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USA Continues to Abuse Innocent UK Tourists
UK Tourists urged to go elsewhere. SB.
North America May 02, 2004 The Sunday Times As the USA puts the squeeze on tourists we find classic America elsewhere http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/arti...096842,00.html May 16, 2004 The Sunday Times And the abuse goes on .... May 16, 2004 US claps British tourists in irons David Robertson and Dipesh Gadher THE Foreign Office is investigating a surge in complaints about the heavy-handed treatment of British visitors to America by US immigration officers. Tourists and business travellers have been detained for hours — sometimes in handcuffs or leg chains — and then denied entry into the country for minor transgressions, some of which have turned out to be unfounded. Some have been deported after being falsely accused of having terrorist links. Dozens of other visitors have complained about aggressive behaviour from airport officials. A security crackdown in the wake of the September 11 atrocities in 2001 has led to a general rise in the number of complaints about US immigration, but last week the Foreign Office said it had been contacted by about 100 concerned Britons in the past 12 months. A number of British travellers who claim to have been mistreated have raised their concerns with The Sunday Times. Savinder Bual, 28, from Merton, south London, flew to America at the end of March to make an educational film. On arriving at New York's JFK airport, she was separated from her colleagues and quizzed by an immigration officer about a trip to San Francisco she had made in 1996. "He asked me how long I had been in San Francisco that time and I explained that I had stayed three months in my university holidays," said Bual. "Then he said, ‘You do know how many days are in a month? A waiver is only for 90 days and you stayed three months.' He seemed very smug that he had actually found something to pin on me." The officer claimed Bual had overstayed by four days and ignored the fact that she had visited America again in 1998 without the issue being raised. Her feet were shackled and she was held in a detention room overnight. The humiliating experience reduced Bual to tears and she was deported 12 hours after her arrival in New York. But she has since discovered from an old diary that she had not overstayed in 1996. "I was shocked to think this goes on and I hope that the Americans realise they cannot treat people like this," she said. Another victim is Neil Forrester, 33, chief technical officer of an IT firm in Brighton. He was held by immigration officers at Los Angeles airport in February 2003. Forrester, who was travelling with his daughter and pregnant wife, had his passport stolen during a visit to America in 1996 which meant that the immigration services had no record of him leaving the country on that occasion. Accused of overstaying, Forrester was handcuffed in front of his family and led to a detention room where he was photographed, fingerprinted and body-searched. He was not allowed to call his wife or a lawyer and was deported after 24 hours. He is now banned from entering America for 10 years. "This is a real problem as my wife and daughter are both US citizens and I can't visit our family over there," he said. British citizens of Asian origin, particularly Muslims, appear to have been affected the most by the security clampdown. Adam Riaz Khan, 24, from Enfield, north London, was detained in February at Atlanta airport while in transit from Mexico to Britain. "They asked whether I had been to Iraq, Iran, Somalia or Afghanistan, and when they found the Koran in my bag I could see they thought they were on to something," he said. "They insisted that Bin Laden was my uncle and asked me if I thought America should be an Islamic state." Riaz Khan, who had been on holiday in Mexico for a month, was also asked if he knew how to make bombs. He was deported to London after being questioned for seven hours. The Foreign Office says it is seeking an explanation from the US authorities about each complaint. British officials and their counterparts from other European Union countries have also jointly raised concerns "at various levels" in America. "We take seriously complaints from British nationals about treatment they have received from American immigration," a spokesman said. "But the Americans decide their policy." Some 4m Britons visit the US each year. The US Department of Homeland Security, which is responsible for immigration, said its officers were fair and professional and would correct any errors they had made. [********]. |
#2
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USA Continues to Abuse Innocent UK Tourists
So let me make sure I understand this.....100 complaints out of 4 million
visitors. Matt "S.Byers" wrote in message m... UK Tourists urged to go elsewhere. SB. North America May 02, 2004 The Sunday Times As the USA puts the squeeze on tourists we find classic America elsewhere http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/arti...096842,00.html May 16, 2004 The Sunday Times And the abuse goes on .... May 16, 2004 US claps British tourists in irons David Robertson and Dipesh Gadher THE Foreign Office is investigating a surge in complaints about the heavy-handed treatment of British visitors to America by US immigration officers. Tourists and business travellers have been detained for hours - sometimes in handcuffs or leg chains - and then denied entry into the country for minor transgressions, some of which have turned out to be unfounded. Some have been deported after being falsely accused of having terrorist links. Dozens of other visitors have complained about aggressive behaviour from airport officials. A security crackdown in the wake of the September 11 atrocities in 2001 has led to a general rise in the number of complaints about US immigration, but last week the Foreign Office said it had been contacted by about 100 concerned Britons in the past 12 months. A number of British travellers who claim to have been mistreated have raised their concerns with The Sunday Times. Savinder Bual, 28, from Merton, south London, flew to America at the end of March to make an educational film. On arriving at New York's JFK airport, she was separated from her colleagues and quizzed by an immigration officer about a trip to San Francisco she had made in 1996. "He asked me how long I had been in San Francisco that time and I explained that I had stayed three months in my university holidays," said Bual. "Then he said, 'You do know how many days are in a month? A waiver is only for 90 days and you stayed three months.' He seemed very smug that he had actually found something to pin on me." The officer claimed Bual had overstayed by four days and ignored the fact that she had visited America again in 1998 without the issue being raised. Her feet were shackled and she was held in a detention room overnight. The humiliating experience reduced Bual to tears and she was deported 12 hours after her arrival in New York. But she has since discovered from an old diary that she had not overstayed in 1996. "I was shocked to think this goes on and I hope that the Americans realise they cannot treat people like this," she said. Another victim is Neil Forrester, 33, chief technical officer of an IT firm in Brighton. He was held by immigration officers at Los Angeles airport in February 2003. Forrester, who was travelling with his daughter and pregnant wife, had his passport stolen during a visit to America in 1996 which meant that the immigration services had no record of him leaving the country on that occasion. Accused of overstaying, Forrester was handcuffed in front of his family and led to a detention room where he was photographed, fingerprinted and body-searched. He was not allowed to call his wife or a lawyer and was deported after 24 hours. He is now banned from entering America for 10 years. "This is a real problem as my wife and daughter are both US citizens and I can't visit our family over there," he said. British citizens of Asian origin, particularly Muslims, appear to have been affected the most by the security clampdown. Adam Riaz Khan, 24, from Enfield, north London, was detained in February at Atlanta airport while in transit from Mexico to Britain. "They asked whether I had been to Iraq, Iran, Somalia or Afghanistan, and when they found the Koran in my bag I could see they thought they were on to something," he said. "They insisted that Bin Laden was my uncle and asked me if I thought America should be an Islamic state." Riaz Khan, who had been on holiday in Mexico for a month, was also asked if he knew how to make bombs. He was deported to London after being questioned for seven hours. The Foreign Office says it is seeking an explanation from the US authorities about each complaint. British officials and their counterparts from other European Union countries have also jointly raised concerns "at various levels" in America. "We take seriously complaints from British nationals about treatment they have received from American immigration," a spokesman said. "But the Americans decide their policy." Some 4m Britons visit the US each year. The US Department of Homeland Security, which is responsible for immigration, said its officers were fair and professional and would correct any errors they had made. [********]. |
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USA Continues to Abuse Innocent UK Tourists
S.Byers wrote:
Savinder Bual, 28, from Merton, south London, flew to America at the end of March to make an educational film. Your subject line says "tourist". It sounds like there was an intent to make a film while traveling under VWP. This doesn't make her a tourist. |
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USA Continues to Abuse Innocent UK Tourists
"Matt" wrote in message
... So let me make sure I understand this.....100 complaints out of 4 million visitors. Matt And how many are chronic malcontents who would complain no matter what? KM -- (-:alohacyberian:-) At my website there are 3000 live cameras or visit NASA, play games, read jokes, send greeting cards & connect to CNN news, NBA, the White House, Academy Awards or learn all about Hawaii, Israel and mo http://keith.martin.home.att.net/ |
#5
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USA Continues to Abuse Innocent UK Tourists
alohacyberian wrote: "Matt" wrote in message ... So let me make sure I understand this.....100 complaints out of 4 million visitors. And how many are chronic malcontents who would complain no matter what? KM Like people that stumble on some stairs in Rome and blame it on the seating space when flying to Paris. |
#6
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USA Continues to Abuse Innocent UK Tourists
"mrtravelkay" wrote in message . com... S.Byers wrote: Savinder Bual, 28, from Merton, south London, flew to America at the end of March to make an educational film. Your subject line says "tourist". It sounds like there was an intent to make a film while traveling under VWP. This doesn't make her a tourist. Also the story about Neil Forrester doesnt ring true. You dont get banned from entering the USA for 10 years for being denied entry under the VWP. Keith |
#7
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USA Continues to Abuse Innocent UK Tourists
"Keith Willshaw" wrote in message ... "mrtravelkay" wrote in message . com... S.Byers wrote: Savinder Bual, 28, from Merton, south London, flew to America at the end of March to make an educational film. Your subject line says "tourist". It sounds like there was an intent to make a film while traveling under VWP. This doesn't make her a tourist. Also the story about Neil Forrester doesnt ring true. You dont get banned from entering the USA for 10 years for being denied entry under the VWP. Read the article. He was accused of overstaying on a pervious visit. Overstaying your visa or entering illegally can get you banned anywhere from 5 ytears to life. Keith |
#8
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USA Continues to Abuse Innocent UK Tourists
"Charles Newman" wrote in message ... "Keith Willshaw" wrote in message ... "mrtravelkay" wrote in message . com... S.Byers wrote: Savinder Bual, 28, from Merton, south London, flew to America at the end of March to make an educational film. Your subject line says "tourist". It sounds like there was an intent to make a film while traveling under VWP. This doesn't make her a tourist. Also the story about Neil Forrester doesnt ring true. You dont get banned from entering the USA for 10 years for being denied entry under the VWP. Read the article. I did He was accused of overstaying on a pervious visit. Overstaying your visa or entering illegally can get you banned anywhere from 5 ytears to life. The operative word being 'can' A 10 year ban usually requires something more than simply overstaying a visa. Keith |
#9
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USA Continues to Abuse Innocent UK Tourists
mrtravelkay wrote in message .com...
S.Byers wrote: Savinder Bual, 28, from Merton, south London, flew to America at the end of March to make an educational film. Your subject line says "tourist". It sounds like there was an intent to make a film while traveling under VWP. This doesn't make her a tourist. Read more carefully. She had been to the USA under VWP in 1996. According to the story the Immigration Officer wrongly thought that on that occasion she had overstayed by four days, and therefore prevented her from making the film. The article says nothing about the visa under which she had been trying to enter the USA to make the film. As for those posters who point out that the number of complaints is relatively low in relation to the total number of visitors to the USA, surely they are defending the indefensible. Incidents of the kind alleged simply should not happen, at all. Such behaviour is not acceptable from any country that claims to be civilised: no country that permits such practices, even in a relatively small number of cases, is fit to be allied with a member of the EU. Of course, the allegations may be false, but they are so consistent with other reports (eg those posted by the Bill Mattocks) that I am inclined to believe them. |
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USA Continues to Abuse Innocent UK Tourists
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