U.S. Gov't Asks Visitors: Are You a Nazi? http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/16/opinion/the-unwelcome-mat.html?_r=3&ref=opinion No wonder the peoples of the world are beating the doors to America down just to visit. If one enters illegally there is no need to bother with such questions.
No Swede or German with half a brain would ever declare anything. There's a reason why everything just walk through the "nothing to declare" exits. My personal experience is that the return to deal w/ U.S. immigration followed immediately by an encounter with TSA is usually the low point of any trip. It's not just foreigners that despise CBP. They need to watch passport control & customs at AMS & take notes.
The article also cites Australia as the only other ally with an ESTA-like requirement, but Australia's ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) is very simple, good for a year, usually approved immediately, and only requests very basic personal info. I've been there 4 times, all 4 encounters with their immigration people were very pleasant & professional. I'd rank them many notches above our CBP. You can also find Australians who will handle your ETA for you in exchange for a charitable contribution (they usually pick the charity ).
Obnoxious, unsurprising, and depressing. And the author's cheery final paragraphs are pie-in-the-sky dreaming. This is the take-away excerpt: Land of the free and home of the brave. Right.
