Fredd

Rather than updating older threads, I wanted to find out if this is now a common occurrence. We arrived at LAX (SYD-LAX) this morning and employees were yelling warnings that we couldn't leave the jetbridge without having our passports checked.

We're returned from foreign parts almost countless times this year and this is an unfortunate first for us. Welcome to the U.S.A.

Fortunately for us we were near the front of the line, which was already backing up. As I showed my passport I "joked" with the Immigration inspector "gee, you're making Immigration easy today," and he said, "this is only the beginning." I muttered a funny reply about the beginning of the ordeal after I was out of his earshot.

They don't trust their own security, people, whatever? At least we didn't have a second "preliminary" checkpoint as noted in the earlier thread.

It would have been helpful to have those two manning a counter, I would have thought.

ESpen36

Yes, I had it at ORD once coming in from FRA. CBP officers were waiting at the door of the aircraft and looked at every passport.

I suppose that somebody on your flight might have been a "person of interest" to CBP/ICE/FBI/etc. Or might have had an outstanding warrant, or have been suspected of immigration/customs violations.

davistev

Actually, the reason why they do this is because of the increase in fraudulent "refugee" claims in the USA, Australia and Canada.

Here is what happens - a person boards the aircraft with his Indian (just an example) passport for Canada. He then approaches the immigration desk and applies for refugee status. He has destroyed or chucked away his passport. He refuses to tell the immigration officer that he is an Indian national and claims refugee status as someone from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia or ....... The Immigration Officer will ask him what aircraft he came off - he refuses to say anything except he is a refugee. This person has created enough doubt of his origin that the immigration personel cannot deport him as they do not know his true nationality. This person will then be processed as "released" onto the streets of Toronto and never to be heard from again in many cases.

To stop this, immigration officers now match passengers with passports so at least they know what country they came in from.

In Australia, Immigration officials flushed the toilets of a 747 and found the passports of some people who were caught exiting the aircraft without documentation. They were planning on filing for refugee status. I seemed to remember this flight departed from a "safe country" (Singapore) and therefore the immigration officials have reason to believe that the people were economic migrants and not bona fide refugees who fear persecution if returned to their own country. A claim of "refugee status" is not very strong if it can be shown that the claimant passed through various "safe countries" before filing in Canada or Australia. I am not sure about the USA situation on this point.

If a claimant can raise enough credibility to the belief that they would be persecuted if returned to their country of origin, then they stand a good chance of filing and maybe even getting residence. Hence the careful choosing of the country of origin. Unfortunately, you then have Kenyans claiming to be Sudanese, Indians claiming to Afghanis, South Koreans claiming to be North Korean etc. Create doubt and the possibility of persecution and you have a valid claim in the eyes of immigration law.

One way to stop this is to do a Passport check on the gangway.

mkt

heh... there was a passport check on CM4691 leaving SJU last week.

Uhhh... CBP. Theyre leaving. WHO CARES?

shiv666

i heard a story about this.... some people destroy there passports during the flight and then when they get to the immigration desk they ask for assylum or refugee status...then they cant really send them back since they dont know what flight they were from, so theyll sometimes check at the door of the plane. if they catch you without a passport they will know where to send you back...

Fredd

Thanks for the explanation. While it was still annoying, it's a relief to know there's a method in the apparent madness. Seems to me I now recall hearing about this before but the reminder really helped.

Our actual traverse through Immigration and Customs was quick, efficient, and even friendly.

Cheers,
Fredd

GUWonder

These checks do happen way more since 9/11 than before 9/11 but they have been around for decades and happen for a variety of the same reasons as twenty years ago as today. The reasons include that already mentioned about people claiming refugee/asylum status. It also includes looking for an individual wanted or suspected by a federal government agency of being on the wrong side of the law in some way or another. It also includes putting on a show for supposed deterrence and/or increasing the anxiety level of passengers who may be on the wrong side of the law in some way or another.

SDF_Traveler

This isn't anything new and I randomly encounter this on incoming international flights into the US.

In some cases I suspect they're looking for an individual who is wanted and in other cases I believe they want to make sure every person who gets off the plane has a passport (i.e. didn't destroy passport and toss it in the toilet).

It doesn't seem to matter what country I am returning from - I've encountered these coming in Europe, Asia/Pac, as well as Central America .. but it is really hit or miss.

If anything, I notice these checks the most at MIA when coming in from somewhere like SJO.

Sometimes the check is very informal (i.e. flash your passport and walk on by) while other times they open your passport, match it to you, and even look at your landing card.

Self_Loading_Ballast

Given that jetway passport checks must be a well known tactic by now, I'm surprised that the would-be 'refugees' haven't universally adopted the counter-tactic of ditching their passports in the first toilet inside the terminal.

SDF_Traveler

Assuming the corridor between the jetway and immigration booth even has a restroom. At many US ports of entry there are no facilities until you're through immigrations and in the Customs area. (ok, edited to add: at least I don't recall seeing any)

Otherwise, I don't think it would be too difficult to track the passenger back to their flight with the eye in the sky.

rebadc

Restroom facilities before immigration seen at:

SFO
ATL
LAX
DFW

Those are my Intl gateways.

FlyingHoustonian

Just happened to me on a LHR-IAH flight two weeks ago. 5 CBP agents were checking passports in the hallway heading to the FIS hall (before the bathrooms which are before the hall). I fly int'l into Houston at least monthly if not more and this is the first time my flight had the CBP on arrival at the end of the jetway.

Ciao,
FH

Deeg

Also saw restrooms pre-immigration at ORD recently. Don't think JFK did, however.

TravellinHusker

I've seen this on every single flight into CDG I've ever seen/been on arriving from outside of Europe/US/Canada. There have been members of the French Border Police waiting on the jetway checking passports for my flights from Tunisia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Delhi, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Sao Paolo, Johannesburg, and Dubai.

Centurion210

How if they have to present their passport before going down the jetway?