Aussies being treated like "criminals" at US airports
Australians have shared horror stories of being interrogated at the US border and being stuck in limbo over visa applications due to the US immigration crackdown.
Australians are finding it harder to visit and work in the US after President Donald Trump’s administration has tightened rules on granting visas to foreigners in a bid to increase border security.
32-year-old Brisbane compliance director, Jinda Baikham, said she felt “very violated” after being questioned at the US border in Hawaii for a visit to Iran years before.
Jinda recently travelled to Hawaii for her fourth time with her mum, dad and three sisters.
Jinda declared the Iranian trip on her visa waiver but when a customs officer saw the stamp on her passport, she was moved into a room and interrogated for three hours.
“I was told nothing. I had to sit and watch an officer go through my entire phone at the counter for over an hour,” she told news.com.au.
“Every now and then, he would ask who certain people were, like texts from my sister, and he commented that I have a lot of photos of my dog.”
“After he went through everything on my phone, he decided there was nothing threatening on my phone against America.”
Jinda was eventually allowed into the country but has said it is unlikely that she will return.
“I felt very violated,” she said.
Another Aussie, who wished to be known as Julie, said she was “traumatised” after attempting to enter the US with a valid J-1 visa but did not have a particular form that was needed.
“You would’ve thought I was a criminal,” she told news.com.au.
“I was whisked away to a separate holding area, whilst my partner was separated and cleared through customs to baggage collection, where I proceeded to sit for three hours, the first 2.5 of these with no explanation, interaction or any idea of what was going on.”
“Post a 17-hour transit, this was considerably painful.”
“Finally when someone called me through, I was yelled at for a good 10 to 15 minutes, asking where my form was (I had told them repeatedly) and that I needed to get someone from Australia to fax them one straight away, being 1 am Queensland time — and who owns a fax machine?”
“Over-tired, overstressed, the tears started from me. Keep in mind, at this whole stage they were yelling — not just discussing like rational people.”
“After being passed on [through customs], the result was I basically just needed to fill out a form with my personal details and send it back in before 30 days. I’m still slightly traumatised by the experience and, to be honest, post this trip I don’t think I will return to the US.”
An Australian immigration lawyer based in the US, Zjantelle Cammisa Markel, said there is “more scrutiny than ever before” for Aussies who want to work in the US.
She explained that US immigration and consulate staffers have been given increased powers to deny foreigners access to the country due to White House-sanctioned updates to the Foreign Affairs Manual, which guides the issuance of visas.
The updates allow officials to refuse visas, if granting one would harm the US’s best interests.
Ms Camissa Markel highlighted that the increased authority was commonly being applied if there was a suspicion that a foreigner was taking a job away from an American.
She also said that there has been increased scrutiny for foreigners who want to change their visa statuses within the first three months of their trip.
Visa holders who get a job or marry an American without telling an immigration official could be accused of lying on their application and deported.
“If you do anything that’s inconsistent with your visa application within 90 days, it can be considered a misrepresentation,” Ms Cammisa Markel said.
Immigration lawyers have urged Aussies to be vigilant with paperwork and transparent with their intentions when visiting the US.