Posted on 06/25/2015 3:51:33 AM PDT by markomalley
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents who detained conservative filmmaker James O’Keefe at the airport specifically asked him about the work he’s done investigating the “federal government.”
O’Keefe was detained by U.S. customs agents Monday after arriving at the airport in Nassau, Bahamas en route to Miami. Agents told O’Keefe that he was being detained for crossing back and forth across the U.S.-Mexico border while dressed as Osama bin Laden in a video that was published by The Daily Caller. Agents marked his passport with an “X” and explained that he would be detained every time he enters U.S. territory henceforth.
O’Keefe was not allowed to videotape the encounter as he wished. The below transcript, provided to TheDC, was written by O’Keefe as closely as possible to the actual conversation that he had with the customs agents during the standoff at the airport. Here is the dialogue that went down:
James: Well, each and every time I go back into the country you guys do this, and its because I’m a journalist and you don’t like my journalism, so let’s just get this over with, here’s my ticket with the X, just tell what room you want me in.
Customs: (Looking at computer for 15 seconds). It’s not because you’re a journalist. (Turns towards me). What type of journalism do you do?
James: I do like 60 minutes, hidden camera work, investigative, sort of like the guy who catches the predators on NBC Dateline you know?
Customs: But what specific type of journalism have you done investigating the federal government?
James: Well, first ACORN was shut down because I posed as a pimp.<-- Mobile_Inline -->
Customs: Not the prostitution, the other one involving the federal government.
James: You mean the Obamacare navigators, where many were fired counseling to commit fraud?
Customs: No not that one, what did you do involving the federal govenrnment at the borders?
James: Well clearly you know which video that was. Why don’t you tell me?
Customs: No, I need you to tell me.
James: That was the one where I legally waded into the Rio Grande dressed like Osama bin Laden and embarrassed the federal government. DHS secretary was grilled under oath. Are you telling me this is retaliation for that?
Customs: I’m telling you that each time you go through here you will need to give an extra hour because we will do this each time. You have a prior criminal record and broke the law crossing into the United States unlawfully.
James: It wasn’t unlawful, I did nothing but wade back and forth. Millions of Mexicans cross and you don’t detain them for unlawful entry
Customs: You broke the law!
James: I broke the law? I’m a journalist who is trying to expose something important. Deep down in your heart when you set the burocreacy aside you have admit it needed to be exposed.
Customs: Come with me.
James caught himself in a Catch 22 here.
Prior court rulings have held that until you clear Customs, you are not technically IN the United States. Hence your Constitutional protections are deemed not yet applicable. They can pretty much do what they want to you.
Should have studied up on that, James.
Meaning: “Don’t dare look at what the government is doing, or we will get you”
If his engine had gone much further, it would have been stopped at the Mexican border.
First sentence of the third paragraph of the excerpt above.
“O’Keefe was not allowed to videotape the encounter as he wished.”
I thought this was settled- you can video anywhere in public
Wasn’t there a supreme court ruling on this?
War Is Peace.
We’ve always been at peace with Eastasia...
The Art V convention needs to do a complete reset with NO gov’t agencies, just those offices and positions stated in the Constitution.
bttt
You are, of course, correct.
I just sick of the whole corrupt and sh!tt!ng mess.
He should have asked “Under whose authority?”, because you never know, they might be stupid and actually name someone.
Also, he could ask them if the interview was being recorded, and if they said no, then after the fact, and letting his associates know that he was going to lie, he could claim they said things they didn’t say.
Likely, they *did* video record the conversation, and would have to show the video to prove he was lying, which would also prove that they were recording even though *they* lied about it.
But if they didn’t record it, he could finger a prominent member of the administration as having ordered personal harassment of him and retribution against him.
So, following that logic, if the customs agent finds contraband on you then you can't be charged with smuggling it into the country because you are not "technically" IN the country? Another logical disconnect handed down by the courts.
I know that Canadians who are applying for US Work Visas are advised by their immigration attorneys to apply at US Customs inside Pearson Airport in Toronto, because they are still technically on Canadian soil. That way if US Customs gets suspicious and starts heading in the direction of a fraudulent application they can just withdraw it and walk away without being charged (as would likely happen at the border)
Yet the courts have upheld the right of Customs to seize and examine your hard drive without a warrant.
According to his ‘testimony’ above he didn’t actually ‘cross’, he ‘waded in’ and then stepped back out.
If that’s the case, then he broke no laws.
He needs to get a lawyer and subpoena that border agent’s testimony and have a court approve taking a deposition.
It’d be nice to have the name or picture of the harrassing agent.
Why isn’t this federal cop being brought up on charges, and this being investigated?
Unbelievable!
The Customs agent needs to go back to law class. Here is the law it took me 10 seconds to find it:
8 U.S.C. § 1325 : US Code - Section 1325: Improper entry by ALIEN
(a) Improper time or place; avoidance of examination or inspection; misrepresentation and concealment of facts ANY ALIEN who (1) enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or (2) eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers, or (3) attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact, shall, for the first commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both.
There is no illegal entry law regarding a US Citizen returning to this country. This law applies only to ALIENS both legal and illegal.
He should tell the Customs agent to STFU and charge me or let me go, I am not staying in your holding tank. If they hold him anyway sue them for false imprisonment as there is no legal justification for a detention.
Any law that is selectively enforced is no law at all. It is tyranny.
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