Question about naturalized USC entering the country

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Immigrant66

Registered Users (C)
I was interested to know that how much CBP officers have access to your immigration history on point of entry. I am sure when you enter as a PR they see unlimited info about you at POE in their computer.Is it same when you enter as USC, isn't limited accessable info for the officers if you are US citizen?
 
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If you are naturalized citizen, then you should show a proof citizenship (citizenship certificate, passport and citizenship ID) the at the point of entry.

I assume you hold a foreign passport...as a travel document...Ideally, you should have US passport for travel....
 
I guess what he or she is asking is that could CBP officers see how you received your GC, when, when you became USC or they just won't have that detail once you are US citizen in their computer @ point of entry.
 
If you enter the USA at a POE with a valid US passport, no questions will be asked. In rare cases, there may be questions. At that point something is fishy I assume.
If you are indeed a US citizen in good standing with a valid passport, you have nothing to fear nor to hide. Your history does not matter.
 
The question is whether the CBP will know you are a serial killer ... if they knew this when you entered as a foreigner, I suspect they will know this when you travel as a US citizen too. They may not care much when they scan the passport and it comes clean. However, I think they still have equal "right" or "responsibility" to search / detain you if they suspect something. [ You here is a generic you and may not mean the OP. ]
 
The reason I brought this question up is that something strange has happened to me at point of entry.I was coming back to US as permenent resident with my naturalized citizen freind,At POI CBP officer kept question him and one of the questions was how you become PR before naturalization and he replied through marriage to USC. They took him to a room and searched him and this was shocking to him that I was free to go and he was busted and we still don't know why. I should mention that he has very clean record. we still don't know what officer saw in his computer that triggered to search my buddy freind. from that day on I call my buddy FAKE USC and with what happened he has accepted his new title.
 
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Immigrant66 said:
The reason I brought this question up is that something strange has happened to me at point of entry.I was coming back to US as permenent resident with my naturalized citizen freind,At POI CBP officer kept question him and one of the questions was how you become PR before naturalization and he replied through marriage to USC. They took him to a room and searched him and this was shocking to him that I was free to go and he was busted and we still don't know why. I should mention that he has very clean record. we still don't know what officer saw in his computer that triggered to search my buddy freind. from that day on I call my buddy FAKE USC and with what happened he has accepted his new title.
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Sometimes they ask you this question anyways even though it shows on their screen how you obtained GC and U.S Citizenship. They just want to see how you answer it. All the computers at the POE are connected to one database. Your history is just a scan away weather it is a GC card or U.S Passport.

I don’t know the exact history of your friend but something must have triggered the Red flag. It could be as simple as his name. Naturalized Citizens and GC holders are at the mercy of the officer and they can scrutinize us however they want to. I am always prepared for the worst when I am in line to be honest:)
 
i became NATURALIZED US CITIZEN RECENLY,

I went for a vacation 10days ago, i arrived yesterday

it was easy entry into US, the officer scanned my passport and asked me how long i was in vacation, i said 8 days

then the officer replied welcome back and went through
 
Check these threads ... there are a lot of examples of real life detentions.

http://forums.immigration.com/forumdisplay.php?f=183

Most of the investigations are for non citizens, but citizens can get stopped also. If you were not checked, this has nothing to do with your friend. Also, at the end, he could have always asked them what the issue was. They may not tell, but it is worth a try.
 
Frankly, many of us would love to have your "problems"...., Immigrant66...

please try posting your questions in the proper section of this forum, the people who obtained and secured USC status.
 
A CBP officer can search even a USC because the officer has dual role there, immigration as well as customs. They cannot revoke citizenship but they can subject USC to secondary inspection. But it is very unusual to question someone at the border as to how the citizenship was acquired.
 
Immigrant66 said:
The reason I brought this question up is that something strange has happened to me at point of entry.I was coming back to US as permenent resident with my naturalized citizen freind,At POI CBP officer kept question him and one of the questions was how you become PR before naturalization and he replied through marriage to USC. They took him to a room and searched him and this was shocking to him that I was free to go and he was busted and we still don't know why. I should mention that he has very clean record. we still don't know what officer saw in his computer that triggered to search my buddy freind. from that day on I call my buddy FAKE USC and with what happened he has accepted his new title.
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Let me guess ... he had a Muslim name, or a nonwhite ethnicity?

What they did might have been illegal. Although the CBP officers have more leeway than regular cops, they don't have free reign to hassle citizens at the border or port of entry. If they didn't have anything specific on him, like a warrant for his arrest, he could have just said "I am a US citizen. I have a guaranteed right to enter the US and I am not answering those questions" and they probably would have to let him through anyway; they don't have the right to ship a US citizen off to an immigration detention center. The incident should be reported.
 
I agree with Jackolantern. The only reason I can think of is that his name came up in the "no-fly-list". They did a piece on 60 Minutes a couple years ago in which they focussed on the seemingly arbitrary way names get added to this list. It is true that the chances are higher for Muslim names but there have been many instance of names of "trueblue" Americans popping up in this list. He should have filed a written complaint with the officer's name to his Congress-person about this incident.

The fact that they body searched a USC makes me sick. The whole thing is a farce.
 
BadKarma said:
The fact that they body searched a USC makes me sick. The whole thing is a farce.
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They can search any person entering the country. Whether a USC or not - you automatically give them consent to search you once you chose to cross the border. As a USC, I want to say that I wouldn't want to be treated any different at the POE than my non-citizen father. The only difference between the USC and non-citizens is that the earlier can never be refused entry; however, both can be searched, interrogated and arrested.
 
nightowl said:
If you enter the USA at a POE with a valid US passport, no questions will be asked. In rare cases, there may be questions..
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It's very common that CBP asks you a few questions about your stay outside the US at POE, like how long you've been out, did you purchase anything..etc.
 
König said:
They can search any person entering the country. Whether a USC or not - you automatically give them consent to search you once you chose to cross the border. As a USC, I want to say that I wouldn't want to be treated any different at the POE than my non-citizen father. The only difference between the USC and non-citizens is that the earlier can never be refused entry; however, both can be searched, interrogated and arrested.
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I understand the technicality of your argument. Sure they have a right to search anybody. My hope is that they always do it on valid grounds. For instance, umlauts, or lack thereof in your name, should not be a factor for qualifying for the thrills of a cavity search.
 
Folks- I recently became USC and went to UK on a personal trip, I do have a Muslim name (Proud to be who i am) and Proud to be USC.

It was a pleasant experience at the POE and was asked two questions; Personal or business trip, duration of stay in England and then a friendly "Welcome home".... Just wanted to share my personal experience for clarity and different prospective.

Glad to be home :) US is a Great country where immigrants from all over the world come here to enjoy freedom and opportunity.
 
Glad you had a smooth re-entry. 9 out of 10 times it will be smooth.

firstimmigrant said:
It was a pleasant experience at the POE and was asked two questions; Personal or business trip, duration of stay in England and then a friendly "Welcome home".... Just wanted to share my personal experience for clarity and different prospective.
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Try working in Gulf as an expat. You will take the 1 out of 10 odds I offered anytime :)

eltoro said:
I really hope the rate of rough reentries will be more like 1 in 100. Out of my 19 trips on GC all 19 reentries were pleasant. No trips on US Passport yet.
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