Local Customs officials lack cultural sensitivity, panel finds

Customs officials in Houston are stricter and less culturally sensitive than their counterparts at other major international gateways, to the detriment of the city's image as a medical, convention and education center, a mayoral task force reported Wednesday.

Mayor Bill White appointed the panel after complaints about unfair treatment and unnecessary delays for international travelers — especially Muslims — arriving at George Bush Intercontinental Airport each week.

"It is now a common perception among foreign visitors, especially business travelers, that (the airport) is not a desirable point of entry into the U.S.," reads the report, presented to the City Council by task-force Chairman Arthur Schechter.

Despite the concerns, the report notes international traffic to the airport is on the rise — about 6.4 million passengers in 2004, an increase of more than 13 percent from 2003. Traffic is strong this year, too, said Robert Trotter, field-operations director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Houston, who defended his agents' work.

The city has no authority over the federal agency's procedures, but the mayor and others said they hope the report will persuade federal authorities to address their concerns — a step Trotter said he has taken.

The report suggests adding Customs agents during peak times, speeding the clearance process and improving awareness of cultural sensitivities.

Trotter said his office has worked with the task force to improve operations. He said many of the delays were fixed when a new processing center opened in January, though the task force said the facility isn't yet fully staffed.

"Our goal is to treat people as fairly and professionally as we can," he said. "Most of these issues have been well taken care of, and we're moving on."

Schechter and others cited anecdotal evidence that had raised concerns, including a story of an 87-year-old woman of Iranian descent detained for 10 hours because she couldn't recall her father's birthday.

In laying out the task force's findings, city officials praised the work of rank-and-file federal agents, saying they didn't want their concerns to hamper security.

"They are good people. They see as their central function making sure that nobody gets through who could pose a risk," White said. "But they also have a function to make sure that Americans don't lose their jobs as a result of that."

Of particular concern were complaints by people who came from overseas to attend the annual Offshore Technology Conference, which drew 51,320 attendees earlier this year. Some threatened not to come back, said Councilman Gordon Quan, a Chinese-American and immigration lawyer.

Houston deserves its reputation for diversity, Quan said, and any perception that it is unwelcoming to foreigners could have a serious economic impact.

"This is a continuing problem," he said. "We certainly haven't resolved anything at this point."

A mayoral task force studied treatment of international visitors who arrive at Bush Intercontinental Airport.

• Key findings : It takes longer for passengers to clear U.S. Customs here than in other places, and agents are more "confrontational." Attitudes toward cultural variables appear "less negative" elsewhere. Use of dogs in close proximity to arriving passengers, a practice that can be stressful and disturbing to some cultures, appears more common here.

• Recommendations: Streamline procedures to match other major international gateways; improve awareness of cultural sensitivities; add Customs agents, especially for special events; add separate lines for people with business visas or those who are attending conventions.

Reading this made me mad. The rest of the customs ought to be as good as the ones we have at IAH. If want they come here, let them adapt to our culture.

Culuture sensitivty == dangerous naivete == opening in defenses;

Why do Americans care about foreigners cultural habits?
I would hope that Customs Inspectors are at least that thorough when checking people. If a foreigner is offended by our security requirements, stick their butts on the next flight back to where they came from. IMHO.

If the Muslims are afraid to enter this country thru this airport it sounds to me like they are doing a good job.

Yeah, but you can still get felt up at IAH. Who needs cultural sensitivity when you have groping?

"Customs officials in Houston are stricter and less culturally sensitive than their counterparts at other major international gateways, to the detriment of the city's image as a medical, convention and education center, a mayoral task force reported Wednesday."

Talk about your "damned if you do...damned if you don't" position; it seems to me that you can't have it both ways. Which is more important, cultural sensitivity or security?

7 posted on 07/28/2005 9:26:50 AM PDT by Surtur (Free Trade is NOT Fair Trade unless both economies are equivalent.)

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