USA Entry Hassles?

[belizesailor]

Friends of mine, Brazillian & Chilean, recently sailed from Los Morros Cuba to Ft Myers, FL.

They are not USA Citizens so Cuba was not an issue and officials seemed unconcerned about Cuba, but they were held, interrogated, and their boat tossed over almost a 12 hour period. Released in the end, but what an ordeal.

Any other non-USAs have similar experiences entring the USA?

[RTB]

I doubt Ft. Meyers sees many foreign vessels checking in from Cuba. Your friends certainly past many ports of entry before arriving in Ft. Meyers. Kind of like checking in at George Town, Bahamas after leaving Miami. There is usually a story behind these threads.

Ralph

[mcm]

I would think Ft Myers customs would be a bit suspicious of a vessel leaving Cuba and not checking in to the US until arriving in Ft Myers.

[El Pinguino]

Could be worse... they could have been arriving on a scheduled flight from Australia with their paperwork in perfect order..

This I fear is not an isolated case.. but most will go unreported.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ed-like-a-baby

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...-border-agents

Lots of 'small man in uniform' syndrome out there these days...

[valhalla360]

Or maybe they were concerned about Cuba and the response was extra inspection of the vessel.

[bletso]

Nah, it's just the american way of telling someone they are not really welcome, especially if they had the temerity to visit one of our (USA POV) enemies.

[Island Time O25]

While waiting for the paperwork to be done at the Port Captain's office in Colon two European (?) guys waiting for same struck up a conversation with us. The way they looked, the subjects they raised and their glassy eyes would make me question them extra hard had I been a gov't official clearing them in. I'm sorry but some people are like that - security check magnets. Oh, and their chattering about how they planned to get to Colombia jungles b/c there were hippie communities there and little or no gov't presence also did not help forming a better opinion of them. Of course this could all have been a show if they were narcs or some such LEOs. But if so they deserved an Oscar.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by RTB

I doubt Ft. Meyers sees many foreign vessels checking in from Cuba. Your friends certainly past many ports of entry before arriving in Ft. Meyers. Kind of like checking in at George Town, Bahamas after leaving Miami. There is usually a story behind these threads.

Ralph

Originally Posted by mcm

I would think Ft Myers customs would be a bit suspicious of a vessel leaving Cuba and not checking in to the US until arriving in Ft Myers.

Could have been, though Ft. Myers is an official port of entry.

Only 2 ports of entry further south, Key West and Naples. Both well East of their original route.

They were originally in route to Tampa, flights to catch, but weather window collapsed and they diverted to Ft. Myers. Thats the story...nothing more sinister than that.

[weavis]

I have always found that as non Amercian passport holder, that USA entry could be and usually was not pain free. Even having a Green card was no guarantee of certainty of friendly behavior. It is a Republic all on its own. Ce le vie.... er... whatever that means..

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

While waiting for the paperwork to be done at the Port Captain's office in Colon two European (?) guys waiting for same struck up a conversation with us. The way they looked, the subjects they raised and their glassy eyes would make me question them extra hard had I been a gov't official clearing them in. I'm sorry but some people are like that - security check magnets. Oh, and their chattering about how they planned to get to Colombia jungles b/c there were hippie communities there and little or no gov't presence also did not help forming a better opinion of them. Of course this could all have been a show if they were narcs or some such LEOs. But if so they deserved an Oscar.

I do know similar folks who are "security magnets" and often garner special attention. However, in this case these folks are respectable looking (super fit mountaineering guides...no drugs...almost no alcohol even) in a well maintained Lagoon 38. They are latinos, but speak perfect English...no visual cues other than that.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by weavis

I have always found that as non Amercian passport holder, that USA entry could be and usually was not pain free. Even having a Green card was no guarantee of certainty of friendly behavior. It is a Republic all on its own. Ce le vie.... er... whatever that means..

My favorite reminiscence from about 20 years ago is of airport passport control coming back from Caribbean to US. The fist stop was in Miami so as we get to the waiting area we are horrified by the number of people compared to the number of check gates (or whatchmacallit, with turn styles or some such and each manned by a BP agent). Since we had a very short layover to our connecting flight I went up for a closer look to see if we can avoid those lines. Turned out all of those gates were for non-citizens only. So relieved I start looking for a gate for US citizens. I see an elderly gentleman in uniform sitting on a high stool by what appeared to be a corridor leading out of the room. I ask him where do we go while starting to take my passport out of the breast shirt pocket. Seeing the outside of the passport he just nods in the direction of the corridor and goes back to his snooze.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Could have been, though Ft. Myers is an official port of entry.

Only 2 ports of entry further south, Key West and Naples. Both well East of their original route.

They were originally in route to Tampa, flights to catch, but weather window collapsed and they diverted to Ft. Myers. Thats the story...nothing more sinister than that.

You are confusing:
- Did they have sinister intent?
with
- Did they have a profile consistent with those of sinister intent?

Example: We just got back from a vacation. Met a great local guide. Got to know him, I'm certain there was no sinister intent. He had an offer from a well off client to come visit him in the states and the client was going to pay for everything. He was turned down for a visa.

Of course, he is of middle east descent (though Coptic Christian), under 30, single and someone else is paying for his trip.

He fit a profile. He had the option to appeal but he's from a poor country and it was more than he could afford.

These guys sound like a similar situation. There isn't a rule saying they can't come in from Cuba and skip the closest ports of entry but it fits a profile.


It's not perfect but better than the TSA approach of strip searching grandma so you can justify additional screening of those who are more likely to represent a threat.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I do know similar folks who are "security magnets" and often garner special attention. However, in this case these folks are respectable looking (super fit mountaineering guides...no drugs...almost no alcohol even) in a well maintained Lagoon 38. They are latinos, but speak perfect English...no visual cues other than that.

It could have been the stamps in their passports from countries considered either a terror risk or a narcotics heaven. That would explain the 12 hour boat search.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

You are confusing:
- Did they have sinister intent?
with
- Did they have a profile consistent with those of sinister intent?

...

No obvious profile, but of course the officials involved didn't share what set off the event.

Accused them of having a "secret" compartment on the boat where a recent fiberglass repair had been done, found nothing of course, mirandized them like they were going to arrest them, but didnt...quite a production.

The stated concern was drug smuggling. Maybe they got confused with another vessel or this is a more commom route than I know (with all the observation and enforcement resources on this coast...seems like a bad choice).

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

It could have been the stamps in their passports from countries considered either a terror risk or a narcotics heaven. That would explain the 12 hour boat search.

That's the rest of the World..