Immigration Ordeal

Shelly Slater reports

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NEW YORK — Three young men from North Texas embarked on the backpack trip of a lifetime, only to find it ruined by a less-than-gracious immigration officer.

Colin Zwirko and his two friends, all from Plano, flew to Ireland on Friday.

But when they arrived in Dublin, an immigration officer stopped them and sent them back to New York. She said she believed they didn't have enough means for the trip and that they weren't there for the reasons they stated.

"The problem began with us not filling out the area on the card we were required to fill out (given to us by Delta flight attendants) of our address in Ireland. We didn't know the address but I had the phone number of the guy I met on couchsurfing.com, and I provided this to her during my interrogation period," Zwirko said.

"After the questioning, we waited for another 15 minutes or so, when she walked up to us amongst a crowd of new arriving passengers and said, 'come on, lads,' and led us towards the locked cell," he continued.

"She told us, and I quote, 'I am not satisfied with your stories.'"

"The officer required 'bank statements' proving our monetary possessions... I managed to pay 3 Euros for internet service on my netbook while in the cell and brought up my Bank of America account proving my funds, but she stated... that the 'decision was already made.'"

Zwirko said he had $10,000 in his online bank account.

The three were then forced to pay $1,900 each for an immediate return ticket to JFK International Airport in New York.

Zwirko said he felt he had been treated like a "criminal."

The Irish consulate in New York said that this incident was "not typical" and was "an exception to the rule."

The three men are currently in limbo in New York, deciding what to do next.

E-mail ljones@wfaa.com