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babylonsister

(171,079 posts) Fri Feb 9, 2018, 09:50 AM Feb 2018

200 million Americans live in the 100-mile zone where Border Patrol can ask for papers

200 million Americans live in the 100-mile zone where Border Patrol can ask for papers
By Gabe Ortiz
Thursday Feb 08, 2018 · 1:48 PM EST

ARTESIA, NM - AUGUST 02: A new U.S. Border Patrol agent handcuffs a woman during a training scenario at the Border Patrol Academy on August 2, 2017 in Artesia, New Mexico. All new agents complete a months-long training course at the New Mexico facility before assuming their new jobs along the U.S.-Mexico border. President Trump has pledged to add an additional 5,000 agents to the force of more than 21,000 as part of his border security policy. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

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Legislation from 1946 gives agents the authority to search any vehicle near an “external boundary” of the United States, and subsequent regulations defined that area as within 100 air miles of a land or sea boundary. While that may sound like just a sliver of the United States, 9 of the country’s 10 most populated cities lie within the so-called 100-mile zone, and about two-thirds of Americans live inside of it, according to the ACLU. Ninety-seven percent of New Yorkers lived within the area in 2007, and some states, including Florida and Maine, are entirely inside it.

“Within the 100-mile zone,” the American Civil Liberties Union tells Mother Jones, “CBP agents can set up permanent and temporary checkpoints and have some ability to circumvent the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.” And under the mass deportation policies of Donald Trump, unshackled immigration agents are set on taking full advantage of law created by a very white, 1940s-era Congress that never worried about being targeted themselves. Immigrant rights group America’s Voice:

In practice, Border Patrol agents routinely ignore or misunderstand the limits of their legal authority in the course of individual stops, resulting in violations of the constitutional rights of innocent people. These problems are compounded by inadequate training for Border Patrol agents, a lack of oversight by CBP and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the consistent failure of CBP to hold agents accountable for abuse. Thus, although the 100-mile border zone is not literally ‘Constitution free,’ the U.S. government frequently acts like it is.

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“The roundups are getting worse,” tweeted Angus Johnston, a City University of New York professor, following the Greyhound video. “The checkpoints are getting worse. The harassment is getting worse. The things we were worried would happen are happening.” But especially for southern border area residents, it’s been a reality for a long time. And confusion regarding rights only benefits agents intent on sweeping up as many people as possible. But remember, everyone in the U.S., regardless of their immigration status and who is tweeting from the White House, has basic rights. Anyone who insists otherwise is lying:

more...

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/2/8/1739770/-200-million-Americans-live-in-the-100-mile-zone-where-Border-Patrol-can-ask-for-papers

5 replies

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200 million Americans live in the 100-mile zone where Border Patrol can ask for papers (Original Post) babylonsister Feb 2018 OP

Oh, it's 100 miles, I was told 50. BigmanPigman Feb 2018 #1

I'm about 15 miles from Mexico--it's very nice--trees and mountains and panader0 Feb 2018 #2

21st century nazi regime heaven05 Feb 2018 #3

Our rights (per ACLU of Michigan): demmiblue Feb 2018 #4

This is true even up here. I'm a few miles from the Canadian border and... WePurrsevere Feb 2018 #5

BigmanPigman

(51,626 posts)

1. Oh, it's 100 miles, I was told 50.

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Fri Feb 9, 2018, 09:59 AM

Feb 2018

At the US/Mexico border crossing between San Diego and Tecate they ask for your passport, food items, scan your bag, etc at the actual border coming into the US. There is a Border Patrol checkpoint about 30 miles into San Diego county and they ask you what your citizenship is but they can pull you over if they "think" you are spacious in any way. I always sweat since they are very, very intimidating and I am as "white" as can be.

panader0

(25,816 posts)

2. I'm about 15 miles from Mexico--it's very nice--trees and mountains and

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Fri Feb 9, 2018, 10:12 AM

Feb 2018

checkpoints. It's impossible to drive from here to Tucson without going through one.
They ask your citizenship and run a drug sniffing dog around your vehicle. So much for
taking a doobie to a concert in the city. I hate the stops. Some people get held up
for hours while their vehicle is searched and x-rayed. No apologies.

heaven05

(18,124 posts)

3. 21st century nazi regime

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Fri Feb 9, 2018, 10:19 AM

Feb 2018

WHERE ARE YOUR PAPERS!!!!???? All Americans are at risk of losing the freedoms we take for granted. Everyone trying to keep a civil tingue on the GOP being out of control in destroying our little experiment in democracy better start fighting this coup attempt by the RW forces of evil...the white supremacists...to put all nonwhite people under foot. And all allies of democratic rule, you are in danger unless you go into 'hiding'.

As a man of color in this goddamn society, I have always known that my 'freedom' was/is tenuous and always dependent upon the goodwill of the still white majority. ALWAYS!!!!!

May the gods and the goddesses ruling, observing, laughingly our existence get off their lazy asses and take care of this RW evil that has overtaken this land. Make the orange monkey that is posing as potus eat lots and lots of big macs....👹

demmiblue

(36,875 posts)

4. Our rights (per ACLU of Michigan):

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Fri Feb 9, 2018, 10:26 AM

Feb 2018

WePurrsevere

(24,259 posts)

5. This is true even up here. I'm a few miles from the Canadian border and...

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Fri Feb 9, 2018, 11:08 AM

Feb 2018

Since 9-11 there have been periodic stops and checkpoints by Border Patrol along main roads, usually during the nicer weather.

It's not like we have a deluge of Canadians trying to sneak into the U.S. but they use the excuse that it's to curtail drug smuggling because they've caught a couple small time idiots. Mind you any drug smuggler with a brain could get around these check points so it mostly just serves to annoy the heck out of locals trying to go shopping or get to work on time.

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