of people covered by the form. If we got an agricultural inspection (likely, we were flying from China) there would be an A on it. We've never drawn any other type of inspection to see how they mark it.

Don't know if anything was written on either of our forms. Didn't bother to even look. Thought we were all done. Not sure if maybe the guy checking the passports thought I was hiding something which I wasn't or if it was indeed random. If he thought I was hiding something wouldn't they have opened our bags after the X Ray? I still haven't heard from anyone who has said they're passport was rechecked. Is it odd that only mine was rechecked or is this just standard?

To summarise:
- False verbal declaration.
- Hesitation whilst giving false verbal declaration.
- Displeasure at being scrutinised in more detail before being released from customs inspection.

Random selection means that yes even you can be selected. It wouldn't be random if you were excluded...

I'm not disagreeing that there are random selections. What makes me feel like it wasn't random was. 1-we went through immigration together and they checked both of our passports 2-they sent us through secondary together 3-if they thought something was fishy about our responses then why didn't they go through our bags after X Ray and 4-why did they only take my passport over to the computer and what exactly could they have been doing with it? Just didn't feel so "random". I've read that US citizens typically get sent to secondary and have passport checked again if something flags them like they have a past criminal history (I don't), have similar name to a bad guy or are under some sort of investigation. Am I missing something here?

Given the specific questions, that sounds a whole lot like a random ag inspection, especially since there was nothing written on your 6059B and no specific questions about your trip beyond the where and why.

I bet the folks doing the secondary inspection didn't have guns.

It sounds like you had an exceptionally brief and pleasant secondary inspection, and you're miffed that it wasn't more intrusive and that your girlfriend didn't get the same treatment.

You know, you can make an online FOIA request for all your entry/exit records, all records of your primary inspections, etc. and then CBP will send you the notes they have typed up about you. They usually redact the reason for referral to secondary though.

More info here: https://www.cbp.gov/site-policy-notices/foia

By the way, here's what they possibly could have been looking at in the computer:

1. Biometric information, like the photo, height, address, occupation listed on your passport application that is linked to your passport in their electronic records.

2. Your history of entries and exits into the U.S. If that history showed you visiting Mexico 15 times in the last year for trips of 3 days or less, they might have looked more closely for drugs. If their system showed that you have a history of getting caught smuggling apples and ham sandwiches into the United States, they would probably search your bags.

3. Your NCIC criminal history. If you had a drug related arrest record, they might have been more interested in looking at your bags.

4. Your airline itinerary/PNR records. CBP has records showing your entire airline itinerary, when you bought your ticket, how you paid for it, the IP address of the computer you used if you bought it online, etc. If those records showed that you bought the ticket on short notice with cash, they might look in your bags for drugs. If the records showed that some Mexican guy bought the ticket for you, they might look closer for drugs or ask you about that. If the airline records showed that you bought 2 tickets, one for you and a Mr. P. Escobar, and that the two of you sat next to each other on the plane, but you showed up at the kiosk with only your girlfriend, they might ask you about that and look more closely at your bags for drugs.

My guess is that everything in their computer system supported your claim to be a bona fide tourist, hence the cursory secondary inspection.

I'm not a tourist though. I'm. US citizen and so is she. We've both been to Mexico twice in the last 6 months and that's it. Tickets were purchased with miles about a week before we went on vacation. The only we changed was the departure date to come back home which we changed a few days before we headed out to Mexico. Not sure why they sent her through secondary with me if they only checked my passport and surveyed me. Still don't understand what they were doing with my passport. If the immigration officer thought I was lying about carrying anything wouldn't they have checked our bags after X Ray? It doesn't make much sense to me.

I think you are still a tourist in Mexico

2 people, 3 checked bags for a short trip? I wouldn't be surprised even if it wasn't random check.

I've been always asked "are you carrying XXX" by the customs officer when I am carrying big checked bag. But, times when I am walking out with a backpack, no questions asked.

They may have sent her through secondary with you for your convenience since you were traveling together and some couples may have a meltdown if they are separated for more than five minutes.

Also, if the inspection gave them cause to believe you would be smuggling something, then they might want to search her bags too, since you presumably could have stashed something in her bags.

You say you still don't understand what they were doing with your passport. They were looking up information about you, as I said in my prior post. That information must have been boring, as it gave them no cause to search your bags, other than the x-ray.

Even without a meltdown over a separation there could be considerable worry about what's happening to their partner.

Yeah, if they find something in yours they'll certainly search hers also.

What I'm wondering is...when a US citizen has to go through secondary in their own country for random reasons or whatever reason do they always take that person's passport to look up information? The only other time I had my bags checked on another return flight home I don't remember them doing anything with my passport. As far as I can remember they only went through my bag and then let me go. I don't remember if they did anything with my passport. If it wasn't random and the immigration officer had "suspicions" then why wouldn't they have checked both of our passports and gone through our bags after the x ray? It seemed like the "random survey" was useless. How many times traveled internationally in the past year, been on any farms, around wildlife, etc. Pretty much same questions other than how many times traveling. It felt more than random. Thoughts?

I've been referred for full secondary inspections six times and agriculture onse 2-3 times.

For full secondary inspections, they have always taken my passport and always searched my bags.

For agriculture, it's more low key, always a bag x-ray, and then I can't remember if there was a passport check or further search.

If it were about taxes, they would have asked you about what you do fora living and tax related issues. It sounds like a rather routine agriculture inspection, the least intrusive secondary inspection yo can get. They may have taken your passport mainly to check if you have a history of prior agricultural violations.

I wouldn't worry about this at all. It's like complaining over and over "A cop pulled me over for speeding and checked my license and regitsration and gave it back and wished me a good day with a warning and I want to do why he didn't as for my passenger's ID and why he didn't pull over other cars going the same speed."

You'll never know if it was really random, it could have just been a hunch based on your nervous or hesitant demeanor with the primary officer, not making eye contact, you history of frequent trips to Mexico, your girlfriend being suspiciously way better looking than you, who knows. They can send you to secondary for just about anything, and they often won't tell you why.

I do recommend making a FOIA request for the records, there may be notes that shed a little light on it. Very little light. Please update us if you find out anything else.

Like I said, don't be surprised if it wasn't random.