General Reports

With the latest news about "clamping down" on non-essential travel, has there been any noticeable changes besides wait times to cross back into the USA. And what about being questioned by CBP prior to crossing. I crossed on foot about two weeks ago, and there was nobody on the pathway before entering the turnstiles questioning anyone nor any notices that only "essential business" was allowed for crossing. When crossing I was asked where I was going, and I said I had a dental appointment, and was issued a tourist card, they took my temperature, and that was it. Upon returning I have SENTRI and was only asked what I had to declare, and that was it.

So my questions are, are they checking people's temperatures upon crossing back into the USA now, are they asking questions, etc. Up until now crossing in and out by foot has been no different than before for me, albeit I have SENTRI, other than that it's actually been a lot faster entering the Country on foot than before.

[URL]https://www.yahoo.com/news/long-delays-u-mexico-border-211245040.html[/URL]

Has anyone been to go through secondary. If so what questionhas CBP been asking. ?

[QUOTE=Artisttyp;2478062][URL]https://www.yahoo.com/news/long-delays-u-mexico-border-211245040.html[/URL][/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Hargow20;2478075]Has anyone been to go through secondary. If so what questionhas CBP been asking. ?[/QUOTE]I don't read crystal balls but chances are they will ask:

Why were you in Mexico?

Was your reason essential travel? If not why did you go knowing travel was restricted to essential travel only?

Are you bringing back anything with you?

Were you in proximity to anyone with any of these following symptoms. Etc. Etc.

Seriously dude. Get with it. Welcome to the Real World.

[QUOTE=Artisttyp;2478077]I don't read crystal balls but chances are they will ask:

Why were you in Mexico?

Was your reason essential travel? If not why did you go knowing travel was restricted to essential travel only?

Are you bringing back anything with you?

Were you in proximity to anyone with any of these following symptoms. Etc. Etc.

Seriously dude. Get with it. Welcome to the Real World.[/QUOTE]I forgot to mention they do blood testing for Lobster Thermador ingestion and they tie your balls in a noose until you admit to having creamed on Kayla's face.

[QUOTE=Dogers69;2477958]I can asure you birder wait times mean nothing. I'm in line over 2 hours and looking at the website it changes but never shows more than 40 minutes. . . . I'm done with Tijuana last week I went back at 630 am just 4 mine wait so I tried again but my leg is bad its painful to also waste a entire day.[/QUOTE]Try paying 7 $ to take a bus across the border. I tried this for the first time on previous trip and it worked. Tried to cross back around noon on a weekday and had never seen the pedestrian line so long, so I took up the offer from the guys hawking convenient bus trips for $7 and was guided a couple of blocks to the staging area, which was well organized. The half lenght bus was hot with with no AC, but we all had a comfortable seat, with emergency vents and some windows open. Once bus got going and was in line towards customs, it stood still for about 20 minutes but finally got moving and once cleared vehicle customs, we unboarded right in front of pedestrian customs, and within minutes was on the American side.

Established Secondary Review: Escorted by primary CBP or scanner CBP staff. The inspection could involve specialist part of CBP. It all happens fast and you are escorted in certain fashion to a specific area for Secondary.

Keep very calm and respond only when asked and have your hands out of pockets.

Car Situation:

Stay in the car for further CBP instructions.

Hopefully you won't experience any major discomfort or long term PTSD flash backs.

Release from CBP hold based on individual circumstances.

And the reason for CBP Secondary.

CBP Supervisor review / sign-0 ff.

Ref: April 2020 Last Trip.

No legal advice intended.

Be Safe.

[QUOTE=Hargow20;2478075]Has anyone been to go through secondary. If so what questionhas CBP been asking.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=CaptainSolo;2477890]Fryer,

Wed and Sunday last week at 1 and 6 PM, the return READY car lanes in San Ysidro were the longest I have ever seen, about 2 miles long. Meanwhile there were very few pedestrians.

Looks like there are no tourists, only people driving over for personal business, visiting families, Gfs etc. Tell CBP you have essential business, medical, dental appointments, buying meds ect. If not essential, agents can send you to secondary inspection to cool your ass a few hours.[/QUOTE]Capt. Solo, Since this whole Covid-19 started, I haven't had any problems crossing into Mexico or coming back into the USA You are correct about the secondary zone, if you give a lame answer, you'll end up in the secondary zone. I always have dentist medical receipt with me, so if they really get too nosey I show them the dentist receipt. No more questions and I'm on my way.

Fryer.

If one heads back after 7 or 8 pm then the pedestrian lines should not be to long. There is usually only about 5 or 6 people waiting to cross in most cases. There is however quite a few people crossing back on Sundays so the lines might be longer. As for excuses stick to the dental or medical excuse. If they ask why you are crossing late then tell them you had dinner or visited a friend afterwards.

[QUOTE=Fryer45;2478187]Capt. Solo, Since this whole Covid-19 started, I haven't had any problems crossing into Mexico or coming back into the USA You are correct about the secondary zone, if you give a lame answer, you'll end up in the secondary zone. I always have dentist medical receipt with me, so if they really get too nosey I show them the dentist receipt. No more questions and I'm on my way.

Fryer.[/QUOTE]

Drove back Tuesday afternoon about 6 PM. There were no one in the pedestrian walk.

8 READY and general lanes were open, 4 closed, had very few cars, about 10 car length, very unusually short for the last 3 months.

6 SENTRI lanes were open, had even fewer cars. CBP agent asked what we were doing in Tijuana. We said dental appointment. He waved us through quickly. The wait was 4 minutes to cross back. Hate to have to go to Secondary Inspection to chitchat with grumpy agents.

Looks like most people are afraid of being denied reentry and are staying home.

Re-entrt back to is not a concern currenly. Being questioned or hassled a bit is the issue. In the end US customs cannot do much since there is no law.

[QUOTE=CaptainSolo;2478510]Drove back Tuesday afternoon about 6 PM. There were no one in the pedestrian walk.

8 READY and general lanes were open, 4 closed, had very few cars, about 10 car length, very unusually short for the last 3 months.

6 SENTRI lanes were open, had even fewer cars. CBP agent asked what we were doing in Tijuana. We said dental appointment. He waved us through quickly. The wait was 4 minutes to cross back. Hate to have to go to Secondary Inspection to chitchat with grumpy agents.

Looks like most people are afraid of being denied reentry and are staying home.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Sound7;2478173]Established Secondary Review: Escorted by primary CBP or scanner CBP staff. The inspection could involve specialist part of CBP. It all happens fast and you are escorted in certain fashion to a specific area for Secondary.

Keep very calm and respond only when asked and have your hands out of pockets.

Car Situation:

Stay in the car for further CBP instructions.

Hopefully you won't experience any major discomfort or long term PTSD flash backs.

Release from CBP hold based on individual circumstances.

And the reason for CBP Secondary.

CBP Supervisor review / sign-0 ff.

Ref: April 2020 Last Trip.

No legal advice intended.

Be Safe.[/QUOTE]They got me coming back from MTY, in Laredo. They had closed down half the lanes, 1. 5 hour wait. It was terrible. Pull up, to booth and 5 minutes later I am escorted to the secondary lane. They made me take everything out of my car. Then searched it twice. Then they made me drive my car over and they X-rayed it twice, then searched it again. It was terrible. I let the agent have it after he finished. I was not mad about being in the secondary lane, but after 15 minutes they knew I had nothing, but they continued the search. I told them they were totally wasting there resources. He claimed it was random, nothing random about this. Part of the game, but it totally sucked.

[QUOTE=CaptainSolo;2478510]Drove back Tuesday afternoon about 6 PM. There were no one in the pedestrian walk.

8 READY and general lanes were open, 4 closed, had very few cars, about 10 car length, very unusually short for the last 3 months.

6 SENTRI lanes were open, had even fewer cars. . . The wait was 4 minutes to cross back. . .

Looks like most people are afraid of being denied reentry and are staying home.[/QUOTE]

They've reversed course from the weekened when US side deliberately closed lanes and increased secondary inpections in effort to punish those crossing with onerous waits and make them stay home next time. Up to 8 hours of vehicle lines were reported, 5 hours pedestrian. Unfortunately, an elderly woman died in a car after waiting 6 hours. There are expensive lawsuits coming if people keep dying from CBP shenanigans.

I crossed into US today Wednsday at around noon on foot. Car lines were very short. Pedestrian crossing gates were fully staffed, the line took all of five minutes, no questions asked by customs agent.

Frogg,

The car lines late last Sunday, early Monday stretched out to 10 hours as reported in the press. People had to sleep in their cars all night to cross early in the morning. It was inhumane.

We drove back Sunday about 7:30 PM in SENTRI lanes, had to wait about half hour. Tuesday afternoon same time, had to wait only 4 minutes. There were very few cars in the other lanes. We just have to see our dentists in Tijuana every week for our bad teeth. Hehe.

The delay, for headlines, since 99% people only know headlines which will be "trump shuts border to save Americans" the fact is that a day later 30 minutes line by car or foot, won't make headlines, so trump gets what he wants. He will use it for his election. I'm not anti trumpeter either but I call it as it as. Anyway it worked in some cases. I actually took full 48 hours to recover from baked in the sun for 3 hours and another half hour in the shade on Sunday. I also finally after 4 years lost my patience for the line cutters. At least 60 of them not counting senior citizens. 3 hours in I finally cut maybe 30 people and the Mexican people went nuts on me. I explained I may never leave as the line was going backwards due to line cutters. They accused me of insulting Mexicans customs and did not care about the other line cutters. Just the only gringo. That's why I always sucked it up. But the truth is, there is no line to go through that border by foot. Its just bunch people, with many line cutters, from medical pass scam, to the people who walk in front of you after you were standing in sun for 2 hours. The seniors with the canes that walk faster than I do without a cane. If there was a line, there would be rules posted and a guard watching and no line cutting. When 25% cut the line, its not really a line anymore.