BajaNomad

How to avoid "secondary inspection" at U.S. border when pulling a trailer?

CatCrazyJulie - 5-27-2015 at 03:22 PM

Hi - Does anyone have suggestions/hints as to the magic answer to give the border crossing guard so that they don't send you to "secondary inspection" when you're coming back into the U.S. from Baja, pulling a trailer? This last time we had carefully gotten rid of all our produce and eggs, so there wasn't anything agriculture-wise to worry about. This time we decided to cross at San Ysidro, because last time Tecate had a long back-up; seemed like San Ysidro wasn't much worse. Yep, about 1.5 hours stop-and-go to get to the crossing (we don't have any of the magic passes yet). The border guard asked us, "So whaddaya got?" And we said, "Nothing." (thinking "nothing to declare"). And he said, with a smile, "nothing, completely empty, truck and trailer?" And we said, smiling, knowing that he knew that, of course, it's not going to be completely empty, "yes, nothing."

So he stuck the orange piece of paper under our windshield wiper and sent us to secondary...where we waited...and waited...and waited... watching what seemed like dozens of government employees standing around doing not very much. We finally had to ask if we could leave the vehicle to use the restroom (because there are signs saying "do not exit your vehicle until approached by official") (along with the signs saying "everything you say and do is being recorded"). The guy said, "Is there anything in your pockets?" And watched while we patted all of our pockets, theoretically demonstrating there wasn't any contraband in them that we were going to dispose in the bathroom. Then we came back to our truck and waited some more. Anyway, it was another 20-25 minutes before we were out of there (they actually had to take the *padlock* off of a set of gates to let us out).

So....what is the magic answer for the border guard when we are asked, "whaddaya got?" Do we give them an exhaustive list of everything we purchased in Mexico that we are bringing back: "3 shirts, 3 cans of beer, 2 cans of cola, 1 package of crackers, ......." What? What are we supposed to say? Or if you have a trailer are you automatically sentenced to secondary inspection purgatory?

The Mexican Army inspections are heavenly compared to the U.S. border secondary inspection station for trailers, simply because they seem to forget that they have sent you there, and you have to sit, and sit, and sit.....

Can anyone out there save us?:-)

Maron - 5-27-2015 at 03:30 PM


Have crossed many time in an RV. Secondary each and every time. Would also love a "Majic" answer.







bajabuddha - 5-27-2015 at 03:45 PM

After years of not being searched, and the last 4 or so of being sent to secondary, I flat-out asked (time before last) what was up with it, because I purposefully empty my fridge to the bone, etc.... I was told that all RV trailer rigs were now automatically sent there because too many people 'thought' they knew what was and wasn't legal, and it was now blanket policy because of Dept. of Agriculture. And, even though I had told the first officer it was empty, he gave me the answer anyway. This was in Tecate a few years back; so us RV pullers just have to get used to it, unless you get lucky and find a 'lapse' in enforcement, according to our wonderful Protectors Of The Realm.

I feel so much safer knowing they're really doing it in the name of protecting me from myself. At least I'm not a black in Ferguson or a resident American from Hispanic descent living in Phoenix; that'd just be hassling me for no reason. So, we just put our feet in the stirrups and TRY to relax. The price we pay for freedom.

mikeymarlin - 5-27-2015 at 03:45 PM

well, you know what-----your answer of "nothing " was not the truth--

you knew it and so did border agent--- sooooo , next time probably

better to tell ALL that's in the trailer such as dirty clothes, extra gas,

week old tortillas or what you are carrying---lol

55steve - 5-27-2015 at 03:46 PM

Towing my boat....yep, EVERY time.

Eye contact is important!

AKgringo - 5-27-2015 at 03:49 PM

This is a small thing, but it may make a difference!
You are going to be profiled at any inspection, US or Mexican. If you are wearing sunglasses, remove them, or switch to clear if they are prescription. If they can't read your eyes, they may think you are hiding something from them.
Even when I was doing ski patrol first aid and assistance, I could see an immediate improvement in communication with people that needed my help, once I raised my goggles or sun glasses.
I have never been sent to secondary, or had to open suitcases or ice chests or anything out of reach of my drivers seat.

Edit; This last trip, I was towing a utility trailer. Only once was I asked to remove the tarp, again nothing was gone through. I must have an honest face, or appear too simple to smuggle anything!

[Edited on 5-27-2015 by AKgringo]

Pompano - 5-27-2015 at 03:56 PM

I've lost count long ago of all the trips I've made returning through US customs with trailers, boats, or RV's..certainly in the hundreds. When asked what's in my rigs, I answer as completely and honestly as I can and thus my crossing is always made much easier. Never a problem...like mikeymarlin said..better to tell ALL.

We are living in very dangerous times. Does anyone think the border should be just a quick stop 'n go?

Well, you live and learn. Something for you to remember the next time?

woody with a view - 5-27-2015 at 04:32 PM

make a list of everything you have. you said you sat in line for over an hour?

amazing that wouldn't be long enough to think it over and generate the list! get up to the gate and hand it to the guy.

Hook - 5-27-2015 at 05:04 PM

For the first time in countless times of crossing with my truck camper on, I did NOT get a secondary inspection. But it was a very remote border crossing; at Sonoyta/Lukeville. This was 10 days ago.

I am also a believer in being upfront, COMPLETELY, about what you are carrying and I am a believer in looking them straight in the eye. It's easy to do if you aren't guilty of anything. We make a list.

And, get this. This last crossing where I didnt get secondario-ed, I declared about two kilos of heirloom tomatoes that I had grown. I was taking them up to friends on my recent trip north. The CBP website says they can be brought north, AFTER AN INSPECTION OF THEM. I declared them as tomatoes I grow and said they are "ready for inspection". He said, no problem, keep moving. There was no one in line ahead of me, nor behind me at that location.

I was stunned. It was the first time I hadn't been secondario-ed in my rig in YEARS.

I would say just accept that you will be sent to secondary inspection if you are in anything other than a conventional vehicle.

I will say that once I am in secondary inspection, I get out, open all doors and invite them in. I dont wait for them to come to me, when the secondary area is crowded with vehicles. Engage them, get them dealing with you. It gets you on your way faster. There doesnt appear to be any protocol on the order they inspect vehicles, so get yourself to the front of the line.

Alm - 5-27-2015 at 05:07 PM

If you don't have any agri/food, then you can tell: "Nothing but camping stuff that I brought when going in". This is what I'm telling when not towing or when going through bus/ped line with 2 or 3 big bags.

I agree with others that there is no magic answer when towing something. It appears that most rigs are being send to secondary, no matter what.

[Edited on 5-28-2015 by Alm]

AKgringo - 5-27-2015 at 05:26 PM

One more suggestion, don't volunteer information they have not asked for. You are going to be asked a certain amount of questions to gauge your demeanor. If you have already supplied a lot of info they will just ask for more.
Beside possibly extending the time to get through the gate, they might ask something you didn't think of and may not have an answer for, prompting more questions.
I try to keep it simple, aboveboard, and truthful with great results so far.

danaeb - 5-27-2015 at 05:32 PM

Just think of the crossing as a lie detector test. They're a lot more experienced than you.

Howard - 5-27-2015 at 06:05 PM

Last Saturday I crossed at San Ysidro with a F350 dually with a 11.5 foot cab over and towing a car. I pulled all the way over to the left lanes. Just as every time before, I expected to go to secondary. Just as I got about 6 cars from the booth some U.S. agents came over to my car (we apparently were in U.S. turf) and very nicely asked me questions that the agent at the booth would normally ask. He was really interested in what dog food I had and I told him I had around 1 1/2 days worth so I wouldn't have to go to the store before I got home. He asked if he could go into the camper, I said no problem but I would have to open one of the slides and he said never mind. I got to the booth was asked a few questions and was told to go. I was flabbergasted, thank him for not pulling me into secondary and went on my way. I even had South Dakota plates on the truck and California plates on the tow car.
I was and still amazed as this was a first.

ncampion - 5-27-2015 at 06:21 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Howard  
Last Saturday I crossed at San Ysidro with a F350 dually with a 11.5 foot cab over and towing a car. I pulled all the way over to the left lanes. Just as every time before, I expected to go to secondary. Just as I got about 6 cars from the booth some U.S. agents came over to my car (we apparently were in U.S. turf) and very nicely asked me questions that the agent at the booth would normally ask. He was really interested in what dog food I had and I told him I had around 1 1/2 days worth so I wouldn't have to go to the store before I got home. He asked if he could go into the camper, I said no problem but I would have to open one of the slides and he said never mind. I got to the booth was asked a few questions and was told to go. I was flabbergasted, thank him for not pulling me into secondary and went on my way. I even had South Dakota plates on the truck and California plates on the tow car.
I was and still amazed as this was a first.


Howard, I know your are a frequent "crosser" as am I. I also know they have a record of all your crossings on their screen when you pull up to the gate. I bet you got profiled as a "Low risk" traveler. I'm sometimes amazed at how easy our crossings are probably for the same reason.

Alm - 5-27-2015 at 08:12 PM

One other thing - beside being honest, obviously.
Did you say 1.5 hours to get to the border at SY? Sounds almost like old times. Was it a weekend, a Saturday morning maybe?

AndyP - 5-27-2015 at 08:49 PM

At Tecate a few years ago I was driving an overloaded station wagon packed with kayaking and camping gear- I could barely see out the rear view mirror. The agent asked me if I had anything in the back; I turned around to look and started laughing, and said yeah, I have all kinds of stuff back there. The guy told me to go on through!

Still not sure what the lesson was there...

CatCrazyJulie - 5-27-2015 at 09:15 PM

Thanks, everyone, for all the quick replies! Some additional info in answer to a few of your questions:

- I took my sunglasses off to talk to the border guard; however, Mark forgot to take his off (we'll remember this for the future!). I agree, this is an important point when first meeting anyone, but especially any kind of law enforcement person.

- Suggestion to make a list ahead of time while waiting in line noted! Actually, we joked about this, and should have gone ahead and done it. The one item we had a bit of a question about was frozen beef and chicken that was still in the Costco wrapper, unopened, originally purchased in the U.S., that had made the trip all the way to the East Cape and back.

- We could break the list down by food items, camping items brought from U.S., and "other items purchased in Mexico".

- We made the crossing at San Ysidro on a Tuesday at about 11:00 a.m. (Seriously, last year we were backed up at Tecate for at least an hour; not sure what day of the week that was.)

- Light bulb going on: this was our first crossing in a new (to us) truck and new trailer! In fact, our trailer still had the sticker, and didn't even have plates. So the border crossing guard may not have been able to pull up a list of past crossings for us, unless he could cross-reference with our previous vehicle, in which case our record goes back to 2000, with about one trip per year.

- I'd be hesitant about exiting the vehicle and opening the doors at San Ysidro secondary prior to getting permission, since the signs specifically say, "Don't exit your vehicle unless...." However, henceforth I think we're going to cross back to the U.S. at Tecate. While we went through secondary inspection there last year, it's a much smaller area, and less intimidating.

- While we may have had to go through secondary in any case, probably at least part of our mistake was thinking it was okay to go along with what appeared to be the border guard's "joke" about the empty trailer. I mean, of *course* it wouldn't be empty! So no more joking, play it completely straight.

- While crossing the border, would it help for Mark to sport something showing his military background? (He retired from a military career last year, and now has hair grown long enough to wear in a ponytail, has a beard, and wears only Hawaiian shirts.)

Julie

bajabuddha - 5-27-2015 at 09:29 PM

IT DOESN'T MATTER !!

If you're towing an RV with a fridge, you're going to secondary, folks.

Glasses, confessions, all useless. Tell 'em the truth, and go to secondary, and have a nice wait. Stay in your vehicle, have a snack (legal) and drink (legal) and expect to be searched.

Welcome back to America.

Alm - 5-27-2015 at 10:21 PM

Quote: Originally posted by CatCrazyJulie  

- Suggestion to make a list ahead of time while waiting in line noted! Actually, we joked about this...

I'm pretty sure Woody was joking too - led by your "1.5 hour waiting".

monoloco - 5-27-2015 at 10:24 PM

Maybe you could try the time honored Mexican way and put a C-note in your passport.:lol:

David K - 5-28-2015 at 08:59 AM

Take off your dark glasses, roll down all the windows (so they can easily see the back seat area), have your passport in your hand and present it with a smile and eye contact.

Answer the questions, if they ask if you have liquor, tell them if you have any that came from the U.S. as well as any you got in Mexico.

If they ask about fruits and vegetables, tell them all and in this case, it doesn't matter if they are from the U.S., once in Mexico they are Mexican. There are many allowed items, including limes, but be prepared for agent ignorance, so just get rid of everything before coming north.

Any kind of Pork, Chicken (raw), and eggs are NOT PERMITTED.

NO FIREWOOD can be returned, even store bought bundles from the U.S.

Excess soil (mud) on or under your vehicle is not allowed, so try and find a car wash before coming to the border if you off roaded in mud.

Anyway, usually we do not go to Secondary... but it can happen. So expect it, and if not, enjoy it.

treuboff - 5-28-2015 at 07:43 PM

We sailed through Nogales with our dive trailer but have nothing but pure intimidation and harassment at Tecate

dizzyspots - 5-29-2015 at 06:48 AM

Confessions of a fruit cup smuggler...
on our last trip, returning from Gonzaga, truck camper and pulling an 18ft boat. Over to secondary we went (we are experienced border travelers and never bring anything illegal across, nothing to declare). We were asked to have a seat in the building ...and waited and waited and waited...about 45 minutes into the wait, we see a couple of agents start going over the rig...after about 20-30 minutes, an agent comes over to speak to us. "Are you sure you have nothing to declare/" "No sir"
With a very serious, solemn tone he beigns the lecture about fruit cups...he had discovered two(2) Del Monte single serving fruit cups in the bottom of the ice chest...wait for it...without their proper outer cardboard wrapper!!! He acknowledged that they indeed were still sealed.....BUT...had they opened up and spilled those 5 or 6 grapefruit sections into the bottom of the cooler...how could they positively tell where they actually had come from....this is a true story....naked fruit cups folks!!! really??? He cleared us to cross with a reminder to be more careful....

Fruit cups?

AKgringo - 5-29-2015 at 07:48 AM

It is about time they crack down on you scoff-laws! What about an open container of Squirt, it supposedly has grapefruit in it?
Which border crossing was that, and was that recently?

cj5orion - 5-29-2015 at 09:07 AM

:biggrin:
one fruit cup smuggling another
its a gang thing
:biggrin:

dizzyspots - 5-29-2015 at 01:51 PM

san luis....

TecateRay - 5-30-2015 at 09:22 AM

I am a frequent crosser at Tecate with a Callen camper.
1. Dark glasses off, window down, music/radio off, camper door unlocked
2. Clearly state nothing to declare or maybe 3 beers, etc. Be specific!
3. Clearly state no fruit, no vegetables, no meat or poultry products.
4. I tell them back door to camper is open. I place the cooler near the door and easy to open.

I occasionally end up in secondary, but most times they either let me through or go to the back, see the empty cooler (or maybe a couple of yogurts or sodas) and send me on my way.

Summary: Tell them what items on the restricted list that you DO NOT have. Make it easy for them to quick check at the booth. Bring a book! If you go to secondary it's probably for an "agriculture check" and you have wait for the Ag agent. Apparently it's a speciality and the other agents don't do ag checks.

treuboff - 5-30-2015 at 09:25 PM

We got s##t over sea fans and rocks at Tecate











tecate

CatCrazyJulie - 6-5-2015 at 12:39 PM

(Sorry about the delayed response...should I blame it on secondary again?)

I love the story about the fruit cups! Now that was an inspector with a complex! We have a bunch of canned peaches...hmmm....

Looks like our best bet is to review the restricted list, make sure we've gotten rid of everything on it, specifically address that with the border guard, then tell them about what we *do* have that we bought in Mexico. And still be prepared to wait and not take it personally.

Re the Mexican Army stops: has anyone else noticed that the soldiers have stopped asking for flashlights/batteries/dictionaries/etc.? We started carrying cheap flashlights in the expectation of being asked for them. But the last two trips, there have been no requests for anything.

bowser - 6-6-2015 at 12:29 PM

We crossed at Tecate going north last Tuesday about 9AM.

We always have a motorhome and/or a tarped utility trailer. In 30 or so crossings at TJ or Tecate we have NEVER avoided secondary.

Tuesday we crossed in about 5 minutes and were NOT sent to secondary. I wasn't sure how to get across without going to secondary first!

A lot of good advice above. But there still is that luck thing.

Pappy Jon - 6-7-2015 at 12:45 PM

I don't tow anything. I've been to secondary once, at Lukeville.

I was living in Palm Springs at the time. A group of us were going to Organ Pipe NM, and looking at the map it appeared to be faster to cross at Calexico, drop down to Mex 2, and cut across. Simple.

Woman at border asks where we were coming from. "Palm Springs." "Uh?" Secondary we go. That happened to three of us in the group until she figured out we were not kidding.

4Cata - 6-7-2015 at 03:20 PM

Once I was returning after a week in Rosarita in an rv, still had several pineapple in fridge. Got sent to secondary, quickly cut pineapple and served to all agents and others in area, got a reprive and sent on our way. Another time, in same rv, had bought LOTS of pottery, which was stashed in entry step well to keep from rolling around. Agent asked to inspect rv, we agreed, and when he opened door to see pottery, he just laughed and sent us on our way, NO secondary. Note to self: always buy pottery.

vgabndo - 6-7-2015 at 04:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Take off your dark glasses, roll down all the windows (so they can easily see the back seat area), have your passport in your hand and present it with a smile and eye contact.

Answer the questions, if they ask if you have liquor, tell them if you have any that came from the U.S. as well as any you got in Mexico.

If they ask about fruits and vegetables, tell them all and in this case, it doesn't matter if they are from the U.S., once in Mexico they are Mexican. There are many allowed items, including limes, but be prepared for agent ignorance, so just get rid of everything before coming north.

Any kind of Pork, Chicken (raw), and eggs are NOT PERMITTED.

NO FIREWOOD can be returned, even store bought bundles from the U.S.

Excess soil (mud) on or under your vehicle is not allowed, so try and find a car wash before coming to the border if you off roaded in mud.

Anyway, usually we do not go to Secondary... but it can happen. So expect it, and if not, enjoy it.


Just to be clear, cooked or boiled eggs are permitted to be imported into the USA.

David K - 6-8-2015 at 09:43 AM

Correct... but really, do you want the inspector to test your eggs to see if they are raw or cooked? Do you think he will take the time or send you to secondary for your egg check?

Pappy Jon - 6-8-2015 at 03:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Correct... but really, do you want the inspector to test your eggs to see if they are raw or cooked? Do you think he will take the time or send you to secondary for your egg check?


Easy test. Just spin them. If they continue spinning after stopping, they are raw. If you stop the spinning, and they don't continue and stay put, they are hard boiled.

David K - 6-8-2015 at 04:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Pappy Jon  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Correct... but really, do you want the inspector to test your eggs to see if they are raw or cooked? Do you think he will take the time or send you to secondary for your egg check?


Easy test. Just spin them. If they continue spinning after stopping, they are raw. If you stop the spinning, and they don't continue and stay put, they are hard boiled.


Yes, I know the spin trick... but the thread is on how to AVOID secondary. Cooked eggs are okay (as are limes), but the hassle to be sent to secondary for them to agree that the officer was wrong for sending you there (or to spin your eggs) is what we want to avoid. Bring NOTHING back that remotely could confuse the border officer. (He actually told me "Well, limes are like oranges, and oranges aren't permitted"!!!)