United States Immigration?

Travel Info
Who has more power, the immigration officer at the port of entry or the visa officer in a consulate/embassy to grant any non-immigrant status in either Canada or United States.

Travel Tips

immigration officer has the ultimate say whether to let you inside canada or the united states. but it is more difficult to get a visa in the consulate or embassy. let us just say that the consulate or embassy does the prescreening before you leave your home country. before without a visa immigrants from europe had to stay in ellis island and had to be screened before being allowed in or be deported. the visa system changed all that.

Others
don't know and don't care
If you come from a country where you need a nonimmigrant visa to enter the USA, then the consular officer is more important. Once she grants a nonimmigrant visa to you, her decision will seldom be overturned by an officer at the US Port of Entry.

Hope this helps.
Visa office at embassy has higher power, they can deny you for no reason after waiting months.

But the immigration officer cannot deny you without reason if you already got visa from your home country, the immigration officer would only stop you if they are suspicious you would do something illegal.
Experience