15
Jul
A world without border. A rallye against Anglo-French Border Control (Photo from www.indymedia.org.uk)
In England, immigration officers do not discriminate. They are mean to everyone. The fact that you are American, Senegalese or Chinese is of little importance to them.
That’s a stark difference from the U.S., where I saw an immigration officer at JFK airport joke with two British passengers.
But here it is Great Brittain, you see. They offer no smile, just posters saying you better be nice to them otherwise you get arrested.
So at the border between France and England, we get off the bus and apprehensively wait in line to show our passports. In the queue, a French worker, who is directing people to the appropriate windows, breaks the ice.
“What’s your nationality?”
“USA”
“USA? Oh! The country of Chuck Norris.”
I laugh and relax. Even the tight lip British officer at the counter cannot wipe out the smile on my face.
“How do you get to travel? You’re a student.”
“Well, I am also a journalist,” I tell him.
I am fortunate, he quickly stamps my passport and hands it back to me without a word. No ‘Have a nice day!’ or ‘Bonne journée!’ or even ‘Welcome to England’.
It could have been worse, I say to myself. I could have been detained for more questioning. That’s what happened to a friend of mine … because he told the truth:
“I am in England to work on a system that will change the world economy.”
His truth seemed too suspicious to them. They interrogated him for 8 hours.
Maybe immigration gates should be illegal. I once met a parliament member of Burkina Faso who said visas are unethical. They are used to keep the poors outside of one’s doors.
With my brand new U.S. passport, I quickly pass through border controls without a visa; the same will be for a European Union passport or a Canadian one. Had I been using a Congolese travel document, it would have taken me months to obtain a visa and details of my bank account would have come into play.
My new American nationality is opening doors.