Dear Editor,

After 34 years of driving, I quit my job vowing never to return to the U.S. under any circumstances!

Here’s why: At Detroit there is total chaos. It takes three to four hours to cross with miles of trucks backed up. They make you stand outside in the rain and snow while they process your paperwork, sometimes taking an hour or more because they are too busy talking among themselves about nothing.

On Nov. 6, I was in the only truck at Windsor crossing at about 1 a.m. I thought it would be hassle-free. I was wrong. It all started when the inspector told me to turn off my truck. I told him it had to cool down for a couple minutes first. In reply, the inspector gave me a dirty look and closed his window.

I got my paperwork and ID ready and gave it to him. He asked my citizenship and where I was going. I told him. He told me he didn’t know of this place so I told him it was 60 miles south of Des Moines. He told me he had never heard of it (Des Moines) and he didn’t know where Iowa was either. Then the inspector started to drill me asking if I knew where Nogalez is. I did. He asked me “So you know where Maricopa is?” to which I replied “Yes.”

That’s when the inspector started asking me whether I knew about about all sorts of different places in New Mexico.

Now you really have to wonder what the hiring criteria are at Customs. What do the people they hire actually have to know, besides how to use a weapon, and how to harass and intimidate other people? Obviously nothing.

To sum up, after all the above, this particular inspector wastes more of my time by sending me to the X-ray to see if there is anything hidden on my load of produce.

After that, I went to my broker and back to Customs, where I was the only one in line. I stood there for at least 20 minutes. Watching four out of five Customs officials talking to each other and walking around doing absolutely nothing. When called up to the counter I was put through another round of useless interrogation and told to sit down and wait while they slowly checked my paperwork.

There should be cameras in these facilities, to show everyone what goes on in here and at every other crossing into the U.S. People’s hard earned tax dollars are paying these Customs employees, who are rude, arrogant and think they walk on water, and nobody can touch them. There is no reason for this kind of deplorable treatment of other people – these officials are no better than anyone else. I think our government should check out what really goes on at Customs. n

Joe Fields

Via email

r,

After 34 years of driving, I quit my job vowing never to return to the U.S. under any circumstances!

Here’s why: At Detroit there is total chaos. It takes three to four hours to cross with miles of trucks backed up. They make you stand outside in the rain and snow while they process your paperwork, sometimes taking an hour or more because they are too busy talking among themselves about nothing.

On Nov. 6, I was in the only truck at Windsor crossing at about 1 a.m. I thought it would be hassle-free. I was wrong. It all started when the inspector told me to turn off my truck. I told him it had to cool down for a couple minutes first. In reply, the inspector gave me a dirty look and closed his window.

I got my paperwork and ID ready and gave it to him. He asked my citizenship and where I was going. I told him. He told me he didn’t know of this place so I told him it was 60 miles south of Des Moines. He told me he had never heard of it (Des Moines) and he didn’t know where Iowa was either. Then the inspector started to drill me asking if I knew where Nogalez is. I did. He asked me “So you know where Maricopa is?” to which I replied “Yes.”

That’s when the inspector started asking me whether I knew about about all sorts of different places in New Mexico.

Now you really have to wonder what the hiring criteria are at Customs. What do the people they hire actually have to know, besides how to use a weapon, and how to harass and intimidate other people? Obviously nothing.

To sum up, after all the above, this particular inspector wastes more of my time by sending me to the X-ray to see if there is anything hidden on my load of produce.

After that, I went to my broker and back to Customs, where I was the only one in line. I stood there for at least 20 minutes. Watching four out of five Customs officials talking to each other and walking around doing absolutely nothing. When called up to the counter I was put through another round of useless interrogation and told to sit down and wait while they slowly checked my paperwork.

There should be cameras in these facilities, to show everyone what goes on in here and at every other crossing into the U.S. People’s hard earned tax dollars are paying these Customs employees, who are rude, arrogant and think they walk on water, and nobody can touch them. There is no reason for this kind of deplorable treatment of other people – these officials are no better than anyone else. I think our government should check out what really goes on at Customs.

Joe Fields

Via email