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Helen

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #1 of 9 (3115 views)

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Red Light.....Green Light

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I'm getting ready to head to the states, via bus, for a couple of months and this will be my first border crossing. I was told today that the US Customs is also using the red light/green light system. Is this true?

Despacio

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #2 of 9 (3098 views)

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Don't enter immigration surrounded by Japanese tourists

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if you are of northern euopean descent. Come to think of it, latin descent of any sort.Get in a hurry to beat the rush of the airplane you are on and you may find yourself surrounded by people who's physical appearance is very difference from yours.Please step aside ...

DavidMTY

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #3 of 9 (3095 views)

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No ... they use real people with faulty minds

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Hi Loco, In theory I definitely agree with you, but in practice I suspect I have been repeatedly descriminated against by the Mexican customs officials, especially at check point Charlie. While I have never bothered to do an exposee on this, if they want to make it appear a random red light, but a red one at that, they point to the machine that gives a red light every time and what do you know...RED. Couple that with the corruption and taxes, and I'll take US officials any day of the week. Best...David(MTY): I believe the red-light/green-light is perfect and avoids all chances of racism, sexism or other typical holes that the questionable human mind falls into. If humanity ever gets a grasp of something called 'common sense' then maybe sanity and safety can be more pragmatically dealt with. Until then, RED/GREEN is fine with me.

Tabascoone

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #4 of 9 (3102 views)

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Red Light.....Green Light

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For the last couple of years and as recent as last month I have crossed the border a multitude of times by car and walking (will be doing it again next week). No there is no red, green light system on the U.S. side, at least not at the Matamoros / Brownsville crossing, I do know from speaking to INS and Customs officials that procedures can vary slightly from border crossing to border crossing. Overall it seems simpler to enter from the U.S. into Mexico that viceversa and not necessarily for the obvious reasons, but from the attitudes I have encountered from U.S. officials in several ocassions. I have have ben stopped and questioned a few times by Mexican Officials when entering Mexico and I have always found them very professional, polite and to the point, can't say the same coming back into the U.S. as in several ocassions I have encountered what it seems poor, unprofessional attitudes from U.S. border officials. Not trying to bash them but sometimes common sense should prevail specially from U.S. citizens providing officially issued IDs (U.S. Passport and military ID). The fix? I do not show them anymore, it appears and by my observations the majority of persons crossing by vehicle and walking into the U.S. do not show passports or any ID, so someone showing a U.S. passport may look "suspicious". Go figure, I may be wrong but since I stopped showing ANY identification, I have not had any hazzles crossing the border, an affirmative answer to the question, "Are you a U.S. citizen?" has been all the "identification" I had to provide. Of course a negative answer, prompts them to ask for "papeles", or for that matter any other suspicious answers or looks. (yes profiling is alive and well at the border, not that there is anything wrong with that,in my opinion, I witnessed its application and success at the Harlingen, TX airport near the border.)

Andy in Monterrey

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #5 of 9 (3099 views)

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Red Light.....Green Light

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I usually cross the border from Mexico to the U.S. three to five times a year. It is either by bus, taxi, or sometimes on foot.The last time I went to the U.S. was in March. At the time, I took a taxi from Reynosa to Hidalgo, Texas and had no problems crossing over with the taxi.The times that I have crossed over by bus (goin to McAllen, Texas from Monterrey), the bus had to pull up into a designated parking place and everyone had to get out of the bus with all their things. The suitcases are generally removed from the luggage compartment of the bus. Sometimes they have to be opened and briefly inspected and other times dogs will sniff the luggage and that's it. Sometimes both these types of inspection take place.As an American, I have never had any problems crossing the border by bus. However, I did see an elderly Mexican lady get put off the bus by an INS official some 30 or so miles north of Laredo, Texas, because supposedly her papers were not in order. This INS official was short, dark complected, and looked more Mexican than many of the Mexicans on the bus. When he got on the bus, he told the bus driver, in English, "Let me see if I can lighten your load today". He told this elderly lady that she would have to take a cab back to the INS office in Laredo to get her papers strightened out. One middle-age Mexican couple on the bus felt so sorry for her that they got off the bus with her to try to help her. That one act by this Mexican couple impressed me a lot!All the Mexicans that I've talked to who have crossed the border to the U.S. have told me that they experience more problems with the Mexican-American INS officilas that with the "güero" (Anglo) INS officials. As a former neighbor of mine here in Monterrey put it, "No entiendo eso, ¡somos de la misma sangre!" (Trnaslated: "I don't understand that, we're of the same blood!")I'm glad that my Mexican-American friends (of which I have quite a few of) don't think like some of the Mexican-American border officials concerning citizens of Mexico!: I'm getting ready to head to the states, via bus, for a couple of months and this will be my first border crossing. I was told today that the US Customs is also using the red light/green light system. Is this true?

Loco

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #6 of 9 (3096 views)

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No ... they use real people with faulty minds

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I believe the red-light/green-light is perfect and avoids all chances of racism, sexism or other typical holes that the questionable human mind falls into. If humanity ever gets a grasp of something called 'common sense' then maybe sanity and safety can be more pragmatically dealt with. Until then, RED/GREEN is fine with me.

Mereja

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #7 of 9 (3098 views)

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Red Light.....Green Light

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This may be off the subject a little, but I have seen it many times that Mexican-American people in a position of authority treat Mexicans as inferior. In my job as an advocate for pregnant women who don't speak english who are applying for assistance at different agencies, are treated worse by the Mexican-American or Puerto Rican workers. Sometimes they are denied even when they qualify and I have to fight for them to get what they are qualified for.Sometimes, INS has Puerto Rican workers who don't Mexicans very well, even when they are here legally.: I usually cross the border from Mexico to the U.S. three to five times a year. It is either by bus, taxi, or sometimes on foot.: The last time I went to the U.S. was in March. At the time, I took a taxi from Reynosa to Hidalgo, Texas and had no problems crossing over with the taxi.: The times that I have crossed over by bus (goin to McAllen, Texas from Monterrey), the bus had to pull up into a designated parking place and everyone had to get out of the bus with all their things. The suitcases are generally removed from the luggage compartment of the bus. Sometimes they have to be opened and briefly inspected and other times dogs will sniff the luggage and that's it. Sometimes both these types of inspection take place.: As an American, I have never had any problems crossing the border by bus. However, I did see an elderly Mexican lady get put off the bus by an INS official some 30 or so miles north of Laredo, Texas, because supposedly her papers were not in order. This INS official was short, dark complected, and looked more Mexican than many of the Mexicans on the bus. When he got on the bus, he told the bus driver, in English, "Let me see if I can lighten your load today". He told this elderly lady that she would have to take a cab back to the INS office in Laredo to get her papers strightened out. One middle-age Mexican couple on the bus felt so sorry for her that they got off the bus with her to try to help her. That one act by this Mexican couple impressed me a lot!: All the Mexicans that I've talked to who have crossed the border to the U.S. have told me that they experience more problems with the Mexican-American INS officilas that with the "güero" (Anglo) INS officials. As a former neighbor of mine here in Monterrey put it, "No entiendo eso, ¡somos de la misma sangre!" (Trnaslated: "I don't understand that, we're of the same blood!"): I'm glad that my Mexican-American friends (of which I have quite a few of) don't think like some of the Mexican-American border officials concerning citizens of Mexico!: : I'm getting ready to head to the states, via bus, for a couple of months and this will be my first border crossing. I was told today that the US Customs is also using the red light/green light system. Is this true?

Uncle Donnie

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #8 of 9 (3095 views)

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Red Light.....Green Light

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Hi Helen,I just flew to the US and back and didn't encounter the light system up there. The Mexican Aduana still uses the lights, but you'll not deal with that until you return. I don't know how they'll handle your luggage at the border if you travel by bus, but of course the airlines folks check every bag coming through the Guad airport.Check back please, and give us a report after you return.
: I'm getting ready to head to the states, via bus, for a couple of months and this will be my first border crossing. I was told today that the US Customs is also using the red light/green light system. Is this true?

Dave

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #9 of 9 (3095 views)

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Red Light.....Green Light

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:No red/green light. Be prepared for search and computer background check. Passport necessary.: Hi Helen,: I just flew to the US and back and didn't encounter the light system up there. The Mexican Aduana still uses the lights, but you'll not deal with that until you return. : I don't know how they'll handle your luggage at the border if you travel by bus, but of course the airlines folks check every bag coming through the Guad airport.: Check back please, and give us a report after you return.:
: : I'm getting ready to head to the states, via bus, for a couple of months and this will be my first border crossing. I was told today that the US Customs is also using the red light/green light system. Is this true?