Last month I returned to the US. My experience with passport control was I stood in front of a camera and a photo was taken, and the light turned green, and I went through. No questions, no interaction with passport staff.

The fastest I've ever gotten through passport control.

I’m British, I entered Britain yesterday morning and didn’t say anything to anyone from leaving the plane to asking for a coffee at Ealing Broadway - it’s all automated. The job of the border is to check you are the person your passport claims to be, which seems reasonable.

I did have to put my hotel on the landing form when I entered singapore last week but nothing more - again didn’t talk to anyone until checking in at the hotel. In China they did talk to me, asked me if I was there for business or tourism the week before, nothing more.

I know the US border is perhaps the least friendly border I’ve ever crossed — and that includes going in and out of Gaza, but I assumed that US citizens didn’t get that treatment.

Yeah, in that case I agree. I didn't realize you only meant Polish citizens.

I don't understand why they would even bother asking a US citizen who is returning home these questions: Where are you going? Where will you be staying? What do you intend to do?

Wouldn't everyone just answer, "home", "home", and "go home"? What would even be the point?