Is coming to the US dangerous?

[PLC1]

Sure, when you visit third world countries, there is an element of danger. Is there one when foreigners visit the US as well?

Italian’s Detention Illustrates Dangers Foreign Visitors Face
He was a carefree Italian with a recent law degree from a Roman university. She was “a totally Virginia girl,” as she puts it, raised across the road from George Washington’s home. Their romance, sparked by a 2006 meeting in a supermarket in Rome, soon brought the Italian, Domenico Salerno, on frequent visits to Alexandria, Va., where he was welcomed like a favorite son by the parents and neighbors of his girlfriend, Caitlin Cooper.

Ms. Cooper, 23, who had promised to show her boyfriend another side of her country on this visit — meaning Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon — eventually learned that he had been sent in shackles to a rural Virginia jail. And there he remained for more than 10 days, locked up without charges or legal recourse while Ms. Cooper, her parents and their well-connected neighbors tried everything to get him out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/u...=th&adxnnlx=1210789018-1l+sGSo5/LNJKWryqgsnsQ

 

[The Scotsman]

I know truck loads of people that have been to the US and had nothing but a great time! So there are some horror stories..big deal it happens all over the world every day of the year!

 

[Dr.Who]

The article stated that in the last 7 months 8 million people were admitted to the US and of those 3,300 were sent back home for a variety of reasons. Surely the amount of people that are detained from that 3,300 must be much smaller. The article didn't say. No doubt skipping that was a bit of honest fact presentation on the part of the New York Times journalist.

So does that statistic justify saying?:

"it underscores the real but little-known dangers that many travelers from Europe and other first-world nations face when they arrive in the United States — problems that can startle Americans as much as their foreign visitors."

 

[Andy]

I also am confused a bit by the word 'dangerous'. What dangerous thing happened? A 10 day stay in a small local jail in order to verify he wasn't a danger to us... is that a huge danger to him?

I guess my view of 'danger' is what happened to Daniel Pearl.

 

[PLC1]

I also am confused a bit by the word 'dangerous'. What dangerous thing happened? A 10 day stay in a small local jail in order to verify he wasn't a danger to us... is that a huge danger to him?

I guess my view of 'danger' is what happened to Daniel Pearl.

Compared to what happened to Daniel Pearl, or even what happened to Abdul Khadr, a 10 day stay in a local jail has to be pretty safe. Still, it is something that never should have happened.

 

[Andy]

Compared to what happened to Daniel Pearl, or even what happened to Abdul Khadr, a 10 day stay in a local jail has to be pretty safe. Still, it is something that never should have happened.

If your boss came and expected 100% perfection, would you think that is reasonable? Why do you expect perfection from customs agents? Last I checked, they are human too.

 

[Here We Go]

Heck, it's dangerous for you to go to the grocery store or the mail box these days. We're living in times where none of the loonies are locked up anymore. They just roam around because there are no longer "institutions" for the mentally ill like there was in the old days. It doesn't matter if you are an American or new to this country. It's scary out there. Can't go to Mexico anymore lest you be forced into prostitution or something worse (if there is anything worse). If people really thought about this dangerous so-called civilization, they would be so paranoid, they wouldn't even leave the house. Fortunately, there are more good people than bad people on the planet or we'd all be toast. (sigh)