USA outbound Immigration checks soon?

[SeatBackForward]

Things may be changing regarding USA immigration. When queing up to board my flight out of San Diego last month, a CPB agent approached me and asked if I didn't mind a few minutes with them...you don't argue with the CPB agents right..so I said yes.

He had a hand held device that he used to scan my passport, fingerprints and take a photo. I enquired if they weree doing outbound checks now and he said they are trialling it.

 

[gluewell14]

Guessing they are just "random" checks?

 

[SeatBackForward]

Guessing they are just "random" checks?

I was told it was a trial, and yeah they only picked people out at random at the departure gate.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Perhaps also, as SAN isn't a major international port, its a good place to trial it.

 

[Pushka]

I’ll let you know in a couple of months. I seem to get stuck with all the random type trials.

 

[Denali]

So it was an international flight?

I'll ask, do you tick any ethnic identifiers? (mexican, middle eastern ect?)

 

[SeatBackForward]

So it was an international flight?

I'll ask, do you tick any ethnic identifiers? (mexican, middle eastern ect?)

Indian ethnicity, boarding a JAL flight, the agent was a bit surprised when I piped up with my Aussie accent to say I'm heading to Sydney.

 

[odysseus]

What's the point though?

If they wanted you out of the country, you're already leaving anyway. Are they going to detain you because you shouldn't be in there?

 

[SeatBackForward]

What's the point though?

If they wanted you out of the country, you're already leaving anyway. Are they going to detain you because you shouldn't be in there?

Many (if not most) other countries have outbound immigration - so the same could asked of all of them also.

 

[Denali]

Dont think I would be comfortable with handing my passport, fingerprints and photo to some random guy roaming the airport with a hand held device just because he says he works for the airport.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Dont think I would be comfortable with handing my passport, fingerprints and photo to some random guy roaming the airport with a hand held device just because he says he works for the airport.

The two others with him, all in unifrom, badges, ID and weapons was pretty good assurance.

 

[Himeno]

Got the same thing in Oct 2017 at PHL boarding a QR flight.

They check random pax on random selected flights.

 

[theblank]

I was told it was a trial, and yeah they only picked people out at random at the departure gate.

If i had of picked you out of a bunch of others for special checking, I would tell you its a trial too.

 

[SeatBackForward]

If i had of picked you out of a bunch of others for special checking, I would tell you its a trial too.

Funny how many trials and random security checks I get. I ought to tout my services out to the real crooks as a convenient decoy.

 

[Pushka]

Funny how many trials and random security checks I get. I ought to tout my services out to the real crooks as a convenient decoy.

Well I was mightily searched in Bali while all the deadlocks carrying boogie bags skipped right on past. And I’m an older woman. Apparently people the age of grandparents are of great risk. Apparently. Because one granny got caught. So they must all be bad.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Well I was mightily searched in Bali while all the deadlocks carrying boogie bags skipped right on past. And I’m an older woman. Apparently people the age of grandparents are of great risk. Apparently. Because one granny got caught. So they must all be bad.

You were the token random they selected that hour, so it doesnt seem like their profiling..

I always say to myself, "Don't take it personally, they're just doing a coughpy job that went to the lowest bidder as a veil of security".