Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I got news for the OP ... police checkpoints already exist in the US. I got stopped coming back from Mexico a number of times. They were all asking for documentation. I laughed as I gave them my WA driver's license. They were like "long drive!" I said "yeah! LOL!"
I'm 99% sure similar checkpoints exist all over the south.
When I took my cross-Mexico trip by bus from the Guatemala border to Nogales, I ran into a number of them, the closer I got to the border, which I found extremely annoying! At one point, we all had to exit the bus, put our luggage on long tables for the police to check through. Most likely, for drugs! And if it wasn't that, they walked thru the bus looking for illegal immigrants from Central America!
When I went to the border of Ecuador & Colombia, 5-6 years ago, to a town where there's a famous cemetery, and on my way back to Quito the bus was stopped 4 times, checking for drugs. Very annoying, as they guess that if you were to Colombia, you were there to procure drugs? At any rate, I'll never take that route again, too stressful!
Who's to say that some police officer wouldn't plant some drugs in your suitcase, and try to get a bribe out of you, claiming they were yours! I worried about that on those drug checkpoints leading towards Nogales! As a result of that, it puts me against returning there!
Last edited by tijlover; 04-15-2012 at 02:16 PM..
Reason: edit
Mexico has established a number of police checkpoints, under pressure from the US government to show that they are serious about curtailing the drug flow from the source to the market.
Military checkpoints have existed in Mexico for a long time. For decades by the dictatorial PRD to keep pressure on people to behave as the government demanded. Then obstensably to control drug and human trafficking. I don't believe any of these were instituted as a result of pressure from the USA.
[quote=jtur88;23870883]Currently, in Mexico, there are military checkpoints on roads that are likely to be used by narcoterrorists.[/quote
In addition to those military-style ones, additional of the more random-type roadblocks/checkpoints operated by the narcoterrorists.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
In most countries in Latin America, buses are often stopped by uniformed officers who inspect identity documents, but mostly in countries that have trouble with insurgent groups, or near borders where there is a lot of smuggling.
Mexican militlary or state police in Mexico frequently stop busses, checking the papers of persons they suspect of being in the country illegally. Foreign tourists, including myself, have always had their passports and tourist cards checked by the military when busses I've ridden on have been stopped. The coastal region highways is where I observe this most. Veracruz and the Pacific Coast in particular.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
In the United States, there are immigration checkpoints on roads leading north from the Mexican border, about 50 miles inside the USA. At the Arizona state line and in Florida crossing the Suwanee River, there are agriculture checkpoints, but sometimes, passenger cars are just waved through.
Yes. For many years now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
The USA is one of very few countries in the world where, in theory, a citizen cannot be detained by the police and required to show documents of identity.
Yes, in theory. But not in fact. Some of that's being debated in the U.S. Supreme Court as we write our comments.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
