Airport Detention

What is acceptable while trying to prevent potential terrorists and known criminals from entering the US? Not what happened to my cousin-in-law two nights ago.

Maria was flying from Bogota to Miami, as she had done many, many times. After the American Airlines website showed on its website that the plane had landed, my wife took our two kids with her for the 20 minute drive to pick her up in the pre-chosen spot. Many phone calls later between me, my wife, Maria’s mother and father in Bogota, and 9 laps around Miami airport, we still hadn’t heard from Maria. What was wrong?

My wife decided she needed to come home and get the kids to bed so we could figure out what to do next. First on the list—call American Airlines to see whether she was on the plane. Three calls to AA in Miami (or at least the US) said that this passenger not only wasn’t on the plane, but never had a reservation so obviously never checked in. On the other end in Bogota, three other calls to AA said exactly the opposite—this passenger not only checked in but boarded the plane. What were we to think?

Still no word from Maria. Finally, 3 ½ hours after the plane landed, Maria called crying. She indeed took the exact flight that AA confidently said she didn’t, and she was being detained by Customs and Border protection because she had the same name and “similar features” to a person on a watch list. The Border agent only gave her 2 minutes and made her hang up the phone almost as soon as she made the call, but at least we knew where she was and that she would surely be released when they figured things out--this Maria is as innocent as they come.

We eventually had Maria get to our house in the middle of the night by taxi, but our evening was ruined, she was scared and her connecting trip to New York was severely delayed. All inconveniences, but that begs the question—what is acceptable in this situation?

Does your name automatically screw you when you visit the US? I mean, add Maria to a top 10 name from Colombia and half of South America is fucked, as I just described to you. Similar features? Disappearing from an airline roster? No phone call to alert your contact in the arriving city for over 3 hours? A system that couldn’t rapidly identify her as NOT the person of interest (this was late so staff in DC was tight and slow to help, but if you’re going to detain someone, you need a better plan)?

Anyone have similar stories? Anyone have answers to my questions above? I am all for a strong border and certainly want security, but when a legitimate stop (hey, if she looks like a known terrorist, certainly make sure she’s not) turns into hours of fear for an innocent traveler…..