upon my return trip to NY from a great vacation, I was anxious to see if I would be able to avoid the airport shakedowns that I've heard about. I was prepared to put up a good fight, but as things turned out nothing happend to me. Unfortunetely for those who held dominican passports it wasn't as easy. Just before entering the waiting area everyone had to go through a metel detector and have their luggage x-rayed. Since I got there early not knowing what to expect I had nothing to do but watch everyone go through the "shakedown". It would go like this, if you were traveling with kids, no problem passing. If you looked caucasian, no problem. But if you were a male dominican you got the full treatment. The agents would go through the carry on luggage again, and then you were questioned extensively. The more you argued the longer the questioning. One guy got pissed and asked to see the agents ID, which the agent promptly showed and the questioning went on for another 10min. Eventually most were free to go. But one guy, got taken outside and had his luggage pulled off the plane, but he returned later. When we were in NY I asked him what they did, he said the agents told him he looked like a criminal they were looking for, and when they took him outside out of view, they said he might miss his plane, but things might go smoother if he gave them some money. Which he did, but later regretted, his words were, "I wasn't going to give them anything, but I got nervous when they took me outside and pulled my luggage". I guess I'm lucky I hold an american passport and was traveling with my wife and daughter.