Amazing article about British reporter detained at LAX

[foodcourtdruide]

Pretty amazing story. I wonder what the people on this boards' reaction is going to be.

It really bothers me that for a journalist to enter the United States need a separate visa, and that this woman was treated so poorly for not having one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1231089,00.html

[Furtherman]

That is an awful story. The most important line: Somewhere along the way, in the process of trying to develop a foolproof system of protecting itself against genuine threats, the US has lost the ability to distinguish between friend and foe.

Although I think any publication that were to send its journalists here should have the responsibility of knowing this law - it's too bad for freelance journalists. And they certainly should never be treated the way she was.

[Snacks]

great article. this is what so many of us "liberals" are talking about. We need to protect ourselves, yes but the patriot act is very bad for this country. Why does a journalist need to have a special visa? To write something? Thats just stupid, now journalists will just lie why they are here. This sounds exactly like other countries that dont want the media to tell the truth about their country so they make it harder on the media. Sounds like Iraq? They let you see what they want you to see or tell you what they want you hear. So that they look better then they are.

Listen I dont like the media personally. I think they over exaggerate and create news stories rather then just report them as they are. But a special visa. Come on. It does seem like people visiting America on vacation need more paper work then we need to go out of the country on vacation. I always here about visas and such to come here. But I have been out of the country and only need an ID or passport. My mother went to Italy a few months ago and she never said she had to get a visa. Is this just an American thing, that foreigners need visas for every entry to America?

I noticed the article is from 2004. Hopefully someone important read this and changes were made.

side not: I love how she explains the agents/cops/officers. She is dead on with how smug and cocky they act.

[Ritalin]

I'm what you would call a liberal/progressive/lefty, I suppose, but I think this chick is a troublemaker.

I'm a photographer, and I have to travel internationally fairly often, and anyone who travels for work will tell you that you don't want to tell the customs/immigration people at a countries border that you're coming there to work, and this woman should have known that. If you showed up at customs in Heathrow and told them that you were coming there to work, but didn't have the proper paperwork, you would be asked to step out of the line.

And yeah, the people at Customs are ball breakers. That's their job. Plus, when you give the kind of people who would want that job in the first place the power they get, sometimes they're going to turn into assholes. What, you've never met an asshole cop before? (Sorry Chris the Cop, I don't mean you)

Trust me, I've been there: that no man's land that exists in airports and other points of entry, where it pays to be cool, work with the people, yes maam and no sir, and get out of there as fast as you get your papers stamped. I was on a shoot in Jamaica once, and the client I was working with got really snippy and impatient with the nice woman at customs, who was curious about our equipment and moved at island speed. One of the airline guys pulled me over and told me that I'd better get my friend and pull him out of there, because that nice old woman was about to have my client stripped searched just because he was being such a pain in the ass.

It's their world.

This is how I think this British chick's story should have read: I flew to LA once, and like an idiot I told the customs guy that I was there to work. If I had just said I was there to visit, this never would have happened. They whisked me off, some assholes asked me some questions, they looked in between my butt cheeks, I had a bad sandwich and left.

Boy, was I stupid.

[Midkiff]

This country is going to hell in a handbasket.

"Hey, here's an idea! Why don't we start re-enacting stupid laws from the 50s? Like arresting people we think are commies! Cool!"

Fucking washed-up stupid people run this country.

[foodcourtdruide]

I'm what you would call a liberal/progressive/lefty, I suppose, but I think this chick is a troublemaker.

I'm a photographer, and I have to travel internationally fairly often, and anyone who travels for work will tell you that you don't want to tell the customs/immigration people at a countries border that you're coming there to work, and this woman should have known that. If you showed up at customs in Heathrow and told them that you were coming there to work, but didn't have the proper paperwork, you would be asked to step out of the line.

And yeah, the people at Customs are ball breakers. That's their job. Plus, when you give the kind of people who would want that job in the first place the power they get, sometimes they're going to turn into assholes. What, you've never met an asshole cop before? (Sorry Chris the Cop, I don't mean you)

Trust me, I've been there: that no man's land that exists in airports and other points of entry, where it pays to be cool, work with the people, yes maam and no sir, and get out of there as fast as you get your papers stamped. I was on a shoot in Jamaica once, and the client I was working with got really snippy and impatient with the nice woman at customs, who was curious about our equipment and moved at island speed. One of the airline guys pulled me over and told me that I'd better get my friend and pull him out of there, because that nice old woman was about to have my client stripped searched just because he was being such a pain in the ass.

It's their world.

This is how I think this British chick's story should have read: I flew to LA once, and like an idiot I told the customs guy that I was there to work. If I had just said I was there to visit, this never would have happened. They whisked me off, some assholes asked me some questions, they looked in between my butt cheeks, I had a bad sandwich and left.

Boy, was I stupid.

lol love your summary.

I have no idea what it's like to travel in other countries for business, but her story reminds me of what it may be like to travel in a third world country where freedom and fairness weren't their top priorities. Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I just expect more out of the U.S.

[Ritalin]

lol love your summary.

I have no idea what it's like to travel in other countries for business, but her story reminds me of what it may be like to travel in a third world country where freedom and fairness weren't their top priorities. Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I just expect more out of the U.S.

You aren't free to go to another country and work without proper papers and permission. Pick your favorite country, all full of freedom and fairness, then fly there, and when you go through customs, tell the nice man that you're there to work, but you don't have papers.

They will take you out of the line, and if you're bitchy to them, they're going to fuck with you.

[foodcourtdruide]

You aren't free to go to another country and work without proper papers and permission. Pick your favorite country, all full of freedom and fairness, then fly there, and when you go through customs, tell the nice man that you're there to work, but you don't have papers.

They will take you out of the line, and if you're bitchy to them, they're going to fuck with you.

You make a convincing argument :)

[pennington]

This is how I think this British chick's story should have read: I flew to LA once, and like an idiot I told the customs guy that I was there to work. If I had just said I was there to visit, this never would have happened. They whisked me off, some assholes asked me some questions, they looked in between my butt cheeks, I had a bad sandwich and left.

Boy, was I stupid.

You're exactly right.

She didn't have the proper visa so they were going to send her back to London. Then she mouthed off. Bad Idea.

[sailor]

if you go to england to play soccer, even if you have a signed contract, it's an arduous task to get a work permit/visa.

[furie]

well, having been an inspector for US immigration & naturalization services and sent many an alien to such a facility let me say, Bullshit.

One of its innovations was to revive a law that had been dormant since 1952, requiring journalists to apply for a special visa, known as I-visa, when visiting the US for professional reasons.

considering I was enforcing journalist entering in the country with "I visas" until I left in September 2001, she's either that fucking stupid or lying to make herself look like more of a victim.

I'll spare you the boring details of immigration law, but as she states, she attempted to enter the US using a visa waiver. citizens of certain countries (basically EU members and several other nations where risk of that person staying past the allotted time is low) don't need a visa if they are coming in for B1/B2 purposes.
what are b1 and b2? well, they are basic visas. b1 is for short business stays like a meeting or such. Time is not to exceeds 3 months, though usually time allotted is 1 month. b2 is a visitor visa. basic vacation visa. But one CAN NOT work in the U on a visa waiver or b1/b2.

So she was coming into the US with "I Visa" intent using a visa waiver. She was out of status and technically made herself an illegal alien. Now, enforcement of the "I" varies. Some might chose to "remove " her. no one calls it deport. I HIGHLY doubt they said "We'll have to deport you". that's not what CBP officers say, it's not the term. that's really a movie term. so She's either making that up, or remembering it differently. Deportation is a whole other process that involves a trial. takes years and is handled by a diffrent agency than CBP.

As for her treatment, yes that's consistent with many's experiences.

[furie]

Oh, and this has nothing to do with the patriot act. I left INS about 2 weeks before the Patriot act was passed. This sort of thing happened all the time. Stop with this patriot act/evil government shit. this story could have taken place in 1999 and the end result and experience would have been the same!

[Ritalin]

See, Furie confirms EVERYTHING I was saying!!!! WOOOOOO!!! I was right!!!!

And also, can you see how Furie is kind of a ball buster just from those last two posts? They all are. They're supposed to be. Thank you for watching the border, Furie.

Goddamn Limey Bitch trying to waltz in here and work, and then she goes back home and bitches about it. Cunt.

[furie]

Do i come off as a ball buster?

anyway thanks ritalin. Though i gladly gave that job up years ago, I did have fun while i was there.

[Crispy123]

http://cover6.cduniverse.com/CDUCoverart/Adult/Medium/Front/07436926022.jpg

[Ritalin]

Do i come off as a ball buster?

anyway thanks ritalin. Though i gladly gave that job up years ago, I did have fun while i was there.

No, please don't take that the wrong way. I seriously meant it in the best way possible. I think you HAVE to be a little bit of a ballbuster for that job, and it's really thankless. I'm sure that all you get is people bitching all day long.

Can you imagine if someone like say..Sheepy..were working the line?

[sailor]

um, nsfw?