"Are you US citizens"

[RACER X]

Talk about feels good w no real results

Just went thru a checkpoint east bound i10 from El Paso

Went thru 1 west bound past las cruces

Like somebody us stupid enough to tell them they're illegals

Let alone the legality of the questioning

Sign said something about the right to search any veh within 100mi of border

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fishingsetx]

The question is to guage your reaction more than deterine whether you are legal or not. My dad lived north of del rio, and we had to go through the check pount there to go pretty much anywhere. He would always tell them no and that we had a load of marajuana headed for houston. The guys that had been there a while would laugh and the new guys would get kinda worked up.

Guns have only two enemies: rust and politicians!

 

[easy rider]

Been through many of them, mostly California, seems I never get to answer any stupid questions, they just wave me through.

 

[Mikewood]

Been thru many also.
Yu a US citizen?
yes Sir.
(Dog sniffs car)
Thank you Sir.
And then I am back on the road.

(Most folks never see the dog)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Bozz10mm]

They have dogs trained to sniff out illegals? J/K

 

[Noggin]

I have been through the one between Del Rio and Uvalde many times. between 2006 and 2013 I would show them my passport. They would always ask if we were all US citizens (which of course my wife and step daughter were) I was tempted to just keep my mouth shut and nod, but decided it was not worth the hassle if they asked me to say something. After 2013 I showed them my green card, which seemed to surprise most of the guys, they behaved like they had not seen one before. Then in 2015 they stopped even asking anything and just waved us through we barely had time to stop moving. I have not been through since Trump moved to DC so maybe things have changed again

 

[Eli]

My wife and I were a bit nervous with her Green Card, but they just looked at it, handed it back, and waved us through. They did seem a bit surprised to see a 'White' woman have a Green Card!

Eli

 

[rman]

yep, been thru many a time when living in CA, they can set up anywhere within 100 miles of int'l border

The minute I open my mouth and speak normal english they let me go. I did get searched once coming from El Centro to San Diego along I-8. I had a lowered Mercedes that was hit in a parking lot the day before and my front bumper was tied up with a coat hanger. They checked the trunk since it was "low" lol

 

[Renegade]

They have dogs trained to sniff out illegals? J/K

Rotting corpses in the back of an 18-wheeler have a distinct odor.

 

[sdismukes]

Was heading back from San Diego to Dallas, after a TDY there. Had an apartment, so the back of the Ranger was full of household goods from the apt. I didn't want to overnight anywhere since the boxes would be easy pickings, so I drove straight through. I arrived at the checkpoint on I-10 near Van Horn at 03:00 or so. Hardly anyone on the roads that time of day, so naturally I stuck out. Talked with the agent a bit - "whatcha got back there?" "Household goods." "Household goods, eh?" "Yessir, was TDY in San Diego, this is the pack-out from the apartment" (gave me and the boxes another good look-see) then sent me on my way. Some boxes were big enough to hide an illegal in. That was the longest I ever spent other than waiting my turn - maybe all of a minute. Usually waved through, or after a quick glance (profiling?) to see I was a white boy and a little too old to mess with "that stuff".

 

[benenglish]

I've driven to California a few times and been through all 3 of the checkpoints mentioned thus far, all without incident. They ask me if I'm a U.S. citizen, I feign surprise that the checkpoint even exists while answering in the affirmative, and I'm on my way.

Obviously, that wouldn't work for a local.

One thing is worth a comment, though:

Sign said something about the right to search any veh within 100mi of border

Yeah, I realize that the border can't be an infinitesimally thin line. It has to be at least a few hundred yards wide so that buildings can be built for administrative purposes, vehicles processed, etc.

And, yes, I realize that constitutional rights effectively cease to exist when you're on the border. (Yes, that's a mild overstatement but I don't want to get off in the weeds on that issue.)

But what bothers me is the arbitrary designation of 100 miles as the width of the border. Why does "the border" have to be more than 1 mile or 10 miles wide? I don't get it. It appears to me that the 100 mile designation is simply for convenience, allowing the establishment of permanent checkpoints on major highways that don't run close to the actual border. We see it more acutely down here because we have to drive through checkpoints but when you think about it and look at all the coasts, the majority of the U.S. population lives within the border zone, an area where federal LEOs are granted substantially more leeway than they are "inside" the country.

Does that bother anyone else?

I realize that no agency is going entirely stark raving stupid but I hate the idea of there being such a large swath of the country where they have substantial legal cover to do so if they so desired. For example, those mobile checkpoints set up on dirt roads in the middle of nowhere, 50 miles from the border, are irritating for locals but they've learned to handle the situation. Now, what if CBP decided to throw up a checkpoint somewhere in the middle of New York? Theoretically, they have the power. Hell, if you work at the wrong federal facility near DC, you'll find the TSA and CBP setting up checkpoints as you get on and off the train at work; thus, we know that they know they have the power to throw up checkpoints willy-nilly. A bit of good sense has prevented it from becoming a widespread phenomena but I hate to rely on continued good sense from the government.

I ask again, does this "100-mile-wide border" bother anyone else?

 

[Shady]

too soon lol.

Rotting corpses in the back of an 18-wheeler have a distinct odor.

 

[easy rider]

I've driven to California a few times and been through all 3 of the checkpoints mentioned thus far, all without incident. They ask me if I'm a U.S. citizen, I feign surprise that the checkpoint even exists while answering in the affirmative, and I'm on my way.

Obviously, that wouldn't work for a local.

One thing is worth a comment, though:
Yeah, I realize that the border can't be an infinitesimally thin line. It has to be at least a few hundred yards wide so that buildings can be built for administrative purposes, vehicles processed, etc.

And, yes, I realize that constitutional rights effectively cease to exist when you're on the border. (Yes, that's a mild overstatement but I don't want to get off in the weeds on that issue.)

But what bothers me is the arbitrary designation of 100 miles as the width of the border. Why does "the border" have to be more than 1 mile or 10 miles wide? I don't get it. It appears to me that the 100 mile designation is simply for convenience, allowing the establishment of permanent checkpoints on major highways that don't run close to the actual border. We see it more acutely down here because we have to drive through checkpoints but when you think about it and look at all the coasts, the majority of the U.S. population lives within the border zone, an area where federal LEOs are granted substantially more leeway than they are "inside" the country.

Does that bother anyone else?

I realize that no agency is going entirely stark raving stupid but I hate the idea of there being such a large swath of the country where they have substantial legal cover to do so if they so desired. For example, those mobile checkpoints set up on dirt roads in the middle of nowhere, 50 miles from the border, are irritating for locals but they've learned to handle the situation. Now, what if CBP decided to throw up a checkpoint somewhere in the middle of New York? Theoretically, they have the power. Hell, if you work at the wrong federal facility near DC, you'll find the TSA and CBP setting up checkpoints as you get on and off the train at work; thus, we know that they know they have the power to throw up checkpoints willy-nilly. A bit of good sense has prevented it from becoming a widespread phenomena but I hate to rely on continued good sense from the government.

I ask again, does this "100-mile-wide border" bother anyone else?

Certainly! Any government agency that has power to search citizens at any given moment bothers me. To me it borders on breaking my 4th Amendment rights. Things like that are even more frequent since 9/11. Many people don't really understand how much freedom was lost nearly 16 years ago in the name of security.

 

[majormadmax]

Rotting corpses in the back of an 18-wheeler have a distinct odor.

Apparently not in San Antonio!

Back in 1985 I was driving across the southern edge of the country when I happened upon one of these checkpoints. I stopped and the first question I was asked was, "Where were you born?" I answered honestly, "In Germany;" to which the next question was "Are you a U.S. citizen?" "Well," I replied, "I'm in the United States Air Force!"

I was waved through at that point, but I wonder if they knew that you don't have to be an American citizen to serve in the USAF!

 

[pcmolter]

I cant believe how racist yall sound!

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[easy rider]

I cant believe how racist yall sound!

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

racist? Seems to me most those that talked about ethnicity were talking about their own.

 

[pcmolter]

racist? Seems to me most those that talked about ethnicity were talking about their own.

Lol, but if u support close borders ur a racist. Who wants a closed border klan hood.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[easy rider]

I have no further words for you, have a good day.

 

[pcmolter]

I have no further words for you, have a good day.

Im just poking fun, i just graduated from college at 47 this is the bs that comes up with younger generations

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[Jakashh]

lol I went through the same two checkpoints a couple weeks ago. The eastbound one is coming from big bend and is a few miles before Alpine, right? They stopped us at 2 or 3 AM, told us the dog was triggered, searched inside our giant black SUV for drugs with a dog, and then told me I passed Alpine already to gauge my reaction when I damn sure knew I didn't.

The one through to Las Cruces went smooth, too much traffic to search everyone. The guys there were chill and joking around.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk