[nova22033]

> ask me questions for 20 minutes as if I were a criminal,

Immigration agents aren't the most polite people in the world but how does the immigration agent know you are not a criminal? It's his job to figure that out without holding up the line.

>the thought of a traffic stop by a bored cop "degenerating"

Did that happen to you or is that something you'd imagine happening to you? Most encounters with the police for traffic violations are professional and dare I say courteous.

[ksk]

>Immigration agents aren't the most polite people in the world but how does the immigration agent know you are not a criminal?

I assume he already has a visa to enter the country. It would be easier to conduct the criminal check before granting the visa, and it can be done offline. They can take as long as they like. Or maybe the person came from a country with a visa-waiver program with the US. In which case, I'd agree that the questions could be warranted.