Dubai Stu

I don't think that Nexus users are less trustworthy than GE users. I think US/Canadian land border commuters are more likely to have violations because there is more potential for it. Think about the stories we read a few years ago about how a little sliver of a hamburger in someone's car garbage cost them their Nexus card. What about all the maildrops in Blaine and Point Roberts for Vancouver residents? I'll bet that caused problems. I just heard that Canadian Customs has started staking out some cross-border gas stations for people running over to top up their tank.

I'll bet you these situations cause more violations than the folks coming back on international business trips, but these violations are really pretty petty. If you toss those into the pile, you undoubtly have more violators on Nexus. I think you'll also find that more Canadians violate than Americans because prices are higher in Canada. There isn't much incentive to go to Canada, pay 15% HST, in order to avoid paying 6% sales tax.

It would be interesting if Pennsylvania could setup a "customs booth" at the Delaware state line

FlyingHoustonian

FWIW years ago now, Texas set up "Stake outs" on the line for people coming back from Louisiana with fireworks.

Now, if you cross IH-10 coming from Louisiana the night/morning after Fat Tuesday you see DPS Troopers lined up ready to pull people over.

And of course Cali and some others states have Ag/plant inspections. Nothing like the days of the Grapes of Wrath but still....

DCA1983

As a native louisianan, you can tell a real texan by the way you said "IH-10"

FlyingHoustonian

That goes back to old school TX DOT! They gave all highways two letter designators: us highways as US like US-59, FM-1960(Farm to market a type of state road), TX like TX-35 for state highways, CR for county road and thus when interstates came along they made them IH for interstate highway so they could keep the two letter coding. Most people say in day-to-day talk say "I" like I-10 or I-35. I did a short internship with TX DOT many many moons ago and the two letter habbit stuck LOL. Good catch.

Yes the train is off track, back to GE now.

NA-Flyer

+1

MSP-MN

No X's here either, used it about 15 times from all over.

stylo4444

Hello, was hoping to possibly gain some insight on this as I had an unexpected experience Sunday evening when returning from the Caribbean to my home base of MCO (direct intl flight).

I've had Global Entry since 2012, and out of the 80k - 100k miles traveled per year, about 50-60% is international. I have probably used the GE Kiosk some 20-25 times since 2012, never a single issue...

Until Sunday evening. Arrived at MCO, went to the GE Kiosk, passport scanned...fingerprints scanned...slight delay after all fingerprints read good, clicked on "No" to all questions and "Yes" to my answers are correct. The printed card comes out with an X which is the very first time that has happened. I go up to the CBP agent and show him that I have an "X" and he says "What did you do?" to which I responded "I'm not sure sir, it's the first time I've received an X." He asked me if I had ever been arrested, to which I responded "Never sir." and he looked at me and said "never?" and I nodded my head. He entered in my passort info, played around with the computer a bit...seemed confused, and said "remember even though you have Global Entry you can still be selected for random screening." but then stamped my passport, wrote some letter on the back of the GE printout and gave my passport to another CBP agent and told me "go with him, we need to check your bag."

So I go with the CBP officer and walk a special exit which takes you to baggage claim at MCO, and he tells me "usually when this happens it's either 'what did you do?' or 'what didn't you do?'" in a slightly humorous tone. I was actually quite confused, and it can be a little intimidating I admit. He points to customs baggage check area and says "go get your bag, and then go over there...someone wants to talk to you." I wait a little less than 5 mins for my bag to arrive, start walking to the customs baggage check area when another CBP officer asks me "is that your only bag?" and I say "yes, I'm supposed to go to the baggage check area over there." and he says "yes i know, i have your passport in my pocket." Come with me.

He asks me to put my bags through the scanner, and I do so. He then gets some plastic gloves and says he would like to check my bag. I said sure no problem. He asks me how long I was gone...I let him know 3 days...asks me purpose of my trip and I let him know a short weekend vacation...asks me if I packed everything in my bag, I said yes. If anyone else touched my bag, I said no. Asked me if I was sure, I said yes sir. Asked me if I brought back any gifts or anything, I said no. Asks me if I take any prescriptions, I said yes...asked me for what, and I told him for anxiety and sleep, he said ok. Asked me if I had anything in my pockets, I told him my wallet and cell phone and he asks to take them out. I do so...checks my wallet and asks me how much money I am carrying and I let him know probably no more than $200 in cash. He then asked me what I do for my job, how long I have been employed, where I was born, how old was I when I moved to the United States, and how often I travel. I answered every question. He then told me to zip up my bag and wait right there. I did so...he went somewhere for about 5-6 mins...came back, gave me my passport and said "Ok you're cleared to go, thanks."

And so I left. Whole process from the time I received the X until I was out, was probably...15 minutes, not that long. But I was not given a reason as to why I received that X...nothing about fingerprints, although I did notice that the GE screen did not confirm my flight information, the printout with the X was issued by the machine before it go to the screen where I confirm my flight info. I'm curious has anyone else experienced this recently...is there a reason to be concerned? My GE status has not changed, and of course I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that as it's only been a couple days. Any insight would be greatly appreciated...I don't know if this was just very random and it was simply my time after 20-25 times of incident-free entry with GE. Sometimes I read these stories and it has me concerned but I can't figure out what went wrong.

CKDGM

Odd. I wonder (based on no actual knowledge) if there was maybe some issue with the APIS data from the airline so the GE kiosk couldn't match you to an arriving passenger.

seawolf

Unless it happens again, I would say that is the "you can still be selected for random screening" screening.

Often1

1. It's random
2. Your name and date of birth are a close match to a wanted felon
3. You are a wanted felon

Nothing to be done about 1 or 2. If it's 3, nothing anybody here can do to help.

Seriously - Don't sweat small stuff like this. Some % of all inbound pax receive some form of secondary screening and you are likely one of them. Else, your GE would likely have been revoked. And, it wasn't.

pa3lsvt

That wall of text is really a glowing recommendation for the CBP, except for the computer fiddler who assumed you got arrested. If/when I end up in secondary, I hope it goes that well. Seems like a thorough and efficient screening of an incoming pax.

stylo4444

One thing to add on this, I had two separate one-way tickets and my outbound flight was a different airline than my inbound flight. I wonder if that had anything to do with it?

Although, it's not unusual. I have booked with separate carries before on one-way tickets. Usually when I check-in, the airline will ask if I have my return ticket and I'll show them that. So it has not been an issue before, not sure if that's something which could cause an issue or not.

jozdemir

I had something similar happen before I got GE.

I'd flown PER-SIN-PVG-ORD for NYE a couple of years back then decided to go somewhere warmer so booked to leave the following day to CUN with some friends from Chicago.

On the return 4 days later, after receiving 'SSSS' on my BPs back from CUN I got pulled aside on my entry back into the US at DTW. I was interviewed by Homeland Security for about 15 minutes about my travel, who I worked for, where I was born, where my parents were born etc. I assume similar questions to what you were asked.

When I asked what triggered me being pulled aside they said that my visa didn't come up which I thought was odd considering I'm on an ESTA and entered the US just a few days previously. In any case I can see how the short stay then going to Mexico could trigger some curiosity so that's fine.

Anyway back to the subject at hand, my point is that even after that I still managed to get GE last year so I wouldn't let the one blip concern you too much!

stylo4444

Thanks for sharing your experience. It helps a little bit.

Easier said than done on not worrying about it, just because no reason was given. I had asked the first CBP agent at the computer what could have caused that as it has never happened before and his next question was "have you been arrested?" which really...I don't know why that would be the assumption. And when I said "no, never." his response was "never?" almost as if he expected me to not be honest...when you have individuals like that respond, it's difficult not to have any concern. Only after punching in some keys on the computer, looking at his screen...and then stamping me in he said "even though you have global entry, remember you can be randomly selected." No reason given. The next CBP office that took me to baggage claim did not offer a reason either, nor did he seem to know...he just ventured a guess. And the last CBP agent that took me from baggage claim to the customs baggage check and hand checked my laptop bag, checked-in bag, and wallet...the questions he asked were general more than anything, nothing terribly surprising...

However, just not knowing the reason for that being triggered is what makes me think about it. I had traveled more internationally the last 6 weeks, 4 trips outside the country and 1 trip domestically...maybe it was just a change in travel pattern? My travel overall though is fairly consistent in terms of how much I travel internationally...it can just be spread out, or packed in shorter time frames...just depends on the situation especially with a job that requires you to travel. I guess we'll see what happens with future travel.

seawolf

Absolutely nothing to do with it. I've been doing this for my past 15 trips in the past three years.

Not sure why you are still trying to make sense of it. You only have one instance of this happening. Unless it happens again, just accept it as random.