アメリカ入国審査で入国拒否？入国審査で永住権保持者が拘束されたときの対処法 What to Do if You are Detained at a Port of Entry

アメリカ永住権（通称「グリーンカード」）は、アメリカ人とほぼ同様の恩恵を得てアメリカに永住できるビザの一種です。

アメリカ国籍ではないため、投票ができない、一部の政府関係の仕事につけないなどの若干の制限はあります。

それでも、ほぼ不自由なく永住できるステータスです。

あなたの権利を知っていますか？入国審査で拘束されたときの対処（永住権保持者）

アメリカに入国する際に誰しも入国審査を受けます。

アメリカには外国人として入国しますが権利はしっかりと保障されています。

通常の非移民ビザに比べて移民ビザである永住権保持者はより多くの権利を享受できます。

永住権保持者も他の外国人と同様に国境警備局(U.S. Customs and Border Protection “CBP”)による入国審査を受けなければいけません。

永住権保持者は、「帰国居住者」と「到着外国人」とに分けられます。

入国審査で疑義が生じたり入国許可がすぐに与えられない場合、セカンダリーインスペクションと言われる別室へ通されます。

別室になったからといって不利というわけではありませんが、場合によっては数時間かかることもあります。

この別室ではより詳細な審査が行われます。

もし入国審査で拘束された場合、あなたには以下の権利があります。

もし入国審査で拘束されても、以下の権利があることを知っておくと良いでしょう。

また、入国審査官があなたを「帰国居住者」と認めた場合、迅速に処理され入国が認められますが、以下の場合には「到着外国人」とみなされます。

移民法判事による審理を受ける権利

永住権保持者が「到着外国人」とみなされたら、アメリカから退去を求められる可能性があります。

その場合、あなたには移民法判事による審理を受ける権利があります。

永住権の放棄について

入国審査官は、あなたがアメリカを離れていたからという理由で、アメリカに居住していないことにしようとすることがあります。

そしてForm I-407 Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Statusという書面にサインさせて永住権を放棄させようとするかもしれません。

ただし、あなたにとって重要なことは、

アメリカの居住を放棄したとみなされ、Form I-407にサインすることを拒否したら

国境警備局はNotice to Appear (出廷通告書）をあなたに発行しなければいけません。

その後移民法判事により正式に決定されます。入国審査官は独自の判断で決定することはできません。

アメリカの居住を放棄したとみなされ、Form I-407にサインしたら

I-407にサインしてしまっても、移民法判事の審理を受ける権利はあります。

入国時に永住カードを没収されたら

パスポートのスタンプなどであなたの永住権を証明することができます。

今後の渡航に際して

今後の渡航時に入国審査でのトラブルを避けるためにも、懸念がある場合は専門の移民法弁護士に事前に相談すると良いでしょう。

以下、英語の原文です。

原文：Know Your Rights: What to Do if You are Detained at a Port of Entry (Lawful Permanent Residents)

All people arriving at the U.S. border or a port of entry have basic rights, and lawful permanent residents (LPRs), also known as green card holders, enjoy greater rights than nonimmigrants when returning to the United States after travel abroad. Like all international travelers, LPRs are subject to inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when arriving at an airport or land port of entry. As an LPR, CBP will screen you to determine whether you are a “returning resident” or an “arriving alien.”

If questions arise and CBP is unable to admit you quickly, you may be taken to a separate area for “secondary inspection.” A referral to secondary inspection by itself  is not an adverse action, but you can expect to be detained anywhere from a few minutes to several hours or longer if an issue arises. During secondary inspection, CBP will ask you questions and may collect biographic and biometric data, run record checks, and determine whether you should be admitted to the United States.

If you are detained by CBP in secondary inspection, you have the following rights:

• You have the right to contact your consulate for The consulate can help you contact a lawyer or your family.
• If you have a lawyer, you should ask CBP for permission to contact your Note, however, that CBP may tell you that you do not have the right to speak to an attorney.
• You have the right to review all written statements that are prepared for you, in a language that you can understand.
• If you do not agree with the contents of any papers that are presented to you, you may refuse to sign them.
• You do not have a right of privacy that protects your mobile phone, computer, tablet, or other electronic devices. CBP may search your device and access your email and screen your social media activity during the inspection process. Your phone, laptop, or other digital device may be held and returned to you

If CBP determines that you are a “returning resident,” you should be processed quickly and admitted to the U.S. However, CBP will consider you an “arriving alien” if it determines that you:

• Have abandoned or relinquished your LPR status;
• Have been absent from the U.S. for a continuous period of more than 180 days;
• Engaged in illegal activity after departing the U.S.;
• Departed the U.S. while in removal proceedings or extradition proceedings;
• Committed certain criminal offenses unless you were granted an immigration waiver; or
• Are attempting to enter without

Right to a Hearing Before an Immigration Judge. An LPR who is deemed to be an “arriving alien,” may be charged as removable from the United States. LPRs that are charged as removable have the right to a hearing before an immigration judge.

Abandonment of Residence/LPR Status. CBP may attempt to convince you that you abandoned your residence because of your absence from the United States and may urge you to sign a Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status. However, it is important to know:

• You cannot lose your LPR status solely because of time spent abroad.
• An LPR remains an LPR unless the government proves abandonment by clear, unequivocal, and convincing evidence and an order of removal is issued by an immigration judge and becomes final.
• Form I-407 must be signed You may refuse to sign the form and there are no negative consequences if you refuse to sign it.

If CBP believes that you abandoned your U.S. residence and you refuse to sign a Form I-407, CBP must issue you a Notice to Appear (NTA) before an immigration judge who will determine if you have abandoned your U.S. residence. CBP cannot make this decision on its own.

If CBP believes that you abandoned your U.S. residence and you sign a Form I-407, you still have the right to request a hearing before an immigration judge.

If CBP takes your permanent resident card, you have the right to other evidence of your LPR status, such as a stamp in your passport.

Future Travel. To avoid delays at the ports of entry or legal issues in the future, you should consult with an immigration attorney prior to traveling if you:

• Have a criminal record (criminal convictions or a pending criminal charge).
• Have an application pending with S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).
• There is anything in your immigration history that was not disclosed during your immigration process or that might cause a government official to question you about the reason for your travel or about your immigration.

The contents of this document do not constitute legal advice.