Are staff armed at DUB pre clearance?

chalkitdown

I came across a piece about the pre clearance area at Dublin airport that suggested that some personnel are armed, is this the case?

FlutterinBantam

No they are not, but Irish Immig. are.

chalkitdown

Thanks for the swift reply. I came across this article,
http://www.independent.ie/travel/travel-advice/i-was--frogmarched-through-dublin-airport-by-an-armed-us-customs-guard-1898771.html

Could it have been Irish immigration officers that escorted her out, or is the writer a fruitcake?

FlutterinBantam

I think "poetic licence" is the term used.

I do remember an incident when I was passing through Dublin Airport when one passenger was lying on the floor screaming because she was refused entry to the US whilst at the same time Irish Immig right beside her were physically carrying a screaming passenger who was refused into Ireland.

A flight from Frankfort was filing down from the airbridge things and was confronted by this!!!


First impressions of Ireland, land of saints and scholars:eek:

diverdriver

Irish immigration being Gardai? I presume they could be armed. But US immigration? No way would that be allowed. They do not carry weapons in Dublin Airport. She's exaggerating for effect. Which calls into question the entire veracity of her article. This stuff is pure fantasy:

frogmarched through a crowded Dublin Airport by an armed US immigration officer

we showed the careful respect for authority that a room full of armed Americans deserves.

a fairly unremarkable American lady sporting a uniform and a gun.

Next thing I knew, a second officer appeared from behind the Perspex, hand on pistol

All pure fiction. They are not allowed to carry guns here, simple as that. Only the Gardai.

In fairness to her, it would have been quite stressful and of course she assumes all Americans carry scary guns:eek:.

I was turned down for a tourist visa once at the embassy. That was stressful except that the reason they turned me down was that they were giving me a green card shortly thereafter. Mad isn't it?

diverdriver

I do remember an incident when I was passing through Dublin Airport when one passenger was lying on the floor screaming because she was refused entry to the US whilst at the same time Irish Immig right beside her were physically carrying a screaming passenger who was refused into Ireland.

Now that's funny. Only in Ireland eh? :DI mean literally only in Ireland:rolleyes:

diverdriver

Aha, a bit of digging turned this up. http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/us-customs-law-is-strict-but-fair-1902378.html

A letter from the embassy spelling it out, no guns. Journalistic licence.

FlutterinBantam

diverdriver wrote: »

Irish immigration being Gardai? I presume they could be armed.

Not presumption, fact!!;)

Manic Moran

As it happens, I encountered the US report on the negotiations for the latest pre-Clearance agreement (last year) whilst aimlessly browsing around government internal websites yesterday. The 'no firearms' stipulation position of the Irish government was made clear. There were some interesting questions of law posed, though.

NTM

diverdriver

There were some interesting questions of law posed, though.

No doubt someone will test it in the courts at some point. The whole concept of another's country's government officials operating on Irish soil does seem odd. I often wonder too at the people working there. I wonder is it a popular posting?

One thing for sure, if you're going to be refused entry, better on this side of the Atlantic than the other.

chalkitdown

Manic Moran wrote: »

As it happens, I encountered the US report on the negotiations for the latest pre-Clearance agreement (last year) whilst aimlessly browsing around government internal websites yesterday. The 'no firearms' stipulation position of the Irish government was made clear. There were some interesting questions of law posed, though.

NTM

That seems to suggest that they don't carry firearms, making that Irish Independent article most unlikely. So does that mean that part of Dublin airport isn't considered American soil then? I imagine that their preference would be to be armed.

I wonder what they carry on their utility belts? Could something look like a holster?

chalkitdown

diverdriver wrote: »

No doubt someone will test it in the courts at some point. The whole concept of another's country's government officials operating on Irish soil does seem odd. I often wonder too at the people working there. I wonder is it a popular posting?

One thing for sure, if you're going to be refused entry, better on this side of the Atlantic than the other.

I agree, but it probably makes it more likely that you would be refused, no need to arrange return flights ect.

If they get paid some element in Euro it's probably a very popular posting.

FlutterinBantam

Beats sitting in Yuma in 109F heat dealing with wetbacks I would opine:rolleyes:

zuroph

journalists anger me.

Thoie

chalkitdown wrote: »

I wonder what they carry on their utility belts? Could something look like a holster?

Until reading the follow up piece from the Charge d'Affaires, I would have sworn blue, blind and black that the US immigration in Dublin airport had guns, based on my own observations. Apparently they don't, but to a casual observer it certainly looks like it.

Matt Bauer

Sounds like the US tourism industry is doing too well out of the weak dollar, so they need to turn some tourists away.

By the way, I wonder why they look armed? Do they carry a device on their belts that, to the casual observer, appears like a gun?

Dacian

Matt Bauer wrote: »

By the way, I wonder why they look armed? Do they carry a device on their belts that, to the casual observer, appears like a gun?

As far as I remember they do have a utility belt, probably cuffs, mace type spray, maybe a expandable stick. I know the guards at the embassy have stuff on their belts too.

diverdriver

They 'real' guards at the US embassy are the Marines. They are definitely armed.

Thoie

diverdriver wrote: »

They 'real' guards at the US embassy are the Marines. They are definitely armed.

But those are at the embassy -- what about the airport guys?

Manic Moran

So does that mean that part of Dublin airport isn't considered American soil then?

Shouldn't be. Legally the US embassy isn't American soil either. It is simply inviolate under the terms of the Vienna Convention. Arguably the immigration desks can come under the same level of inviolacy as it could be classified as a consular location. (I don't have the exact definition to hand, but I posted all the treat wordings a few months ago)

NTM

FlutterinBantam

Thoie wrote: »

But those are at the embassy -- what about the airport guys?

I told you about the airport guys.

They- are- not- armed.

Do you want me to say it again??

veetwin

Correct, they are not armed. Nor do they carry Mace, handcuffs or expandable sticks. They are civilians while they are in Ireland and are not allowed to carry them. They are not even supposed to wear their uniform outside their area in Pier B though most of them do.