True.
In my experience US immigration is one of the least welcoming parts of any trip stateside.
You really should learn never to “poke the bear” at immigration, anywhere in the world, arriving in Washington DC with my cousin once, he casually mentioned that he’d lived in upstate New York for a couple of years some time back, and thought that he may still have his green card.
That was the last I saw of him for around four hours, as he was quizzed in a back office.
Years earlier, arriving at JFK, immigration casually asked me, “Do you have relations in the U.S.?”
Thoughtlessly, I replied, “If I get the chance.”, it appeared to sail over his head, as he stamped my passport, and said, “Welcome to America.”
Arriving in Brisbane, Australia, immigration looked at my visa, which I assume I only got as I had no criminal record, and said, “Do you have any convictions in U.K.?”
I said, “I didn’t think that was still necessary for us to get into Australia.”
He said, “Oh how funny that was the first time I heard it.”
The one that finally brought it home to me that I’d better wise up and keep my trap shut, was my first time entering Canada, arriving by car, crossing from New York State into Canada, immigration asked me how long was I going to be in Canada.
With way too much impetuosity for a 37 y.o., I replied, “Does it matter, it belongs to us doesn’t it?”
The guy hit the roof so hard, I thought that he’d never come down, and that was it, after that it’s been “Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir, everywhere in the world.”
