Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
Sep 26th 2010, 7:52 pm
#31
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,391
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
We lodged a formal complaint about a worker at the USCIS New York's office and I will tell you it was taken seriously. Seriously enough, that the Washington, DC office that deals with complaints called my husband at home to talk with him and to apologize for the worker's behavior. All future dealings with USCIS were handled with kid gloves by USCIS officer's.
So yes, you can complain. I don't understand though why your husband would have questions for the CBP about immigration. They are not the USCIS and they know diddly about immigrations rules and regulations and are only there at secondary for the processing of the brown envelope and to apprehend people that warrant denial of entry.
So yes, you can complain. I don't understand though why your husband would have questions for the CBP about immigration. They are not the USCIS and they know diddly about immigrations rules and regulations and are only there at secondary for the processing of the brown envelope and to apprehend people that warrant denial of entry.
Sep 26th 2010, 8:37 pm
#32
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,847
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
On my last trip I totally forgot I had a 7 Oz jar of L'Occitane stuff (what IS that stuff, any way?!) for Her In Doors, in my carry-on luggage. I got politely and firmly pulled out of the security line and had my carry-on luggage quickly checked over - which is when they found the offending article. They gave me the chance to bin it or check the bag in. Given it was a St Valentines pressie for She Who Must Be Obeyed, I went for the 'check the bag in option'. I was escorted back to the check-in side of things, and told to come back through the fast track / business line on my way back through security. A perfectly reasonable solution to an innocent problem.
Cheers
Harry
Sep 27th 2010, 2:26 am
#33
Bring on the snow!
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1,420
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
What is it about the officers at ORD. Every other port of entry I've usually dealt with really friendly officers - always smile, great you and wish you well - sometime even joke with you.
But at ORD - no chance.... the last guy didn't even speak to me - slouched in his chair, just muttered about taking finger prints then hovered his stamp over my passport as if he might or might not let me in. Personally I don't care as long as they let me in with no hassle, but it's not very professional. If someone in my office behaved like that they wouldn't have a job for long....
But at ORD - no chance.... the last guy didn't even speak to me - slouched in his chair, just muttered about taking finger prints then hovered his stamp over my passport as if he might or might not let me in. Personally I don't care as long as they let me in with no hassle, but it's not very professional. If someone in my office behaved like that they wouldn't have a job for long....
Sep 27th 2010, 2:51 am
#34
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,048
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
My husband finally got here to Houston with me yesterday (immigrant visa), but passed through immigration at ORD first. He said the experience was horrible. Rude officers, very unhelpful. My husband was nice and never copped an attitude with anyone, but he was shouted at a lot and just talked down to. He had a few questions about some things, but that's normal, and it's their JOB to help people in these situations. They did nothing, just shouted at him to hand them his envelope and shooed him onto the next person. Then the guy who took his fingerprints was Asian and had a heavy accent, so my husband had to ask him a few times, nicely, to repeat himself. Then the guy responds with "YOU SHOULD USE YOUR EARS FOR LISTENING!!" My husband was already angry at this point, obviously. The guy handed back the stamped passport and told him NOTHING but "good luck." The stamp in the passport reads that he was informed of the process of removing the conditions on the green card, but he was NOT at all. The entire time he was shouted at and herded around like some kind of ingrate. All because he just had a couple of questions because, surprise!, he's never done this before! He was so angry at the whole experience he just didn't think about asking his questions only to get ignored again, so he went on to his next gate.
This is absolutely ridiculous. These people are the first damn people you interact with when you reach America, they are the first impression, the face of it. How the hell they get away with this is insane. That we have to go through the better part of a year in this process, separation from each other, moving, and the expenses, I don't think it's too much to ask for a little friendly "welcome to America!" kind of greeting once you finally arrive. Furthermore, not telling someone how to remove conditions? Luckily I know that that is going to have to be done within 2 years, but some people might not know it, and so to not inform them of this fact is completely irresponsible.
Long story short, who the hell can he can write to about this (more than one person/organization would be excellent). I'm not even sure where to start. Thanks in advance.
This is absolutely ridiculous. These people are the first damn people you interact with when you reach America, they are the first impression, the face of it. How the hell they get away with this is insane. That we have to go through the better part of a year in this process, separation from each other, moving, and the expenses, I don't think it's too much to ask for a little friendly "welcome to America!" kind of greeting once you finally arrive. Furthermore, not telling someone how to remove conditions? Luckily I know that that is going to have to be done within 2 years, but some people might not know it, and so to not inform them of this fact is completely irresponsible.
Long story short, who the hell can he can write to about this (more than one person/organization would be excellent). I'm not even sure where to start. Thanks in advance.
Sep 27th 2010, 2:58 am
#35
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,048
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
I'm all for complaining, but be aware of this:
A CNN reporter who wrote a critical article on the TSA was put of the terror watch list.
http://boingboing.net/2008/07/23/cnn...r-says-ba.html
A CNN reporter who wrote a critical article on the TSA was put of the terror watch list.
http://boingboing.net/2008/07/23/cnn...r-says-ba.html
Sep 27th 2010, 3:20 am
#36
221b Baker Street
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Miles from anywhere, Victoria, Australia.
Posts: 14,125
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
Things haven't changed much in 40 odd years then.
My father was seconded to the US Military (he was a civilian) from the UK in 1967 - 1970. I was issued with an A1 Diplomatic Visa. I don't know what they look like now, but then, it was a full passport page, framed in bright colours and all sorts of fancy jazz on it. Stevie Wonder could have seen it.
Before I first flew into JFK my father told me that I would need to point out to the immigration officer that I had an A1 visa. Hmmmm I thought, why would I need to tell them? It's as subtle as a pike staff up yer bum.
Anyway, there I was, 13 years old, at the desk. The bloke looked all through my passport and started to ask questions. So, I plucked up courage and said to him that I had an A1 diplomatic visa.
Within a millionth of a second, I was outside in arrivals with my suitcase. That was nice but I still wonder why I had to point out the bleedin' obvious.
My father was seconded to the US Military (he was a civilian) from the UK in 1967 - 1970. I was issued with an A1 Diplomatic Visa. I don't know what they look like now, but then, it was a full passport page, framed in bright colours and all sorts of fancy jazz on it. Stevie Wonder could have seen it.
Before I first flew into JFK my father told me that I would need to point out to the immigration officer that I had an A1 visa. Hmmmm I thought, why would I need to tell them? It's as subtle as a pike staff up yer bum.
Anyway, there I was, 13 years old, at the desk. The bloke looked all through my passport and started to ask questions. So, I plucked up courage and said to him that I had an A1 diplomatic visa.
Within a millionth of a second, I was outside in arrivals with my suitcase. That was nice but I still wonder why I had to point out the bleedin' obvious.
Sep 27th 2010, 3:32 am
#37
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,048
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
Things haven't changed much in 40 odd years then.
My father was seconded to the US Military (he was a civilian) from the UK in 1967 - 1970. I was issued with an A1 Diplomatic Visa. I don't know what they look like now, but then, it was a full passport page, framed in bright colours and all sorts of fancy jazz on it. Stevie Wonder could have seen it.
Before I first flew into JFK my father told me that I would need to point out to the immigration officer that I had an A1 visa. Hmmmm I thought, why would I need to tell them? It's as subtle as a pike staff up yer bum.
Anyway, there I was, 13 years old, at the desk. The bloke looked all through my passport and started to ask questions. So, I plucked up courage and said to him that I had an A1 diplomatic visa.
Within a millionth of a second, I was outside in arrivals with my suitcase. That was nice but I still wonder why I had to point out the bleedin' obvious.
My father was seconded to the US Military (he was a civilian) from the UK in 1967 - 1970. I was issued with an A1 Diplomatic Visa. I don't know what they look like now, but then, it was a full passport page, framed in bright colours and all sorts of fancy jazz on it. Stevie Wonder could have seen it.
Before I first flew into JFK my father told me that I would need to point out to the immigration officer that I had an A1 visa. Hmmmm I thought, why would I need to tell them? It's as subtle as a pike staff up yer bum.
Anyway, there I was, 13 years old, at the desk. The bloke looked all through my passport and started to ask questions. So, I plucked up courage and said to him that I had an A1 diplomatic visa.
Within a millionth of a second, I was outside in arrivals with my suitcase. That was nice but I still wonder why I had to point out the bleedin' obvious.
Sep 27th 2010, 3:38 am
#38
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 506
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
Some of you might have already watched this video. This is educational and you can learn something from this--you can avoid something like this happening to you. These guys are mostly high school graduates who would have otherwise flipped burgers at McDonald's, but once put on a uniform, these monkeys walk with chins up, chips on their shoulders. Pathetic. I am the kind of man who can't take any shit from anyone, but after watching this, I think I'd better be a bigger man and let sh*t go at POEs.
Sep 27th 2010, 3:55 am
#39
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,048
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
Some of you might have already watched this video. This is educational and you can learn something from this--you can avoid something like this happening to you. These guys are mostly high school graduates who would have otherwise flipped burgers at McDonald's, but once put on a uniform, these monkeys walk with chins up, chips on their shoulders. Pathetic. I am the kind of man who can't take any shit from anyone, but after watching this, I think I'd better be a bigger man and let sh*t go at POEs.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vo91XS5pVj8
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vo91XS5pVj8
Last edited by Seneca21; Sep 27th 2010 at 4:06 am.
Sep 27th 2010, 4:04 am
#40
He/him
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: WA
Posts: 18,837
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
I think it was Chigago I arrived with the original visa and they were abrupt, on the verge of rude to me, others seem to have pointed out Chicago, so maybe that airport is a bad apple. I remember them having zero patients with an Asia (Indian) family and that was rude.
Otherwise I have found them to be friendly and polite.
Otherwise I have found them to be friendly and polite.
Sep 27th 2010, 5:58 am
#41
BE Commentator
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Los Angeles, California
Posts: 8,427
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
He had a few questions about some things, but that's normal, and it's their JOB to help people in these situations. They did nothing, just shouted at him to hand them his envelope and shooed him onto the next person. Then the guy who took his fingerprints was Asian and had a heavy accent, so my husband had to ask him a few times, nicely, to repeat himself. Then the guy responds with "YOU SHOULD USE YOUR EARS FOR LISTENING!!" My husband was already angry at this point, obviously. The guy handed back the stamped passport and told him NOTHING but "good luck." The stamp in the passport reads that he was informed of the process of removing the conditions on the green card, but he was NOT at all.
No rudeness is intended. BTW, racial insults are considered bad form in the US.
Sep 27th 2010, 12:15 pm
#42
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Silicone Valley
Posts: 1,730
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
I think it really does depend on who you get and what mood they are in, I choose to waste 7 hours on a stop over flying through O Hare rather than direct to San Francisco. I always find the Guards at O Hare friendly and helpful, where as at San Francisco they have never been anything but rude and nasty. The only time the Guards at San Francisco were border line polite was when I flew in to activate my Visa.
Sep 27th 2010, 12:21 pm
#43
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,391
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
Why is that considered a racial slur. She was pointing out the obvious that the agent was not a native American but a naturalized American with a very pronounced accent and thus difficult to understand. I hate this PC crap. I want to tell them all to stuff it.
Sep 27th 2010, 1:22 pm
#44
221b Baker Street
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Miles from anywhere, Victoria, Australia.
Posts: 14,125
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
This goes on a bit but....my dad was born in Canada. Only lived there two years and came back to UK with his parents. He was about 36 when asked to travel abroad by his company. He applied for a British Passport (without thinking I guess) and was refused. So, he got a Canadian passport. This was actually just as well as he travelled in the Middle East a fair bit.
Eventually (as mentioned in my earlier post) he was seconded to the US Military. He entered with his Canadian passport. In those days it was common for the wife to be on the husband's passport but as his was Canadian and mum was British she had her own passport.
So, Mum and Dad and younger brother are living in New Jersey. I was at boarding school, older brother was at university and we travelled out to the US for the hols. Older brother and I had A1 diplomatic visas. Not sure what parents had but something similar I guess.
Our family car had military de-cals on it as dad worked on an army base.
So, come the summer hols, all five of us are in New Jersey and we went to Canada on holiday......we get to the border and dad hands over the passports...the Canadian border fellow scratches his head...
"Let me see now", he says to my dad. "You're Candadian, but you are living in the US but you are from the UK? Your wife is British? and the kids have diplomatic passports? The car has decals?......let me think......Have a nice holiday!"
When we re-entered the US all we were asked was did we have any fireworks.
I wonder what would have happened if we'd tried that more recently. Probably get arrested as terrorists!
Eventually (as mentioned in my earlier post) he was seconded to the US Military. He entered with his Canadian passport. In those days it was common for the wife to be on the husband's passport but as his was Canadian and mum was British she had her own passport.
So, Mum and Dad and younger brother are living in New Jersey. I was at boarding school, older brother was at university and we travelled out to the US for the hols. Older brother and I had A1 diplomatic visas. Not sure what parents had but something similar I guess.
Our family car had military de-cals on it as dad worked on an army base.
So, come the summer hols, all five of us are in New Jersey and we went to Canada on holiday......we get to the border and dad hands over the passports...the Canadian border fellow scratches his head...
"Let me see now", he says to my dad. "You're Candadian, but you are living in the US but you are from the UK? Your wife is British? and the kids have diplomatic passports? The car has decals?......let me think......Have a nice holiday!"
When we re-entered the US all we were asked was did we have any fireworks.
I wonder what would have happened if we'd tried that more recently. Probably get arrested as terrorists!
Sep 27th 2010, 2:17 pm
#45
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 40
Re: Who to complain to about rude immigration officers at Chicago O'Hare??
I think that video illustrates how things can be worse. It's not nice to listen to and I would suggest that even without his stroppy attitude things can go horribly wrong.
In response to an earlier question, I think that it is very much at the discretion of the authorities who they flag. Remember that drunken kid who sent a rude twitter/posting to Obama and now he'll never enter the US -that's a case in point.
If you have any incident at the immigration controls then there is a chance you will be flagged. Any negative involvement with immigration officials and you could be flagged. So it follows that if they think your complaint is without merit, then why not flag you?
I have been told by an immigration officer that once you are flagged -that's it. Every entry to the US will involve an interview and a couple of hours questioning. Whether that only happens once a year or once a month -it's not fun, and always makes travel arrangements more complex.
I think, and I may be wrong, that the OP is an American citizen and is indignant that this happened to her and her British partner. I am British and my wife is American -and when I had a bad experience with customs officials, my wife was similarly indignant (how can they do this to an American citizen etc etc). That is totally understandable but at the same time it's better to take a deep breath and get over this negative emotion.
I don't think you will get any satisfaction from making a complaint, but if you do, then please post the outcome and set me straight.
I sincerely wish you good luck with your complaint.
In response to an earlier question, I think that it is very much at the discretion of the authorities who they flag. Remember that drunken kid who sent a rude twitter/posting to Obama and now he'll never enter the US -that's a case in point.
If you have any incident at the immigration controls then there is a chance you will be flagged. Any negative involvement with immigration officials and you could be flagged. So it follows that if they think your complaint is without merit, then why not flag you?
I have been told by an immigration officer that once you are flagged -that's it. Every entry to the US will involve an interview and a couple of hours questioning. Whether that only happens once a year or once a month -it's not fun, and always makes travel arrangements more complex.
I think, and I may be wrong, that the OP is an American citizen and is indignant that this happened to her and her British partner. I am British and my wife is American -and when I had a bad experience with customs officials, my wife was similarly indignant (how can they do this to an American citizen etc etc). That is totally understandable but at the same time it's better to take a deep breath and get over this negative emotion.
I don't think you will get any satisfaction from making a complaint, but if you do, then please post the outcome and set me straight.
I sincerely wish you good luck with your complaint.