[usedtolurk]

The only surprising thing about this story is that it made the papers.

US immigration officials have always taken a hard line on visitors. I had a very similar experience several years before 9/11 when I was denied entry because they suspected that I MIGHT be intending to marry my then-girlfriend (a US citizen and now ex-girlfriend).

Often, when I've related my story, I've heard similar first-hand accounts of travelers being accused of trying to smuggle in drugs, etc. for no apparent reason and being denied entry, interrogated or worse. Any flimsy pretext seems sufficient. I don't know if the officials need to fill quotas or if they are trying to set examples. I'm sure some are on a power trip but in my case they seemed decent people, just determined not to be swayed by evidence or common sense.

As much as I like America (and it's people in particular) I have no desire to return.