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For those who are for the illegal immigrants and their rights and for those who are for them being shipped back home comes this question.
What are your feelins about being stopped at Border Patrol checkpoints and being questioned about your nationality? Would you just answer the Border Patrol agents questions and go about your business or would you get defensive? And I am not talking about the checkpoints at the bridges from Mexico because they are not Border Patrol. I am talking about Border Patrol checkpoints with the agents who wear green. You would normally only encounter them on the southern or northern borders, or within about a 150 mile radius from the border. Just curious as to what your reactions would be.
I encounter them all the time as I cross the northern border often. I also ran into several checkpoints in southern Texas on the highway driving to Galveston and South Padre.
I don't get defensive, but the questions go beyond just asking about nationality. If you're travelling with someone, it's common to be asked how you know each other. I'm always asked where I'm going, where I've been, what I was doing there, where I live, how long I've lived there, where I was born, and how long I'm staying in the area. This is from the American border patrol, asking me this while they're holding my American passport. They've also searched my car and my luggage and asked what I've bought recently.
It's not profiling either - I'm a green-eyed fair skinned blonde. They're just doing their jobs. You can't get mad or defensive.
In a Perfect World, ajzjmsmon, those inconvenient Border Patrol Checkpoints would not be necessary, however, the World has changed drastically in the last decade or two.
With that being stated . . . these Checkpoints are absolutely necessary and only those with something to hide; read Illegals, Drug Runners, Terrorists and/or Common Thugs, should be concerned.
I encounter them all the time as I cross the northern border often. I also ran into several checkpoints in southern Texas on the highway driving to Galveston and South Padre.
I don't get defensive, but the questions go beyond just asking about nationality. If you're travelling with someone, it's common to be asked how you know each other. I'm always asked where I'm going, where I've been, what I was doing there, where I live, how long I've lived there, where I was born, and how long I'm staying in the area. This is from the American border patrol, asking me this while they're holding my American passport. They've also searched my car and my luggage and asked what I've bought recently.
It's not profiling either - I'm a green-eyed fair skinned blonde. They're just doing their jobs. You can't get mad or defensive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bummer
In a Perfect World, ajzjmsmon, those inconvenient Border Patrol Checkpoints would not be necessary, however, the World has changed drastically in the last decade or two.
With that being stated . . . these Checkpoints are absolutely necessary and only those with something to hide; read Illegals, Drug Runners, Terrorists and/or Common Thugs, should be concerned.
MY TWO CENTS WORTH
I have nothing to fear either.............if I get stopped at a checkpoint--------so be it
I am in total agreement with the above posters. Unfortunately, we are living in a post-9/11 era, and precautions must be taken. I miss the days of being able to drive a car or park in front of the White House, or visit the Library of Congress without having my purse checked and walking through a metal detector. I miss seeing flowers adorning certain federal buildings, rather than unsightly barricades. Capitol police cruisers are stationed near most key government agencies, and many streets have been permanently closed to traffic. Sadly, this is the world in which we now live.
To answer your question; no, I would not be offended if stopped by an agent of our government. I’m a legal citizen, with nothing to hide.
Okay now the reason for my question, my dh is a Border Patrol agent so I am well aware of the spectrum of questions they answer and that they will and do car searches. There are a huge amount of people though that get offended with the questioning. However, you would be amazed at how many drug loads they find on the person you would least expect to be bringing drugs in. It is amazing what they can pick up just by a persons body language based on the persons responses. From reading posts on here there doesn't seem to be a large amount of people on here who are affected by this on a day to day basis so I was just curious as to what your responses would be. Another note, the people who seem to get the most offended though are those that live in our town and they expect all the agents to know them because they go through the checkpoints frequently. Not realizing that they see so many faces in one day that to know them all is ludicrous. So for those of you who realize these are necessary I thank you for making the Border Patrols job easier.
What is there to be defencive about?Answer the questions and be on your way. They are doing a valid job and like all law enforcement deserve to be shown some respect.
If I were stopped i would be respectful, show them what ever ID they requested and answer their questions. No big deal. At the end Iwould thank them for helping to make my country a better place. In short I would treat them with the same respect that I show my fellow vets.
Location: Oklahoma(formerly SoCalif) Originally Mich,
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After living in SoCal and being a member of the MinuteMen for many years, I have expeience these check points many times. The only ones offended by these check points are the one in favor of Illegals and unauthorized slipping through under the radar.
I would be offended if I wasn't stopped and questioned. Which has happened once and I went back and ask why.
After living in SoCal and being a member of the MinuteMen for many years, I have expeience these check points many times. The only ones offended by these check points are the one in favor of Illegals and unauthorized slipping through under the radar.
I would be offended if I wasn't stopped and questioned. Which has happened once and I went back and ask why.
Thank you. I feel the same about DUI check points...
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