Do I need a visa for two unconnected international flights in the US?

Question

The first flight is from Europe to Miami and the unconnected flight to Bahamas is three hours later.

Is it possible to check-in for the second flight without going through Immigration?

Answer 1

No. All arriving passengers on international flights in US airports must pass through immigration -- no matter whether they have connecting flights or not.

Answer 2

No, this is not possible. In many countries, you only go through immigration if your final destination is in that country. However, in the USA, you need to go through immigration at your point of entry, regardless of what other flights you're taking that day: it wouldn't matter if Miami was your destination, or if you were taking a connecting flight within the US or outside the US, on the same ticket or a different ticket.