This wasn't at the border, it is my understanding these checkpoints have been set up 100 miles at points within the border, he was merely traveling to destinations within the U.S and was wondering why he was being detained without cause.
Speaking of detention without cause...is that legal? I remember being taught in elementary school that the officer always needs to give cause. Presumably that was based on the 6th Amendment — “to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation”.
“This wasn’t at the border, it is my understanding these checkpoints have been set up 100 miles at points within the border”
We have 2 here on I-5 and I-15 and the only problem is that they don’t operate them 24/7!
That is correct. Nowhere near the border.
http://www.kpho.com/news/19207871/detail.html
Steve Anderson, a preacher at Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, said the incident happened Wednesday night at a checkpoint along I-8, far from the Mexican border.
Anderson said agents stopped him on his way back to the Valley from San Diego. The agents asked him where he was going and if he was a U.S. citizen. Anderson said he wasn’t answering any of their questions and told them he wanted to go home.
I have passed through one of these when my brother and I were driving from San Diego, CA to Austin, TX. They are actually on the interstate — I think we were on eastbound I-8 a few miles out of Yuma, AZ.
We were stopped a little after midnight — all traffic is stopped — and asked a quick question. As I recall it went something like this:
Us:(<pulling up, dropping to parking lights, opening drivers window) Good morning officer.
Border Patrol: Did you drop off/pick up any passengers on the highway (I don’t really remember the specifics)
Us: No officer, we are just heading to our parents house in Austin, TX from San Diego.
BP: Have a good day sir. (waves us on)
That was pretty much it. It was a permanent installation. Like a toll plaza with no tollbooths. I guess since we were about a mile or two north of the border they want to check traffic.
We were in a BMW, so that probably didn’t raise any suspicion, but if we were in a beat up panel van with no/tinted windows they probably would have been more inquisitive.
Note 2: I actually was surprised to pass through a California Agricultural Checkpoint on the way from Lake Tahoe to Sacramento. Apparently, you can’t take plants or some agricultural products into California unless the state Dept. of Ag you’re coming from certifies they are free of pests. I don’t know if other Freepers have experience with these checkpoints. Would they really confiscate your ficus tree or cactus plant?