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Saying No at DHS Checkpoints

By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Fri Mar 08, 2013 at 06:33:46 PM EST
Tags: immigration reform (all tags)
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What happens when you refuse to comply with a request for information about your citizenship at an immigration checkpoint within the U.S.? Apparently, they have to let you continue on your way and you don't have answer questions or go to the secondary area. At least, that's what happens to those stopped in this video that refused -- the agents backed down.

Good to know. But why are there immigration checkpoints 30 miles from the border?

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    Saying No at DHS Checkpoints | 37 comments (37 topical)

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    Love this (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Dadler on Fri Mar 08, 2013 at 07:42:54 PM EST
    Coming back from Mexico once, at the literal border, it was the American officers who treated my wife, who was driving, like she was some unruly criminal when she was doing nothing but trying to figure out why she was being hassled as a mom with her husband and toddler in the car. As for distance from the border, it's probably more than fifty to the San Onofre Checkpoint in SoCal, the traffic backup it causes stretches for miles sometimes, and it always seemed to be capriciously open or closed. Pointlessly polluting is what it is, as cars pollute most when idling in that idiotic line of cars. Thanks for this post, J.

    and more polluting to freedom (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Dadler on Fri Mar 08, 2013 at 07:54:03 PM EST
    of course.

    Parent
    Yes, I too have been (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by fishcamp on Fri Mar 08, 2013 at 09:45:50 PM EST
    through that checkpoint at San Onofre many times coming back from surfing in Mexico but just got waved through probably because I had blond hair and blue eyes.  Wonder what they would think now that I have gray hair?  Many times when we had a dark haired surfer with us we got sent to secondary and they got checked but not me.  They also took the opportunity to search the car every time.  Wish I had seen this excellent video back then.

    Parent
    Truthfully, I edited.... (none / 0) (#15)
    by Dadler on Sat Mar 09, 2013 at 09:25:20 AM EST
    ...the part where I leaned past my wife in the driver's seat and all but told the INS officer, "Dude, you wanna settle this like men, cuz you have no right treating my wife like you have been." Not proud of it, but sh*t, the cat was barking at my wife in a manner that made my dear lady very upset and vulnerable. I wanted to deck that mothereffer so bad, you have no idea. But glad I didn't, since we finally got sent on our way by a much more understanding officer, who literally reaffirmed my faith in human beings.

    Parent
    Makes you wonder (none / 0) (#5)
    by Slado on Fri Mar 08, 2013 at 09:05:45 PM EST
    Why we libertarians are so against big government.

    The less government the less of this.

    As Government keeps getting bigger out freedoms keep getting smaller.

    Stand with Rand

    Parent

    Except that...oh, the hypocrisy. (5.00 / 5) (#14)
    by Leopold on Sat Mar 09, 2013 at 08:49:00 AM EST
    Rand Paul, like all libertarians, is only against 'big government' when it suits his ideology. He is against abortion rights, against the Americans with Disabilities Act, against the Voting Rights Act, against marriage equality, against equal pay for women, etc.

    In other words, like all libertarians, he is against government interventions.... because people like him are fine. Minorities are often denied their civil liberties in this society, and sometimes government intervention is needed to protect freedom and rights for all members of our society.

    Parent

    Nice speech, but you've confused civil rights (none / 0) (#16)
    by Mr Natural on Sat Mar 09, 2013 at 10:04:49 AM EST
    and civil liberties.  The price of St. Obama's diffident support for the civil rights of a few has been the decrease in civil liberties for everyone.

    But do continue bashing Rand Paul.  I feel a little sorry for him.  Except for Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley's tweet, virtually no one from my party had the courage to speak in support of his demands for accountability.


    Parent

    Slight correction (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by MO Blue on Sat Mar 09, 2013 at 11:16:58 AM EST
    There were 2 Dems who spoke in support of Paul's demands for accountability.

    Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, spoke in support of Paul during that time. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) tweeted support,...

    Not exactly a number to be proud of for sure but felt Wyden should be mentioned.

    Parent

    And you confuse libertarianism (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by Leopold on Sun Mar 10, 2013 at 09:08:29 AM EST
    with the notion that it can proffer liberty and rights for all in society. It can't.

    Parent
    Don't confuse not wanting government intervention (none / 0) (#19)
    by Slado on Sat Mar 09, 2013 at 12:05:26 PM EST
    With not caring.

    Rand would vehemently defend the rights of all people but does not agree that government intervention is a good way to solve social issues.

    Too often the unintended consequences outweigh the perceived benefit.

    Mr. Paul is consistent.  Dems and republicans trade their ideology for special interests.

    See President Obama vs. candidate Obama.

    Far too many examples to list.

    I was a republican but all the double talk and pandering to the religious right and the hypocrisy when it comes to military spending drove me away.

    Come join us.

    Parent

    No thank you. (5.00 / 3) (#27)
    by Leopold on Sun Mar 10, 2013 at 09:07:13 AM EST
    Libertarianism is completely antithetical to the core philosophy of citizenship, something I deeply believe in. I believe we have obligations to others in society, not just rights. Libertarianism is about the individual, and ignores the ethics of citizenship with its comcomitant belief that we are connected to, and committed to, others in society -- particularly those less fortunate.

    Parent
    Why does our citizenship... (none / 0) (#32)
    by kdog on Mon Mar 11, 2013 at 09:13:19 AM EST
    feel so much like serfdom?  I have no problem being a good citizen, as long as I am not treated like a subject or a child.

    It's a two-way street man...just as individuals have an obligation to society, scoiety has an obligation to the individual...namely respecting him or her.  These authoritarian checkpoints are disrespectful.  

    Society is not living up to this obligation to the individual, which only adds to the allure of libertarianism.  If libertarianism offends you so, ya need to get your statist house in order bro.
     

    Parent

    Dear "bro": (none / 0) (#34)
    by Leopold on Tue Mar 12, 2013 at 05:36:05 AM EST
    There is much more to consider along the spectrum of governing philosophy than the extremes of libertarianism and 'statism'.

    Although, you helpfully exemplify the oversimplified thinking of the libertarian who is torn between 'liberty' vs 'statism'. Thank you "bro".

    Parent

    My pleasure... (none / 0) (#35)
    by kdog on Tue Mar 12, 2013 at 08:10:38 AM EST
    %%nor