Almost got in trouble at the AIRPORT today..

When I was at the security check point at the (XXX) AIRPORT today, I showed my valid passport to prove my identification. While I was getting check from the airport, I wasn't scared or nervous at all because I usually travel around wtih my valid passport and TSA usally doesn't check my status. But unlike other times, the trip to Boston was totally different. When TSA officer check my passport, he actually flip through my passport pages and see if I have a offical stamp or not. And obviously, I don't have any offical stamp on my passport and he asked me where is my VISA or Green Card at. Suddenly, my face was turning red and I was stuck for second because I didn't know what to say. So what I did was that I told them I don't know anything about it and I said I was international student. After that, he asked me if I have any other identification ID or card. So I showed him my credit card, school ID, and all sort of things that have my pictures on it, but obviosuly there is no prove that I'm a legal citizen or whatever.

He then call up few TSA officers to take a look at my passport and detained me on the side and questioned about my status. Some of the questions were like "Where is your visa?" "Are you came here with student visa?" "How old are you?" "Do you have a driver liscence?"

I was actually fawken scared and I didn't know what to do. I really thought I was about to get deport it or something like that, cus they looked at me hella serious and asked me hella tough ass questions that I don't even know how to answer those questions. At that time, my face was red as fawk but I tried to keep it cool and act normal. So basically I was literally getting questioned by 3~4 TSA officers for good 10minutes. And no doubt about it, some of the TSA officers knew that I was undocumented student because I was hella shaking and I didn't answer correctly(?). But at the end, another TSA officer came up to me and look at my passport and said something like "this is vertifed passport" and they let me go...

Fortunately enough, I'm at the Boston now safely but I'm so afraid to go back home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm going back next Tuesday, so please please I really need your help and handle these tough questions or how to prevent this situation again!!! Please PM me or FB me if you know these type of stuff..Thanks**Learn from my mistakes** NEVER FLY DOWN UNTIL YOUR SAFE..!! Thanks guys!!

wow!, im sorry you had to go through that, but honestly, that is not their business to ask you about those things, its only to see if you have a verified passport. i know some of the TSA ppl where im from, and most of them only look on the first page. i know its hard not to shake and be nervous, but you have to act calm and normal. only if they have reason to believe that you might be a threat or using false ID, then they would question you. Some ppl have too much time on their hands, either that or TSA officers on the east coasts are bastards.

First of all, you need to erase this thread and move to other topics or lounge or something. (that's probably what others might say)
*You were obviously very very lucky to be out of there without getting detained or deported. Some might say it's not TSA job to check your status yet, there are many who also say they sometimes will check and report to ICE. You should have been more careful to read some of existing threads to prevent this types of situation! I do not know where you currently live but I recommend that you do not take the flight back to where ever you departed from. Obvious you already experienced it and you do not want to get into that situation ever again. Dream seems to be comming closer and closer to us and I think its very stupid to risk your self to be in that situation.


P.S. I think you should post which airport it was not XXX it out ... it maybe an useful information for other Dreamies!

Some of you guys don't learn... a quick search on the forum will reveal that it is NOT safe to fly unless you have a valid u.s. government ID.

Gateway, you should feel incredibly lucky (this is an understatment,) because in most cases you WOULD'VE been deported if it came to the part of questioning your legal status. Have a beer because you just literally dodged a bullet, like a whole clip of them.


I hope you're not actually insinuating the idea of flying with a 'valid' passport is ok... because it's not. You'd be surprised how many TSA agents will follow up on this shit, just because it's not part of their job description doesn't really mean anything. That's like saying that police officers are not required to call ICE - they can, and will in certain cases. Same goes for the TSA, if they feel like checking your status, their actions are not going to be deemed illegal once it's discovered that you're an undocumented alien.

I'm not sure how much clearer I can explain this without ranting, but for YOUR SAKES, don't fly unless you have a valid DL until Dream passes - PLEASEEEEEE.

I'm sorry to hear about that. But at least its good to know that you were able to pass through eventually without getting in a trouble. I've never had that serious of a problem at the airport so far, TSA usually only look at the first page only just to see who I am... But one time at JFK, the TSA flipped through my passport, finding it completely empty of course, no visa, no stamp, no nothing, gave me a strange questionable look, not to mention at at the very last page of the passport found a $100 bill (which I carry as emergency money). She asked me "is this for me?" half jokingly but half serious as if to see she meant a bribe or something. I flat out said no and stared at her eye, tried to pretend I am perfectly fine... She let me through.

I fully understand you would be very scared of taking a flight but its a risk you have to take, you just had one unlucky moment... Let's hope something like that doesn't happen again.

*edit after reading K-Man's post*
I think I should stop taking risks...

^You make me happy, acknowledging that you understand the risks involved

It's one thing if your relative is on a death bed and you really have to travel on short notice, but leisurely flights with our status and lack of DL is a russian roulette.

There are handful of cases where people like us get caught by the TSA (they usually detain you and call the ICE, since TSA can't check the database, but they CAN hold you until ICE gets there.) Few of those cases were published in the media, but god knows how many people actually get caught this way.


I can only compare this to DUI, you can finess your way out of it for so long, but eventually that one cop who sees your busted taillight will pull you over, and your life is done.

I don't want to sound harsh but I feel like I need to emphasize my point so some of you guys don't get screwed 6 months before Dream passes

I agree 100%

You're lucky, and you knew the risks. Lesson learned, clearly the hard way.

The next time if you get caught, tell them that you are an international student; the passport you are holding is a new passport which you obtain from the consulate after you lost your old passport, which had the visa and stamps. Tell them that you're in the process of applying to INS to get a new I-94 if they ask you where your I-94 is.

This will get you through the TSA.

^wrong idea here. To a suspicious person, the story just sounds like a piss poor excuse trying to cover up the fact that you lack proper documentation.