What is the likelihood of appearing on the TV show 'Border Security: America's Front Line' if I travel to the US?

What is the likelihood of appearing on the TV show 'Border Security: America's Front Line' if I travel to the US? - Focused young man pointing at map while searching for route with multiracial friends in Grand Central Terminal during trip in New York

So I'm planning on travelling to Los Angeles from mid-Summer to the end of this year after I receive a COVID vaccine.

I've always wondered how normal travellers end up on those shows because I've travelled in and out of a few airports in the U.S. (LAX, JFK, ATL, ORD) and I've never once seen camera crew.

If I was to be captured, would I need to give my consent or is consent not necessary as I'm in a public space?



Best Answer

The vast majority of the scenes aired on any of the Border Security shows (I've watched USA, Canada, Australia, and a few South American ones) take place in secondary. I'm a frequent traveler and I've been in secondary only twice in over 20 years. That's where a tiny fraction of travelers go after talking to an officer at a booth. Typically they have a good look through your luggage, ask more questions, look at paperwork in detail, call people such as the friend you're visiting, snoop through your phone, and so on. At least that's what you see on the show. The first time I was in secondary someone angrily asked me what I was doing there, and when I said someone told me to "go down there and turn left" they sighed, looked at my boarding pass and told me to leave. The second time (at US preclearance in Toronto) they made me wait, searched my carryon, threatened to take away my nexus card because I had caramels and had said I didn't have food, then let me proceed after about a half an hour delay.

Border Security do some "atmospheric" filming out at baggage claim and such. When they are doing so there are signs around. This news article includes this picture of the Canadian sign; the US one is probably similar. (Note: the Canadian series stopped filming in 2014 after accompanying CBSA officers out of the airport on a "raid".)

Sign about Filming in Progress

I have been in YVR and seen the signs but not seen the crew. The atmospheric filming generally never shows faces or voices of anyone other than the customs officers.

In secondary, I believe if you don't consent they show the footage with a blurred face and disguised voice. I could be wrong: perhaps those people only consented on the condition of the blurring and disguising, and there are others who don't consent and aren't broadcast.

Your chances are smaller than the chances of going to secondary, so I would say "very small." Literally millions of people pass through those airports every year and perhaps 10 or 12 people per airport per year appear on the show.




Pictures about "What is the likelihood of appearing on the TV show 'Border Security: America's Front Line' if I travel to the US?"

What is the likelihood of appearing on the TV show 'Border Security: America's Front Line' if I travel to the US? - Young African American male tourist pointing away while searching for direction with diverse fiends standing in railway station terminal with paper map in hands
What is the likelihood of appearing on the TV show 'Border Security: America's Front Line' if I travel to the US? - Brown and White Building
What is the likelihood of appearing on the TV show 'Border Security: America's Front Line' if I travel to the US? - Green Volkswagen Beetle Parked on Sidwalk



What happened Border Security show?

Now the Canadian Press reports, "Canada's border agency is pulling the plug on the controversial reality TV program 'Border Security' after the federal privacy commissioner found the agency violated the rights of a construction worker filmed during a raid in Vancouver.

Where can I watch border security Americas front line?

Right now you can watch Border Security: America's Front Line on Netflix.

Where can I watch the border security front line in Canada?

The Canada Border Security Agency is the front line of Canada's national defense Streaming on Roku. Border Security: Canada's Front Line, an adventure series is available to stream now. Watch it on DangerTV on your Roku device.



Italians' Favorite TV Series | Easy Italian 101




More answers regarding what is the likelihood of appearing on the TV show 'Border Security: America's Front Line' if I travel to the US?

Answer 2

What is the likelihood ?

For all practical purposes it's 0. The US has about 80 million visitors each year. Maybe 100 or so appear on the show so it's almost literally "one in a million" (or 1.25 in a million to be exact).

The vast majority of people that appear on the show are doing something "unusual". If you are normal traveler with nothing that may trigger attention it's even lower than the number above.

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: William Fortunato, William Fortunato, Sean Valentine, Jacob Morch