Random Citizenship Checkpoints

Random Citizenship Checkpoints

seattletimes.nwsource.com

Starting at 8 a.m. last Thursday, federal Border Patrol agents blocked the highway outside town. For four hours, every car, truck and bus driving south on Highway 101 was pulled off the road and all passengers questioned.

Layla Iranshad, 27, was headed to her job at Peninsula College. She says the agent asked her if she was a U.S. citizen (yes, she answered), then asked where she was born.

"I said in England. Then he asked how I got my citizenship. He also wanted to know where I lived and where I was going.

"It freaked me out. Since when in this country do we get stopped on the street and questioned about our citizenship?"

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.forkswa.com

Below is a link to a map that will show you where Forks, WA is at and tell you a little about the town.

There is no reason for people to be questioned randomly about their citizenship. Just ridiculous.

Are they testing this out in a small town to get an idea of how this would go over in the rest of the country?

Or, as the residents suspect, were they just fishing for illegal immigrants?

Either way, there is no excuse for this

seattletimes.nwsource.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 3/21/2007 by WellSee]

Originally posted by WellSee


There is no reason for people to be questioned randomly about their citizenship. Just ridiculous.

That is a matter of opinion. Many in the southwest have put up with this for years. Ever travel between Nogales and Tucson? If you had you would know what I am talking about. Ever traveled between Minot ND and the Peace Gardens? Same applies there only not ad often as Nogales to Tucson.

[edit on 3/21/2007 by shots]

This is the new america. You are slaves. Americans citizens are third class people, cattle. First class are politicians, police and army, second class illegal immigrants and third class american citizens.

Wake up and smell the fascism.

That is a matter of opinion. Many in the southwest have put up with this for years.

Why have you (people in the southwest) put up with it for years? Patrol the borders, that's great. If you can't stop terrorists there, I don't see how hassling American citizens with random citizenship checkpoints is going to help.

How do you even prove your citizenship? I don't carry my birth certificate with me. Seems like this could very easily be abused. Set up a "terror" checkpoint, arrest anyone you want because they can't "prove" their citizenship. 4 years later I am confessing to everything under the sun at Gitmo.

Originally posted by WellSee


How do you even prove your citizenship? I don't carry my birth certificate with me. Seems like this could very easily be abused. Set up a "terror" checkpoint, arrest anyone you want because they can't "prove" their citizenship. 4 years later I am confessing to everything under the sun at Gitmo.

You are over reacting. They do not expect you to prove your citizenship on the spot, they are just asking because it is their job. Keep in mind they are the border patrol, we are not talking local sheriff here.

Times have changed, years ago it was only in the SW now it is virtually the whole country where the borders are as it should be.

Originally posted by WellSee

That is a matter of opinion. Many in the southwest have put up with this for years.

Why have you (people in the southwest) put up with it for years? Patrol the borders, that's great. If you can't stop terrorists there, I don't see how hassling American citizens with random citizenship checkpoints is going to help.

How do you even prove your citizenship? I don't carry my birth certificate with me. Seems like this could very easily be abused. Set up a "terror" checkpoint, arrest anyone you want because they can't "prove" their citizenship. 4 years later I am confessing to everything under the sun at Gitmo.

As a matter of law, this is not unconstitutional. This is no different from a drunk driving checkpoint, which is valid because it is minimally invasive and doesn't discriminate against those whom it affects.

Does the phrase, "Papers Please" ring any bells? It should as history is nearly repeating itself. I am not going to go into a diatribe to educate those of you who might be history challenged, but this is the top of a very long and slippery slope!

You can rest assured - a rebellion is close at hand! The FREE people will not continue to stand for this.

There were border patrol checkpoints around El Paso, Texas and elsewhere in the early 1970s and probably way before. So what? Unless you're an illegal, there is nothing to be concerned about whatsoever. Not every state hands out Perrier water on the desert and otherwise coddles illegals. Many of us want them out of here and back where they came from.

So... whats wrong with stopping people and asking if their citizens again?

If your a citizen, whats it to you?

Illegal immigrants don't (or shouldn't) have rights here.. there the ones truly being bothered by this..

But what do I know.. border patrol doing their job in Washington made me a slave to the government... or .. I guess thats how it worked right?

The ignorance in the thread is overwhelming.

We have Rights in America. I know some of you think that fact is debatable. It's really sad too. Our Civil Rights are not something to be switched on and off at the whim of Law Enforcement - for any reason.
Civil Rights are sacrosanct - not to be violated. I hardly think random checkpoints, violating 4th - 5th amendment guarantees, even merits debate. It's been repeatedly decided, all the way to the SCOTUS to be illegal.

"The primary purpose of the temporary checkpoints is to support enhanced national-security efforts to deter, detect and prevent the threat of terrorist attacks against the American people," says a statement from the Border Patrol.

Source

This supposedly was not a check for illegal immigrants. They figured the WOT could best be fought by randomly pulling people over outside of a town in the middle of nowhere.

Keep in mind they are the border patrol, we are not talking local sheriff here. (originally posted by shots)

That's a problem for me. If it was just the local sheriff there is less of a chance of me being detained without charges. Also, there is then someone to complain to above the local sheriff.

Now I understand why (and how) this country is going to be completely undermined - because of the truly ignorant people that believe that they are "Safe" because they have nothing to hide. Sadly these are the same people that have little to no understanding of history.

I once heard a saying and I cannot remember exactly how it goes, so feel free to correct me: "First they came and took people away and I said nothing, because it was not me or my family. Then they came for my neighbors and still I said nothing because it was not me or my family. Then they came for my family and spoke barely a whisper for I feared for my life. Then they came for me and I shouted, 'Why won't someone help me!?' and I realized it was because there was nobody left to fight for me!"

Can those of you who are saying that this is "ok" or a "Good thing" or "nothing to worry about if your not here illegally" understand the previous analogy? If not, think about the Jews in Nazi Germany or the Bagarra people sufferring at the hands of the Janjawwed in Darfur.

This NOT ok and there is MUCH to worry about. Study history people! This is the beginning of the police state. They are already talking about biometric national IDs, chipping people etc... They have cameras EVERYWHERE watching EVERYTHING. They have data mining tools to watch your every transaction, your every e-mail, your every call, your every purchase. They have the benefit of the Patriot Act" to conjur up martial law at the drop of a hat without ANY COngressional intervention.

Put down the Budweiser, stick the pizza in the fridge and OPEN YOUR EYES people. If we don't demand an end to this now and speak up for others, there will be no one left to speak for you and it will be too late!

Was anyone beaten? Taken away? Were there blcak helicopters and killer dogs?

This is a normal check point, not a papers please situation. If this was NAzi Germany, the passenger in the car would have been shot for being a forienger so don't go overboard. This can happen if there is a BOLO out and they are looking for someone. This is not a violation of rights in any way.

This is technology coming to the forefront. Chip me, what is there is be worried about?

[edit on 22-3-2007 by esdad71]

Originally posted by TheAvenger
There were border patrol checkpoints around El Paso, Texas and elsewhere in the early 1970s and probably way before. So what? Unless you're an illegal, there is nothing to be concerned about whatsoever. Not every state hands out Perrier water on the desert and otherwise coddles illegals. Many of us want them out of here and back where they came from.

Please give me your credit card information, so that I can check and make sure it's not being used to fund terrorism.
While we're at it I'll be going through your bedroom and your wife's purse to look for illegal substances. Don't worry about the matress I just cut open, you'll be given one of those foam rubber moon matresses.
Who are your children? Where do they go to school? What times are they home? You don't mind if I perform an extensive cavity check on your daughter, just to make sure she's not muling any coc aine, right?
We're going to need to dismantle your car to makr sure there are no Mexicans crammed into the door panels.
I hear you posted on a conspiracy website. We'll be needing your hard drive, and I suggest you not leave town for a while.

Don't worry, if we don'd find anything, you won't be going to jail.

Little by little, day by day, erosion of societies fabric wears away.

By Pastor Martin Niemöller

In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me —
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

Yes Sauron, that is the one! Thank you so very much!!!

Do any of you supporting this get the point now? This isn't about paranoia, this is about what has happened in the past and is being carefully and incrementally rolled out now. Why can't you people understand this? Sadly, by the time it is them coming for you, it will be too late.

Originally posted by Smack
The ignorance in the thread is overwhelming.

We have Rights in America. I know some of you think that fact is debatable. It's really sad too. Our Civil Rights are not something to be switched on and off at the whim of Law Enforcement - for any reason.
Civil Rights are sacrosanct - not to be violated. I hardly think random checkpoints, violating 4th - 5th amendment guarantees, even merits debate. It's been repeatedly decided, all the way to the SCOTUS to be illegal.

I am glad I am so ignorant because I don't fall in line with everyone elses radical views.

Please. Show me in the constitution where it says the government may never ask you for proof of citizenship.

Please. Explain to me what "right" was violated... and who gave you this "right"?

And of course.. I would love to know how this is unethical. How dare the government guard the border areas...

Please. Literally show me. I am apparently ignorant.

Originally posted by Rockpuck
I am glad I am so ignorant because I don't fall in line with everyone elses radical views.

Please. Show me in the constitution where it says the government may never ask you for proof of citizenship.

Please. Explain to me what "right" was violated... and who gave you this "right"?

And of course.. I would love to know how this is unethical. How dare the government guard the border areas...

Please. Literally show me. I am apparently ignorant.

Congratulations! You have been "Triangulated"! They use the mainstream media to get your patriotism all fired up so that you accept this and find nothing wrong with it. They solidify this as a single issue not related to anything other than border security and get you to cheer. Sadly, this when taken with everything else that I have already mentioned (The Patriot Act, monitoring, cameras, chipping, national IDs etc...) clearly demonstrates a slippery slope toward the police state.

Come on, let's use our heads! If this was about border security, why not BEEF UP SECURITY AT THE BORDER??? Why subject innocent American citizens to this type of search? Aren't we INNOCENT until PROVEN GUILTY? Not in this case! They want you to prove that you are innocent first.

Why can't you people see the real problem with this? Based on the responses in this thread, this country is DOOMED! The police state is almost here!

Please. Literally show me. I am apparently ignorant.

There is a cure for Ignorance, however stupidity is said to have no cure.

I could never convince someone like yourself of the truth. I can only suggest you read the case law, where this issue has been resolved. Prove it to yourself.
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS et al. v. EDMOND et al.

One will quickly note that it was held that the checkpoints violated the 4th amendment.

Held: Because the checkpoint program's primary purpose is indistinguishable from the general interest in crime control, the checkpoints violate the Fourth Amendment. Pp. 3-15.

To answer your question:

Please. Explain to me what "right" was violated... and who gave you this "right"?

The rights violated, in particular are Amendment IV and V. I trust you have a copy of the Bill of Rights. As to who gives us these rights - from the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —