hobbes79

Driving back from Quebec today. Got through the US/Canadian border without a hitch.

Then about 2-hours later of driving was stopped in New Hampshire in a road block by the US Border Patrol.

Was asked "you all US citizens?"

I said no. Me being a Brit, one Venezuelan and the final passenger was in fact a USC.

Asked for my passport which I'd long placed in the trunk so was asked to pull over and fish it out. Did so, showed my greencard and sent on my way.

No real drama, just amazed to have that so far from the border. I mean, I could conceivably live in New Hampshire and wouldn't necessarily have my passport and greencard on me.

Very exciting for a self confessed immigration anorak though

Jerseygirl

You are required to carry your GC with you at all times.

TimFountain

CBP are permitted to setup immigration checks UP TO 100 miles from a border. If you were more than 100 miles then the stop may have been unconstitutional.

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/ACLU_h...iles_1022.html


- Tim

Ozzidoc

There was a story on NPR today about three very young kids in school uniform who were "rounded up" at a trolley station this morning....they didn't have any documents so were turfed over the border to TJ.

MrEmjoy

Oh dear, mines in the kitchen!!!

Jerseygirl

I never carried mine...I was too worried about losing it or getting it stolen.

hobbes79

I never carry mine either - same reason.

starky

Although I know I am suppose to carry mine with me I don't, I am afraid of losing it! I bring it with me when ever I leave MA, just to be on the safe side, don't want the powers that be trying to deport me :-)
An Irish friend of mine who was here a little over his 90 day stay, lets call it four years ;-) was picked up by a similar patrol Up near tha CAN border. He was of course deported. After hearing about the whole deportation procedure it made me NEVER want to go through it. It took them 6 weeks to do the paper work, and it was no hotel he was staying in while he was waiting ...

scrubbedexpat091

We have had permanent check points like these in Southern California for years.

Toontje

Texas has them too.

crg

That's an excellent point. Overstaying the VWP got that guy 6 weeks in jail. What people don't realize is that the VWP overstay can be 4 years or 4 hours. The person will likely be in jail for 6 weeks until transportation can be arranged.

starky

It can take way longer then 6 weeks too, depends on the other country involved. then a serious ban on entering the US. This guy still can't get back into the US, 8 years on! The consulate in dublin told him no way!

crg

It depends on the other country and how many international flight options are available in that part of the US. A VWP Removal carries the same weight as an order from an immigration judge and usually lasts at least 10 years.

With a 4 year overstay, I'm not surprised that they aren't eager to grant him a visa.

meauxna

I know it is, sort of.

However.

I'm interested in hearing from anyone on the authority for these checkpoints and what's required to make one permanent.

I'm in Arizona right next to one at the moment and the residents are concerned about DHS' plans to make an interim CP into a permanent one. I'd like to get them some research information if anyone's run across anything. They have a lawyer on it and recently received the results of their FOIA request to DHS: "no".

DHS plans to spend $28 million of our tax money to consume 25 acres of land, 10 buildings including dog kennels and a 250 foot high tower (and then some!) and there is no evidence that the CP is effective at all. The unintended consequences are severe for the local residents, with coyotes dropping migrants off on the southern side of the CP, them fanning out into people's backyards & such, and the survivors being picked up on the other side.

I'll be picking this up when I get back home, but I'd appreciate hearing from anyone with more background on this program in general.

crg

That sounds like a pain to drive through. Do the cars backup very far?

I'd imagine that their authority to setup a permanent checkpoint is the same as their authority to setup a temporary checkpoint.

Either they can stop the cars, speak to the people and search when appropriate at that location or they can't. I don't see the frequency of the action to be material, or if they do it out of a trailer or an actual building.

If the coyotes are all over the place and migrants are scurrying through people's yards, it sounds like there is a lot of activity in the area.