Dennis Orcullo banned from USA for five years

jay helfert said:
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!
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Thanks for the info Jay and for checking on Dennis too.
 
jay helfert said:
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!
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This is ultimately on DO, but just another example of how tough it is to make a living even for a world top 10 (possibly top 5) professional pool player.

Clearly DO does not have / cannot afford / or just simply doesn’t think they need a qualified agent / attorney / accountant to handle all his affairs to ensure something like this doesn’t ever happen. If he did, someone really screwed up.
 
ChrisinNC said:
This is ultimately on DO, but just another example of how tough it is to make a living even for a world top 10 (possibly top 5) professional pool player.

Clearly DO does not have / cannot afford / or just simply doesn’t think they need a qualified agent / attorney / accountant to handle all his affairs to ensure something like this doesn’t ever happen. If he did, someone really screwed up.
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You do not need a lawyer after you get a visa .

I hate to think of one scenario why he was sent home and banned for 5 years upon re-entering .

Jay, sounds like Dennis will have to hire that famous Law Offices of Garfunkel in LA .
 
Fatboy said:
He most likely appeal his sanction under the “exceptional human” clause and get a clearance of some sort.

I’m not 100% certain that’s the name of the clause but there are laws for gifted foreigners that give them some wiggle room on visa violations.

This might be the correct thing, I’m not sure:

www.uscis.gov

Explore my Options | USCIS

Check out your options regarding t
www.uscis.gov


There’s a solution for him I’m certain.

Fatboy<——not a lawyer
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Doesn't Orcullo qualify as a Professor of Physics?
 
JoeyInCali said:
You sound like an old lady at the donut line behind the church
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Dennis was a guest in USA, just because the guy can play Pool well he is not exempt from our rules.

Just like visitors in your homeland little man, have to obey rules or become victims of stupidity.

Funny thing is Philippines was one part of USA, but they wanted freedom to be free of USA.

Had they stay part Dennis would be free to come and go like a bird flying between places with no problems.

Being separate nation sometimes is not so great.😄
 
David in FL said:
If you don’t understand the difference between the two, you have a real problem with critical thought…
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Both are situations where people travel to work and improve their lives. I'm sure your gymnastics will be alive and well in NPR to explain the difference to us lowly peasants
 
Dead Money said:
Thanks for the info Jay and for checking on Dennis too.
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Jay’s story made total sense of what happened, and why it happened.

Bottom line is the person who is responsible for Dennis being banned from USA for five years is Dennis.

He should be happy he was only banned from the USA for five years, and allowed to return home.

Had this happen in many other countriesvhe could have been a long term guest in some other countries prision for s as long time.
 
just inferred he may get investigated and that can be a problem. just filing isnt all its about. there are state taxes wherever he made a tournament cash, and recording gambling sessions. not likely but he needs to be prepared for it in case.
 
garczar said:
Not trying to start a flame session here but just what do you consider 'productive and legal'? Not just DO but do many foreign players claim winnings and pay tax on them? If not how are they different than day laborers that hop the border, get paid in cash and go back to Juarez or wherever?
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The simple difference is legal vs illegal...
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
Jay’s story made total sense of what happened, and why it happened.

Bottom line is the person who is responsible for Dennis being banned from USA for five years is Dennis.

He should be happy he was only banned from the USA for five years, and allowed to return home.

Had this happen in many other countriesvhe could have been a long term guest in some other countries prision for s as long time.
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What an ignorant, cynical set of dipshit comments. AZB armchair quarterbackimg at its finest (among a crowded field)…

Do you have any experience with frequent international travel as a visa holder? For that matter have you even left your couch much?

Obviously it would be prudent for him to be very on top of the proper process and aware of his dates, leave ample time margins, etc and it sounds like he made a mistake. Most of us pool players are not always reknown for astute life decision making skills… But these situations can be complex and happen to frequent business travelers also; the process of applying for a new visa can take months during which one is without their passport and unable to travel. In such situations, one may be tempted to run close on the date margins in order to attend a certain event, conference, meeting, etc. In which case, it can come down to simple oversight/confusion on date/time stamps due to timezones, changed flights, etc. Obviously the current Covid mess complicates things further.

Bottom line you are spewing ignorant vitriol based purely on self absorbed speculation.
 
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jimmyg said:
The simple difference is legal vs illegal...
Click to expand...
The other difference is
jimmyg said:
The simple difference is legal vs illegal...
Click to expand...

The illegals who stand on corner hopes to get a days work at 70-100/day are not knocking down 20-25k in big pool event. Plus side game.

Then you got all this being shared on social media. Plus sites like AZB.

Think the Feds don’t monitor social media, then believe in Santa Claus is real.😄
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
The other difference is


The illegals who stand on corner hopes to get a days work at 70-100/day are not knocking down 20-25k in big pool event. Plus side game.

Then you got all this being shared on social media. Plus sites like AZB.

Think the Feds don’t monitor social media, then believe in Santa Claus is real.😄
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They don't. If they did they'd be all over some of the events in the south. A lot of places have HUGE calcuttas and afaik none have ever had issues. A buddy played in one last week that was for under-650 Fargo and the calcutta was over 100grand. Yeah, you read that right. They don't give a shit about pool action.
 
phreaticus said:
What an ignorant, cynical set of dipshit comments. AZB armchair quarterbackimg at its finest (among a crowded field)…

Do you have any experience with frequent international travel as a visa holder? For that matter have you even left your couch much?

Obviously it would be prudent for him to be very on top of the proper process and aware of his dates, leave ample time margins, etc and it sounds like he have made a mistake. Most of us pool players are not always reknown for astute life decision making skills… But these situations can be complex and happen to frequent business travelers also; the process of applying for a new visa can take months during which one is without their passport and unable to travel. in such situations, one may be run close on the date margins in order to attend a certain event, conference, meeting, etc. In which case, it can come down to simple oversight/confusion on date/time stamps due to timezones, changed flights, weather etc. Obviously the current Covid mess complicates things further.

Bottom line you are spewing ignorant vitriol based purely on self absorbed speculation. .
Click to expand...


Bottom line is ignorance is no excuse. It’s like speeding where there are photo radar camera, and bitching about getting photo radar ticket in mail.

Same as during cross country on a New Mexico license, then breaking some local traffic law in South Dakota. Tell the cop you were not aware of their State law.

As Cop hand you ticket he or she might say tell the judge, my job is citing law breakers.
 
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