A social media post about a foreign traveler being denied entry to the United States at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has sparked debate over visa rules and the powers of US border officials.The issue came to light after a Reddit user claimed that a friend traveling on a valid B-1/B-2 visitor visa was denied entry upon arrival and detained by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).According to the post, the traveler had been in CBP custody for several days, leaving family members and friends concerned after losing contact with him.“A friend of mine with a valid B1/B2 visa was refused entry upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport.
He has been in CBP custody for about 3 days, and neither I nor his family have been able to contact him.The traveler was able to send a brief message shortly after landing before all communications stopped.“Shortly after arriving, he briefly accessed his phone for about 5 minutes and sent me a message that his visa had been denied and they were detaining him. Since then, his phone has remained completely inactive, and we have not heard anything further,” the post read.
The Reddit user said his relatives became worried as the days passed without any updates about his condition.According to the user, this person had previously visited the United States approximately seven to eight months ago and stayed for approximately four to five months. The poster stressed that the visitor had not exceeded the period permitted by immigration officials.However, the user claimed that the traveler did food delivery work during that visit after running out of money.“For some context: He visited the US about 7-8 months ago and stayed for about 4-5 months. He did not exceed his authorized period of entry. However, while he was here, he ran out of money and did some under-the-counter food delivery work for a short time,” the Reddit user wrote.
The poster believes that immigration authorities may have discovered evidence of the alleged unauthorized work and linked it to the decision to deny entry.“I think CBP may have discovered that and concluded that he violated his visa. Does that seem like probable cause to deny him entry?” asked the user.Immigration experts often point out that having a valid visa does not automatically guarantee entry into the United States. CBP officers have the authority to question arriving passengers and determine whether they are still eligible for entry. Unauthorized employment while visiting the United States on a B-1/B-2 visitor visa may be treated as a violation of immigration rules and may affect future travel and entry decisions.