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Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

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Re: Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

#41

Post by gadders »

akie wrote: post #26
sacheendra wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess its both. Newsworthy people visit the USA more often than other countries due the concentration of a lot of companies and conferences. So, I believe denial of entry happens more often than in other countries. But, there is also the running trend of focusing on bad/silly things happening in the USA.

To be honest, my experience is that US border checks are very aggressive (like, passive aggression and suspicion is the default attitude). I've seen worse, but my last entrance into the US (in 2012) featured barking sniffer dogs and open distrust – and I'm a white middle class European traveling from a European country. Don't get this much in other places.

Every time I have flown to the US the border/passport guards have been polite and friendly. I'm a white, 40+ Brit with family. YMMV.

Re: Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

#42

Post by briggers »

akie wrote: post #26
sacheendra wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess its both. Newsworthy people visit the USA more often than other countries due the concentration of a lot of companies and conferences. So, I believe denial of entry happens more often than in other countries. But, there is also the running trend of focusing on bad/silly things happening in the USA.

To be honest, my experience is that US border checks are very aggressive (like, passive aggression and suspicion is the default attitude). I've seen worse, but my last entrance into the US (in 2012) featured barking sniffer dogs and open distrust – and I'm a white middle class European traveling from a European country. Don't get this much in other places.

In the spirit of balanced anecdata, I've flown to the US about 10 times in the last 2-3 years on business and pleasure. Multiple airports and it has always been efficient and friendly.

Re: Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

#43

Post by ckastner »

Capt-RogerOver wrote: post #28

He seems to have tried to enter USA using ESTA. ESTA is not a visa, it's a visa-waiver program. It's specifically created as an easier method of entering a country, but as a trade-off, it says in the terms that they can deny it for any reason with no questions. This does not mean that the person cannot enter the country per se, it just means they need to apply for a real visa.

> but as a trade-off, it says in the terms that they can deny it for any reason with no questions

Notably, the Customs and Border Patrol officer at your point of entry can do this [1], on the spot.

[1] https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/application.html?execution=e1s...

Re: Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

#44

Post by stephenr »

chinathrow wrote: post #39

That's most likely because of some name collision/similarity instead of his FOSS work.

Quite possibly, but if so this is a weird result.

I was denied automatic (i.e. scan passport, go through automated face detection machine) entry into Australia (my own country) a few years ago (at the Australian end). When i asked the border security officer why it didn't admit me, she said "you have a name similar to someone on a watch list". "Oh, I didn't think my name was that common, is it a close match?" "Not that close, no".

Re: Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

#45

Post by pmontra »

willvarfar wrote: post #16
kraftman wrote: post #7

My guess would be that the US found some dodgy software that happened to make use of cURL, add flagged him as part of it, given what he's previously said about receiving emails from people that have found his details in other software: https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2016/11/14/i-have-toyota-corola/

Except if that were so they'd just routinely stop him on arrival instead. We've had countless stories of programmers being interviewed crossing borders and offered deals. There was one on HN just last week about a programmer tweeting about being approached, but I can't find that story.. but its their MO. Do-Not-Fly is for people they fear might blow up the plane before it arrives in the US.

Probably this story https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/06/14/telegram_boss_backd...

Re: Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

#46

Post by Taniwha »

kyrra wrote: post #8
TekMol wrote: post #4

My feeling is that I read stories like these pretty often. That somebody was denied entry or arrested or humiliated while entering the USA. Is this because it happens more often in the USA then in other countries? Or is there some kind of reporting bias at play?

This was at his local airport in Sweden. To quote some tweets: "They denied me entry on ESTA with no explanation. Already at check-in in Sweden. =( or rather instead of check-in" "I only got to the airport locally. My passport was flagged somehow so the airline wouldn't let me check in, called to ask why... So they say" Edit: ESTA is this: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ So the DHS denied him for some reason.

but when you apply for an ESTA you get told you've been 'approved' - you use this as a basis for booking a flight and travelling, if they're going to take it back without telling you (they have your email address) that really sucks, kind of passive aggressive

Re: Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

#47

Post by Kurtz79 »

zerr wrote: post #34
Capt-RogerOver wrote: post #28

He seems to have tried to enter USA using ESTA. ESTA is not a visa, it's a visa-waiver program. It's specifically created as an easier method of entering a country, but as a trade-off, it says in the terms that they can deny it for any reason with no questions. This does not mean that the person cannot enter the country per se, it just means they need to apply for a real visa.

> it says in the terms that they can deny it for any reason with no questions Same goes for any visa.

But in the case of a normal Visa, a certain amount of vetting is done beforehand, although you can still be denied entry.

To get a J1 I had to deliver quite a few documents and go the local US embassy to do an interview there.

An ESTA you can do literally 10 minutes before checking in (I did it once), I doubt anything else than a few basic automatic checks are done.

Re: Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

#48

Post by nothrabannosir »

ajeet_dhaliwal wrote: post #32

The no explanation is the worst part for anything like this. Impossible to determine what to do or what reason they had, just denied. It's not just the government either, look at how some tech companies have a policy of providing no explanation for interview rejections too. It's a lack of respect for anyone but oneself.

> no explanation for interview rejections too. It's a lack of respect for anyone but oneself.

Nothing personal Ajeet, but: for the love of God, can this trope please die? It has been widely, extensively, repeatedly, incessantly established every single time this comes up: they do it because of the unreasonably high risk of being sued. If the cards are stacked against you, the wisest move is not to play. This has nothing to do with respect. It is the logical move in an unfair game.

Otherwise I agree with your post. Even that the frustration must feel similar to silent job interview rejection. I'm just getting tired of seeing this "no respect" point over and over and over and over here. My eyes are bleeding.

Sorry for the expletive.

Re: Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

#49

Post by icebraining »

raverbashing wrote: post #19
TekMol wrote: post #4

My feeling is that I read stories like these pretty often. That somebody was denied entry or arrested or humiliated while entering the USA. Is this because it happens more often in the USA then in other countries? Or is there some kind of reporting bias at play?

It's a bias (not sure how it's called, maybe a type of "survivor bias") You don't hear about the thousands admitted without an issue in the US every day. But of course those that aren't admitted show up here May I also note some (tech people) display an increased level of naiveté in dealing with border people.

You don't hear about the thousands admitted without an issue in the US every day. But of course those that aren't admitted show up here

Yes, but that bias applies to every country, it doesn't justify the US bias of these reports.

Re: Author of cURL denied entry to the USA

#50

Post by nsebban »

y0ghur7_xxx wrote: post #40

This may be unpopular on an US-centric site like HN, but the US looks more and more like they want to isolate themselves from the rest of the world: very strict immigration policy, travelers molested by TSA on airports, ... These conferences where people around the world meet should start to be hosted somewhere else. Not in the USA anymore. Somewhere in a country that welcomes people instead of treating all of them l…

Nice and Cannes, France are great places for conferences. We'll gladly have you guys over here :)
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