This weekend I came back to the US. As I entered the immigration cartridge hall in the immigration facility, the first two Customs and Border Protection officers I saw were standing near each other talking, wearing no masks.
This post is not about our individual feelings about wearing masks. After all, Miami Airport requires all passengers, visitors, and staff to wear face cover. Miami-Dade County also has a mask mandate. It is probably also worth mentioning that at least 162 CBP officials in Florida have already tested positive for coronavirus.
I looked at the officers and shook my head – should they not only follow the rules, but should they not set an example for others?
At this point, one of the officers started talking to me:
Officer: “Do you have a problem?”
Me: “Yeah, why don’t you have a mask?”
Officer: “Are you trying to help me, or what’s your problem?”
Me: “Everyone is meant to wear masks, even you, and you know it.”
Officer: “Well, you’re wearing a mask so you’re protected.”
Me: “That’s not how masks work. That kind of logic is exactly why we are the epicenter of this. “
Officer: “I’ll get one for you, happy?”
Me: “And the other man?”
Officer: “He has a beard, it has been proven that masks do not work if you have a beard. Why not go your own way and keep your case? “
I… I… I… was loss for words.
Me: “This is completely ridiculous. Is there a supervisor I can talk to? ”
At this point, a man accidentally ran out of the back room, at which point the officer said “hey, this man wants to file a complaint against me for not wearing a mask,” and the servant smiled. It was claimed that there was no one above him in the facility, so we went on our way.
US CBP “obliges you to treat yourself with courtesy, dignity and respect”
When we arrived at our baggage claim area in the immigration hall, there were two other officers (wearing masks), so I talked to them for a second:
Me: “Hey, is there one CBP supervisor in the terminal?”
Officer: “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Me: ‘Some of your colleagues are not wearing masks. When I pointed it out, they claimed I was protected because I had one, and also claimed that one of the officers could not wear a mask because he had a beard. You have a beard and just like to wear it well. I do not know how you work with these people. ”
Officer: “We work with all kinds of people. I’m sorry about that. ”
He was kind and explained that a more senior supervisor was only in the other immigration facility because they currently had limited staff. He said he could try to get in touch with him for me, or suggest that I file a complaint online with the CBP.
Goedens…
