Returned to Sender

~ Kevin Standlee

Kevin here: Cheryl has just called me from SFO, where for reasons obscure, she has been denied entry to the USA despite doing everything by the book insofar as she knows.

(I’ll leave it to her to explain the messy details when she can and to the extent she’s willing or able to do so. I would rather not speculate and would encourage others not to do so, either.)

She apologizes to anyone who was expecting her at ICFA and elsewhere. To be honest, at this time, we don’t know if or when she’ll be in the USA again because it is notoriously difficult to correct situations like this.

Update: 20:00 PST: During the brief period where she was allowed to communicate again on the airplane before it left, Cheryl did Twitter that they’d put her on a plane and sent her back to the UK, so at least they didn’t keep her detained overnight.

70 thoughts on “Returned to Sender”

  9. Ah bum. Hugs all round. Hoped this was sorted when she had no troubles last time. Fingers crossed something gets sorted out this time too.

  10. We have become so dysfunctional, as a nation, that it is a mystery why anyone would want to visit us at all.

    I hope things work out for you.

  19. This is completely absurd. The thing that bugs me the most about this is that they’re keeping people out who mean absolutely no harm to us, and probably letting people slip by who actually hate this country…Cheryl Morgan is not one of the latter. Get with the program U.S. customs agent people! Bleh.

  20. Inexcusable. Hopefully this will be cleared up and make a good con story… long after the anger and frustration have subsided.

    I apologize for the Patriot Act, and TSA in general.

  22. Well, crap.

    This is idiotic. Cheryl, we’ll miss you at ICFA and the conference will be poorer for your absence.

  23. Horrible!

    Let us know what we can do other than spreading the news as far and wide as we can.

  24. Well, it’s not just our country. Every country has rules and gets a little funny about people entering their country. 10 years ago I was deported from the UK after a very lengthy interrogation in a room with no access to water. Outside the room there was a dude who was in some kind of restraints from apparently biting an air stewardess on the face. The chair/table was bolted to the ground and it was a very uncomfortable situation after a 10 hour flight from the US. It was almost as they expected me to change my story as to why I was visiting the country.

    I have heard of other folks having a similar experience, average every day people.

    The best part is when they tell you that you have no recourse to anything, anyone. After the third hour I was asking to have someone from the US Embassy to talk to, anyone who could actually explain my situation and why it felt like I was imprisoned.

    I can’t imagine what it’s like post 9/11 for any person traveling to any country.

  25. Kevin, Cheryl, I only hope that one day customs will get over their cranial-rectal impaction enough to see what stupid, insane thing they did.
    Can you get a lawyer?
    Can we help?

  27. I’m so sorry. I hope it can somehow be resolved without too much hassle and you’re able to come back to the US

  28. I agree. This is completely absurd. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. I do know some lawyers.

  29. Insert 1.5 terabytes of bad language here. As somebody upthread said, it’s a wonder anybody from anywhere else would want to come here and get treated like this.

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  35. Cheryl,

    All I can say is WTF!!!!!! This is an outrage! I for one, will call my congressman and BOTH senators in the morning!!!!!

    1. I’m going to suggest that people hold off on such actions until we hear more. This isn’t a National Security State Homeland Security matter so much as it is an agency that does not appear to be able to keep visa paperwork straight. I’d rather not say more until Cheryl has a chance to comment.

  37. Cheryl,

    Sorry to hear about your trouble. If you haven’t committed an actual crime, lawyers should be able to fix this. Put up a PayPal button for your legal fees, your friends will help.

  38. When you consider who the authorities *will* allow entry to the US, this is as absurd as it is inexplicable.

    I do hope it does get sorted out (read: overturned with humble apologies); and in the meanwhile, if you need any help, myself and many others will do what we can.

  40. Oh No! (insert wailing and gnashing of teeth) So sorry to hear of this.
    I do hope this can be straightened out.
    You know that a lot of fandom is behind Cheryl in getting her back here. If any petitions or anything will help, please let us know. We are quite willing to perform the right sort of trouble to get her back.

  49. So, so sorry to hear this, Cheryl. I had high hopes it was all sorted when they let you in last time and this is a shocking development.

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