But these are not normal times; you're at mercy of somebody from ICE at the border, and if (s)he thinks "you get your travel and expenses paid, that's a fee" then you're out of luck (and in jail). That's the point being made here.
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And btw, I *have* been held up at the border before while travelling on an ESTA. I was just going to do experiments in a US lab; nothing illegal, nothing paid for by any US institution apart from the lab facilities.
me too. Immigration Agent wanted to know why I was going to Anthropology conference if I wasn't working in an Anthropology department. I nearly shat myself for a second. This was under Obama btw.
It only took about two hours, but this was in 2013, so I have no doubt that things are worse now.
Any individual immigration agent can just decide to ruin your day if they decide that they don't like your face.
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Any individual immigration agent can just decide to ruin your day if they decide that they don't like your face.