How much of a wall were you hoping for? Most of their border consists of nothing but a graded road through the forest, much like the American border with Canada.
I have ridden along that on my motorcycle and noted the many places that the barbed wire was cut and their were large vehicle tracks running across the border. Spent all day down there a couple of times doing some fun dual sport riding and not once was I questioned by a Border Patrol officer. The border is basically unsecured around there and as far as the eye can see to the east.
Wtf are you talking about? There are numerous stories of people accidentally crossing the border without even knowing it while hiking or boating. And you're really going to tell me that clearing the forests for 20ft at the border magically prevents people from crossing if they want to? Do you think there are thousands of drones patrolling the clearings or something?
Ah, it's Thomas Ptacek, who as usual, doesn't have the slightest fucking idea of what he's talking about but nevertheless feels free to lecture others.
There are dozens of immigration/law enforcement checkpoints routinely deployed around the U.S. They stop all persons and feel free to check them for suspected illegal immigration, drugs, and so on, with absolutely no reason to believe the searchees have ever crossed the border.
For instance, the Border Patrol runs a check near Camp Pendleton, California, about 70 miles north of the Mexican border. You can even check in with Foursquare:
All cars on the interstate are stopped, any time they feel like it, and searched or not as the Border Patrol desires. No suspicion exists or need exist. Most of those stopped have not crossed the Mexican border in years, or ever. And no, none of it is illegal in any way.
Or compare, if you like, the EXIT searches that Customs is now doing at many border crossings - people who are attempting to (but have not yet) exited the United States. By definition, they aren't entering the U.S. and haven't crossed any border, but again, they're being searched, entirely legally, every day, and woe to you if you attempt to resist, as author (and now convicted felon) Peter Watts will be happy to tell you.
Simple rule of thumb: if tptacek says it, you can ignore it.
I grew up in Arizona and Border Patrol is everywhere down south. It looks like Geohot ran into a permanent checkpoint. Seems like a really poor choice.
The pictures they took are on the Mexican side of the border 200+ yards away from the border fence. Look at google maps in the area and you'll see how far away from the US border it is.
Really? What about the checkpoints that are set up within this zone stopping and questioning people without reasonable suspicion or knowledge that person crossed the border at all.
The US border agents claim the ability to set up checkpoints as far as 100 miles from the border, as I recall. And they use this power. I live in Canada, but driving through Vermont I've seen "border" checkpoints located several hours from what you or I might think of as the actual border.
Yeah, just encountered those on a road trip and wondered how they were legal. Was right on the Cali/Oregon border for a couple of days and those checkpoints were also only sporadicly staffed, so I don't understand the point anyways.
Honest question: How are people supposed to cross the border right there? Clearly there's a maintained and passable road there -- there's a stop sign, and then a white line where the border is. Are you supposed to have some pre-approval like TSA pre-check? Call ahead? Stop and wait for a Border Agent to come running out of the library? Go by better to ask forgiveness than ask permission?
I don’t want to nitpick, but i’ve been thru the checkpoint east of el paso many times. It’s deeply racist. Here is how every interaction i’ve had goes:
Checkpoint cop, looks at people in vehicle, sees they are all white, bored sounding asks “is everyone an american citizen?”
Driver: “no, some of us are american and some are canadian.”
There purpose is supposedly to check for illegal cross border activity in the US and yet a car full of canadians doesn’t even blip their radar because it’s not actually about nationality it’s about race.
Which is all to say that i believe your comment about that checkpoint being about contraband glosses over the real motivations. In the dozens of times i’ve been thru there all i’ve ever been asked about is citizenship, and it’s never mattered what the answer is because i am white.
There are checkpoints well within the USA which demand your papers, question your travel claims, and will detain you if anything seems amiss. They are spreading, and are not mere impromptu roadblocks but full-blown permanent "toll booth" structures.
Actually, funny story, when I was driving from Seattle to California a few years back, we got stopped around the Oregon-California border for a checkpoint. They ask questions to make sure you aren't importing fruits or plant matter that might be carrying pests non-native to the area (think "emerald ash borer" if you aren't sure what they're looking for).
Anyways, I didn't realize what was happening for a moment, and thought it was a toll road. It was a very awkward moment when I tried to hand the guy some cash as he walked up to my window.
https://www.google.com/maps/@16.0751514,-91.0688863,3a,75y,1...
How much of a wall were you hoping for? Most of their border consists of nothing but a graded road through the forest, much like the American border with Canada.
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