From Jay Helfert.
Unfortunately this is all true. Dennis was supposed to come to my home last night, after his plane arrived at 6 PM. I waited and waited and at about 10 PM I began to get worried. He has come here dozens of times and never had a problem before. My first thoughts were dire ones and I checked with Philippine Air and his flight did arrive on schedule. So I knew something happened after he got to Los Angeles. There were only two real possibilities; trouble entering the country or something far worse like a robbery during his taxi ride to get here. That kind of thing has happened more than once in the last year, where a rogue cab driver, along with an accomplice rob an unsuspecting passenger. Knowing Dennis and that he would put up a fight, I became very worried, so I called the police. The local sheriff station sent someone to my home, now well after Midnight. He took all my information and information about Dennis, but told me that since he was not a U.S. citizen there wasn't anything he could do. He gave me the direct phone number for Customs and Immigration and suggested I go to the airport early in the morning. I tried calling the number but just got a service saying they are closed now (It was Sunday night).
I tried to get some rest but was antsy to find out what happened to my friend. After a few hours of restless sleep I woke my wife and told her we were going to the airport. We got to LAX at 5 AM and it was like a morgue, with nothing opened and only a few people sleeping in chairs and on the floor, their luggage piled around them. The Customs office was closed and so was the airport police station. Lenie and I walked everywhere in the International terminal and I explored all the back hallways to see what I could find. There was virtually no security presence at that time of day, only TSA checkpoints that led to the boarding areas. I tried but was unable to bypass them. There was no place to get any food and almost all the restrooms were closed (we did find one). People were beginning to stream in at about 6 AM, as the first flights were going out at 7 AM. I stopped a Customs officer who was entering the terminal and asked him when their office opened. He said between 6 and 7 AM.
About 6:15 Philippine Air opened their counter and I inquired about Dennis there. I found out that he did make his flight and arrived in Los Angeles. The guy was close mouthed about what happened after that and he told me he couldn't discuss it. We now waited outside the Customs office for them to open. That's when we got the message from Dennis' wife that he had been allowed to send a text message to his family who were justifiably concerned about him (I had contacted them much earlier in the night to make sure he had made his flight and told them he never got to my house). Dennis had just texted them that he had been banned from entering the U.S. for five years and they were sending him back home today.
Soon after that the Customs office opened and I was the first one in line. I inquired abouit Dennis and asked them if he was there. The guy pointed to a sign that said in bold letters that all information was bound by PRIVACY, meaning he couldn't tell me anything. I'm not easily discouraged and told him I understand. I then told him who Dennis was and he listened, which was good. I knew he had overstayed his visa and asked him what the penalty was. He then told me a five year ban and if it happened again he would be blacklisted for life! I knew then he was well aware of who I was talking about. I'm sure everybody had seen his pool gear by now and knew who he was. I then asked where they would hold someone and he pointed to the back of the terminal and said back there they have rooms (cells) where they hold people if necessary. I didn't bother to ask him if I could see Dennis or talk to him. I knew that was out of the question.
I told Lenie we could go home now. We had been there for hours and there was nothing else we could do. I was somehow relieved that Dennis was being held at Customs and would be going home. The other scenario that played in my head was much more troubling. We will try to find Dennis a good immigration attorney but I'm not optimistic. This is not like being arrested where you are innocent until proven guilty. There is no court here. Decisions by the Immigration department are final!
