Remember when the United States Border Patrol was supposed to patrol the borders? Well, it seems they have a new mandate; targeting American Citizens at Interior Checkpoints.
While most of the country is caught up in the debate about immigration, the federal government has been quietly setting up Internal Border Patrol Checkpoints as far as 60 miles inside the U.S. Border. While those who favor strict border control might consider this a good thing, they may have second thoughts once they learn how this administration is trying use the Border Patrol.
Over the last decade, the United States Border Patrol have been moved from patrolling the borders, to patrolling the interior of the country; setting up some 170 internal traffic checkpoints, as deep as 60 miles inside the United States border. While the U.S. Government claims these checkpoints are meant to deter illegal immigration, the majority of the people caught up in these checkpoints are U.S. Citizens.
Harassment, Detainment, and the Violation of the 4th Amendment
While the mainstream media continues to ignore yet another example of this governments move towards a total Police State, many frustrated citizens have begun to fight back by filming their encounters at these interior checkpoints.
While U.S. law, and the Constitution forbid these types of checkpoints, and the Border Patrol themselves admit U.S. Citizens are not required to answer questions at these checkpoints, many U.S. Citizens have been harassed, and even detained for weeks for refusing to submit to these illegal and unreasonable searches and seizure programs.
In fact, Reason TV just released a documentary featuring a naturalized U.S. citizen who was detained for 19 days, after refusing to answer questions at one of these illegal checkpoints.
Greg Rosenberg, a checkpoint protester and long-haul trucker, was tired of being routinely subjected to these illegal checkpoints – all while just trying to do his job. One night while driving his truck, carrying a load of Xerox copy machines destined for Ft. Worth, Texas, Rosenberg came face to face with another interior checkpoint some 29 miles north of the border.
After refusing to submit to the unconstitutional checkpoint, Rosenberg was illegally detained and imprisoned for 19 days.
Here is his story:
The Government’s 100-Mile “Constitution Free, Border Zone”
Thanks to the federal government, and the states that have rolled over and allowed it, almost two-thirds of the United States’ population, about 200 million people, live within these so-called Constitution free border zones.
Federal border patrol agents are stopping, questioning, and illegally searching U.S. citizens on an everyday basis with absolutely no suspicion of wrongdoing – sometimes even farther than 100-miles outside the border. As far as these government officials are concerned, the Constitution no longer exists – which we witnessed first-hand when the Feds set up Free-Speech zones and suspended the First Amendment, last year during the Bundy Ranch Invasion.
The continued “militarization” of every one of the federal government’s agencies, and their complete disregard for our most cherished Constitutional rights, has turned us all into suspected criminals. If it can happen to truck drivers who are simply trying to do their jobs, it can happen to anyone.
The moment a government ignores the rights of it’s people, and its very founding principles, is the moment that government loses its lagitamacy.
I think I may be prepping for the wrong things it seems my government is the biggest threat of all.
Anyone that believes this nonsense is just ridiculous. Sense should dictate the US citizens will go through there as the Border Patrol is there to check immigration status. No one gets harassed for no reason. Do your own research before believing everything you read on the internet. Shame on the author for writing false propaganda! Wake up and experience life for yourselves. You’re all as bad as liberals if you take a fools statement as fact. Drive through some checkpoints just to see what happens.
I have been through a checkpoint 100 miles south of the Canadian border several times. I was asked several questions after they determined I was a US citizen. Not to meet that it is on an interstate and I fear for my life while stopped in line on an interstate. The consequences have been proven with several deaths. This stop has caught very few illegals but it continues to this day. So you see I have experienced it first hand and I think it is wrong. Period.
Bill is just the typical Obama voter pretending to be a conservative because he can’t handle the fact that his hero is a traitor! Nice try troll but I live in Arizona and harassed constantly when driving my truck. It’s assholes like you that make it possible for this to happen
Joe, Bill is actually barry trying his hand at damage control of his failed legacy as President.
Wow Bill! Just wow. How many scandals before you people admit Obama isn’t who he says he is? IRS, NSA Spying, Benghazi, Ignoring the Paris Rally, Helping start the Ferguson Riots, and on, and on, and on.
Same idiots that hated Bush for doing this to us are now like, Go Obama!
Bill ?? What the heck are you doing on this site ? are you just cutting your utility bills and supplementing your groceries ? Your Rose colored view of life will turn red before you realize what’s up !!
What BS you do spout. Immigration my big fat rear end. These checkpoints have nothing to do with immigration. They are crime checkpoints and the US Supreme Court has ruled that this is unconstitutional. Chew on this. City of Indianapolis v. Edmond, 531 U.S. 44 (2000), the Supreme Court held that checkpoints established for general crime control purposes are unconstitutional. Think they are not then please tell me why the drug sniffing dogs are out there. According to the fifth amendment you do not have to answer any of their question because you have been stopped by federal law enforcement. So what the hell good are they. To detain you they have to have “probable cause”. When you pull up and they stop you at that time they have absolutely no probable cause. Oh but you looked nervous. Looking nervous does not constitute probable cause which has already been ruled on in Federal court. Every last thing these people are doing is against the Constitution and our laws. Read the authority they have. Their authority amounts to zero. Read the las and the Supreme Court decisions. You can start with this one. United States v. Martinez-Fuerte, 428 U.S. 543 (1976), the Supreme Court held that immigration checkpoints were permissible only insofar as they involve a “brief detention of travelers” during which all that is required of the vehicle’s occupants is “a response to a brief question or two and possibly the production of a document evidencing a right to be in the United States.” Id. at 558. Neither vehicles nor occupants should be searched, and referrals to secondary inspection areas should involve “routine and limited inquiry into residence status” only. Id. at 560. Local residents are supposed to be “waved through” checkpoints without inquiry. Id. at 550.
Pay close attention to the word “only”. All they can possibly do is ask if you are an American Citizen which under the fifth amendment you do not have to answer. So tell me this how can they end up electroshocking people. How can they detain people for hours? How can they end up searching a persons car? It’s all BS Gestapo Germany crap.
Excessive rule of law has preceded the fall of every failed empire. We are no different. Keep your powder dry head low and stack it deep people.
Your a little behind there OGS, read this 2 days ago on police state usa.
if your a U.S. citizen and you where checked at the border when crossing back in for illicit substances ( which you likely always are) then I don’t really get the point of these.. unless people have been caught meeting up with cartels who have already illegally crossed and then getting drugs in that way.
I don’t know two edged sword. although detainment for 2 weeks without justification is illegal. they can only legally hold you for 24 hours without cause. after which you are to be released.
the 24 hours allows them if they believe there is reason to search, to obtain a warrant from a judge to then prove their suspicion was with merit. after a warrant is granted and a search conducted, if nothing is found, you are released and they are pissed they wasted their time.
The law says these checkpoint are to be used for immigration only. So why are the drug sniffing dogs out there? These checkpoints are set up as crime checkpoints and nothing else and that’s agains their authority according to the law. I am living for the day these border patrol agents gets what is coming to them. They abuse our Constitution day in and day out and we the American people let them get away with it.
Socialists to the left, fascists to the right; they are all out to get “We the people”‘ yet too many, of either leaning, seem to think their way of thinking is the only true course for our country.
These checkpoints existed LONG before the current administration. They have been, and will continue to be a violation of our constitutional rights; just as are the late-night DUI checkpoints. Illegal searches, and yes, some illegal seizures, are becoming more common everyday. Few complain because LEOs are “making us safer”. Too many sheeple actually believe that the government is working for “We the people”, rather than against us. Time for everyone, left, right and centrist to open their eyes and take a stand.
These checkpoints where given the go ahead in 1953 with 1100 agents. Today we have 21,000 agents and 170 interior checkpoints which are completely our of control. Write your Senators about this and complain.
Everyone needs to stand up to these tyrant thugs before it’s too late for all.
How many people do you think are actually going to stand together when we won’t or don’t want to speak to each other that is how they made it so we would turn our backs on each other but as gods children we must and have to come together as a union we need to take a stand for our sake and our nation sake forget color or gender we are all gods children and see and realize that
I live within 10 miles of the Canadian border and in a very rural area where state trooper coverage can be sparse often. I feel safer knowing that border patrol is also involved in actual issues in my area. I don’t mind the extra checkpoints. I have nothing to hide and the process is quick. Currently the cutbacks to vital manpower to law enforcement, education, and services to the people have hurt us immeasurably. I’ll not speak against services working together to keep us safe. Duh, No Brainer! More of necessary services should get the idea to pool resources when needed.
That is a rather Traitorous statement on your part.” I feel safer knowing that border patrol is also involved in actual issues in my area. I don’t mind the extra checkpoints. I have nothing to hide” A little Fascism goes a long way with misguided people like you ! Sleep tight Comrade !! It’s UnConstitutional and it is not their juristiction and it is not needed.
Once you realize how they abuse our Constitutional rights you may think different. I was once like you but then I started to read cases where people said their Constitutional rights were violated. Then I found out this was true. Those who would give up their freedom and liberty for a small measure of safety deserves neither.
i travel to mexico and canada serveral times a month and i have only got into a checkpoint three tomes in five years, maybe it is the way the person looks that gets them put into the long line, if you act like you are hiding something they are going too dig deeper.
Yes maybe you look nervous which does not give them probable cause but they will jerk your cain for it every day of the week. Looking nervous does not constitute “probable cause”.
I roll through one of these checkpoints every day on I15, and occasionally on I5 and have for many years. They are at travel chokepoints. Which makes sense to me. The amount of drugs that are sized by the border patrol at these places are incredible. Thier tactics have changed over recent years, my understanding is that they use more intel and technology. I might feel differently if I had been stopped at some point but I never have after passing through possibly a thousand times. As an OTR driver I have been far more violated at weigh stations. That’s my perspective.
Interior checkpoint are useless. Why? Because there are a hundred ways to get around them.
This is nothing new. These checkpoints have been going on for years and years, even before 9/11.
Get the population to shy away from a certain area by hasseling them at checkpoints or allowing unanswered violence to occur and sooner or later no prying eyes wanting answers.
I live in Las Cruces, N.M. There is a Border check point 22 miles north on I 25, I pass through that check point 1 – 2 times every month, the only question ever asked to me is: Are you or is everyone an American citizen? I reply yes and off I go to continue my journey. Never once have I been asked anything more. Perhaps I live in the right part of the 100 mile zone.
With that said; I must say the B.P. also does not do much as far as their job goes anyway. I was walking the desert in mid summer heat near a dirt road when a B.P. truck passed by. He paid me no mind, 10 min. or so later he returned and passed me as if I was not there. Now it is over 100 degrees, I am out in the vast space of desert with nothing around but mesquite bushes. Any normal rational person may have been concerned about this person alone in the desert heat to see if I was OK. Not this agent, he passed on by. I could have been an injured person or god forbid an actual illegal person. So I take the good with the bad.
Did you know mesquite pods are edible? But food is not a priority, its water. I hope you had a liter or more.
I first heard of this back in 2006 via an ACLU article with a great interactive map
Are You Living in a Constitution Free Zone Dec 15 2006 http://www.aclu.org/national-security_technology-and-liberty/are-you-living-constitution-free-zone