# Convince me to risk visiting the US **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 5, 2004, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-risk-visiting-the-us/222800 "2004-01-05T13:54:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-risk-visiting-the-us/222800/81 "2004-01-07T18:30:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eva Luna \* > \*\*Because Homeland Security is just a re-amalgamation of the myriad other preexisting agencies which had functions that involved keeping the country safe in some respect. INS, Customs, Federal Protective Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Secret Service, and Coast Guard, among others. Most of these agencies have aspects that could be considered part of national security, but also have other aspects which have nothing whatsoever to do with national security (Dept. of Agriculture?) > > I think “reshuffling” is a dandy word. As someone who has to deal with Citizenship and Immigration Services and/or Customs and Border protection on a daily basis, I sure as hell haven’t seen any additional coordination. In fact, the one agency I used to deal with is now two, one of which has changed its name twice in the past year and farmed out most of its external information function to outside contractors who don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. Maybe they’re trying to confuse the terrorists until they give up and go home. \*\* My point was that in a supposed effort to decrease government beauracracy, _more_ beauracracy has in fact been added. I’m not seeing how you have proven otherwise.😕 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-risk-visiting-the-us/222800/82 "2004-01-07T18:52:07Z")
Gee, I wonder what happened to Bakhesh? Maybe he’s travelling in the US and doesn’t have access to a computer… ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-risk-visiting-the-us/222800/83 "2004-01-08T00:27:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by netscape 6 \* > So your against the Geneava Convention and the Bill of Rights? It’s no conspiracy fantasy, They really are being violated. > \*\* Whatever. Bakhesh wanted to know if he should visit the US. Contrary to what you people think, the US is not an armed fortress where he has to worry about being retina scanned every ten feet. He does not need to be concerned about failing a rectal probe and being forced to sign a piece of paper that legally declares him to be the property of Dick Cheney. Bakhesh, here’s what will happen if you come to visit the US. You take your passport. You give it to the customs guy. He asks you some questions about fruit or if you plan to visit a farm or anything. Then you go do whatever the heck you want (within the law) until you go home. I suggest taking in a musical. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-risk-visiting-the-us/222800/84 "2004-01-08T02:00:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hamish \* > \*\*I’d disagree that a Briton wouldn’t have anything to worry about entering the United States. After all, two Canadians have already learned that a Canadian passport is no defense against wrongful deportation: > > [Maher Arar](http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maher_Arar) was deported to Syria, where he was tortured, rather than to Canada where he is a citizen. > > Even less explicable is the case of [Berna Cruz](http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/feb/14ajit.htm), who on her way home from visiting family in India, was deported to _Kuwait_ for no apparent reason, when an immigration official, looking at her passport while she was taking a connecting flight, thought it looked “funky.” She was accused of lying on her passport because he didn’t think “Cruz” sounded like an Indian name. \*\* Hey Bakesh, check Hamish’s links out. The absolute worst thing that can happen to you is to be deported to a country other than the US or UK and tortured for a year. It’s a long-shot- feel lucky? ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-risk-visiting-the-us/222800/85 "2004-01-08T14:16:06Z")
The only thing that bothers me is that only some countries are subject to fingerprinting and photos. They all should be. The process of electronic fingerprinting and photographing takes 10-15 seconds–not exactly a big hassle. I think some people get the idea that you get your fingers inked up and rolled on paper; that’s not the case. ---
**Author:** ![netscape\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@netscape\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netscape_6)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-risk-visiting-the-us/222800/86 "2004-01-08T15:24:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by msmith537 \* > \*\*Whatever. Bakhesh wanted to know if he should visit the US. Contrary to what you people think, the US is not an armed fortress where he has to worry about being retina scanned every ten feet. He does not need to be concerned about failing a rectal probe and being forced to sign a piece of paper that legally declares him to be the property of Dick Cheney. > > Bakhesh, here’s what will happen if you come to visit the US. You take your passport. You give it to the customs guy. He asks you some questions about fruit or if you plan to visit a farm or anything. Then you go do whatever the heck you want (within the law) until you go home. I suggest taking in a musical. \*\* Please explain why Bakhesh would not be at risk of being declaired an “enemy combatant”? (with no trial or anything I might add) Even our own citizens who should be protected by the Bill of Rights are not safe from that. Then there is Bill of Rights violating patriot act (or the unpatriot act as it should truethfully be called). Remember Bush and that antiBill of Rights basterd ashcroft introduced and bullied congress into it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-risk-visiting-the-us/222800.md?page=4)