I agree about MIA. I purposefully avoid that port of entry.

Only the OP knows the true story but I am sure there is more to it. It is hard to believe he wound up in handcuffs simply because he rolled his eyes. My guess is that a lot more transpired than the OP has let us in on.

This is a little bit different. While it is true that MIA is generally slow and I am sure in secondary as well, one can definitely make it slower for themselves. The OP stated he "plucked it out and dropped it on the metal table". When any law enforcement officer asks for either my driver's license or in the case of CBP, my passport, I never do anything other than slowly hand it to him.

After the eye roll, things predictably went down hill. The officer has the power to make things more inconvenient for you. Never show the emotions of your tiring travels or bad day when in customs. When the OP refused to sit back down and ends up in cuffs, that is all on him.

No matter how brusque or mean a LEO might seem, I always do everything they say no matter how bad of a day I am having. They have all of the power during a secondary or traffic stop like it or not.

From a non-customs perspective it is the same. For instance, every few years I get pulled over for speeding. I give them my registration and license and pretend to be happy (even though I am not). It ends up well as the officer usually writes the ticket for a much lessor speed violation than I actually was driving and I save a lot of money. I get an attorney to later negotiate the violation down to illegal parking. It does not lessen the fine but keeps my insurance company from finding out. In LAS most of the reasonable traffic attorneys will do this for only $50.

Most definitley. Not the way it "should be" (or whatever) but the way it is. Copping a 'tude with folks in their position(s) NEVER a good idea. There simply _had_ to be a way to de-escalate before the cuffs came out (or even close to coming out.)

I'm thinking you might want to FOI CBP at this point to find out just what they did put in your file and see if it's at least accurate or if they made it out to be other than it was in your opinion and what you need to say in any future application(s) to make sure your story matches their's completely.

Unfortunately though, unless it's changed recently, be prepared for a very, very, VERY long wait for a reply to that FOI. Still, I'd do it if you want to get a somewhat better picture of what your options are down the line.

Short story. Approved for GE. Then applied for Nexus. Went to the interview and the next day my Nexus app was denied and GE was revoked. Applied and was approved for TSA Pre Check.

Appealed my GE being revoked a few days after it was revoked. Which was back in Dec. also wrote to my congrassman.

When you say "approved for GE" in the second sentence above, do you mean conditional approval (pre-interview) or (post-interview) final approval?

Did your NEXUS application and GE application have any application entries which were misaligned with each other and/or other data entries on GOES?

I went to my GE interview and was approved. A few months later I applied for Nexus and was conditional approved and went to the Nexus interview. A day later Nexus was denied GE was revoked.

All the information on both apps were a mirror to each other, but I did have a few arrest that I fully disclosed on both applications. Arrests were brought up at my GE interview by CBP officer and I had court documents showing the out comes on all arrest that showed up on my record. At my nexus interview my arrest were not brought up, but I'm assuming they didn't bring them up due to me doing a group interview with my family.

Any chance that the Canadians denied you for NEXUS while the U.S. was fine with you having NEXUS and/or GE status prior to the NEXUS denial?

There have been instances where Canada pulled NEXUS status and GE status was revoked as a result of Canada revoking NEXUS membership and whatever it was that Canada relied upon when revoking such membership.

There is a possibility that your lack of bringing up your own arrest history at the interview may have bit you, even if the issue was only/primarily on the U.S. side, but that would be sort of unusual if this was brought up and resolved earlier.

That's an interesting scenario-- glad you reported it. Good to know that there's a degree of "risk" (even if it's very, very, very minute) in a GE member applying for Nexus. Might stop me personally from doing so considering how long it took and how complicated it was getting GE in my case. Again, can't be stressed enough-- I'm sure all (or most) would agree-- for average GE members the "risk" is probably somewhere between none and infinitesimal, but, for my Uber-cautious (in this exact context) self, I'll ponder this thread before applying for Nexus.

Sorry Frustrated Traveller but even a fish wouldn't get caught if.......and in MIA of all places! CBP isn't messing around there.

I don't know that anybody has tried this, but for the cost of a stamp, try sending a personal letter to the CBP District Director for Miami. Get his name, get is title and address correct and send a formal, e.g. nice stationery, proofread letter in which you:

1. Apologize
2. Stress that if you were perceived as belligerent, you did not mean it
3. That you understand the important work Officers do and how little they need the extra hassle.
4. Ask if he will intercede to assist with GE restoration
5. Apologize

If you can't bring yourself to do this, don't. Only you know what GE is worth to you. And nobody can tell you whether this will work. DD's have significant authority in the CBP world and it's my guess that few people make personal approaches to them.

I'm not sure which side of both sides denied my Nexus, but any doubts that I had about not bringing up my arrest were put to sleep once I reapplied for Nexus. My sister, nieces, nephew, and daughter applied for Nexus and had there interviews in April. So I decided to reapply and went to my interview in late March a few days apart from their interviews. This interview was the most interesting out of the 4 interviews that I had. Interviewed with US CBP 1st. Everything was fine till my arrest came up and the lady officer realized that I was born and realized in Los Angeles, CA. 1st thing that came out of her mouth was " Are you in a gang?" My reply was No. She kept pressing the issue through out the interview. She told me it was ok to tell her Yes... I wanted to laugh in her face. Then she started with I'm from California too, I know how the culture is out there. Lady was Mexican. I'm Latino so I'm guessing she was trying to connect with me im some type of weird way. After the interview was over with the U.S. side I went to the Canadian side. Just asked me about my arrest provided them with my court paper work asked a few questions and I was on my way. A few weeks later I was denied again. At this point I'm just going to let it be and wait for the outcome of my appeal. I'm ok with just having TSA Pre Check.

I knew i forgot something. She also asked me numerous times if I had any Tattoos. Good thing I'm a U.S Born Citizen. If I would of been applying for U.S Citizenship I'm sure she would of denied my application.

Approved for GE

We are pleased to inform you that your U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Global Entry program membership has been approved. You may use the program as soon as you receive and activate your new Global Entry card.


Denial Nexus letter

Thank you for your application to the NEXUS program of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

NEXUS is a voluntary program available to travelers that pass a comprehensive background investigation. Applicants found to be ineligible for NEXUS participation may still be permitted to enter into the United States although they will not be permitted to use the NEXUS dedicated lanes.

We regret to inform you that your membership in NEXUS has been disapproved for the following reason(s):

You have been convicted and/or arrested for a criminal offense
You do not meet program eligibility requirements.


GE revoked

Thank you for your participation in the Global Entry program of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Global Entry is a voluntary program available to travelers that pass a comprehensive background investigation. Applicants found to be ineligible for Global Entry participation may still be permitted to enter into the United States although they will not be permitted to use the Global Entry dedicated lanes.

We regret to inform you that your membership in Global Entry has been revoked for the following reason:

You do not meet program eligibility requirements.


Nexus reapplication

Thank you for your application to the NEXUS program of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

NEXUS is a voluntary program available to travelers that pass a comprehensive background investigation. Applicants found to be ineligible for NEXUS participation may still be permitted to enter into the United States although they will not be permitted to use the NEXUS dedicated lanes.

We regret to inform you that your membership in NEXUS has been disapproved for the following reason(s):

Other
You are not a low risk applicant.


GE reapplication

Thank you for your application to the Global Entry program of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Global Entry is a voluntary program available to travelers that pass a comprehensive background investigation. Applicants found to be ineligible for Global Entry participation may still be permitted to enter into the United States although they will not be permitted to use the Global Entry dedicated lanes.

We regret to inform you that your membership in Global Entry has been disapproved for the following reason(s):

Other
You currently have a reconsideration request pending for your Global Entry. This request was received on December XX, 2014 and is still pending. Please wait for a response to your reconsideration request.


Just in case you are wonder why I spent so much money on applying for GE and Nexus. I used my $300 annual travel credit that my Ritz-Carlton card.

Some of the best advise in the thread.

The tattoo question seems to have been an indication that the CBP agent was thinking there was undisclosed gang affiliation even after making the assertion of not being part of a gang.

The ombudsman angle may indeed be less useful -- and often slower -- than the area/district/port director approach, but I would be surprised if the Miami director would offer much more than another GE interview chance with no guarantee of approval and/or maintenance of status if reinstated/approved. These directors have their own career interests to protect.

Whatever the OP did to warrant being cuffed, it seems like a pretty sure-fire way to get kicked out of a "trusted traveler" program. Part of what you sign up for is playing nice with the authorities, they get to choose who gets the special treatment and who doesn't, and if you piss them off, no GE for you.

And being polite and deferent to CBP officers is just a good idea, even if you're not in a TTP. They have all sorts of power to make your life miserable w/o the same sort of due process LEOs are subject to.

If you can't get relief from the Ombudsman, I'd sue.