How to handle Border Patrol checkpoint?

[alanwk]

about 6 years ago we were driving back to ft irwin near barstow from san diego and we got caught in the checkpoint. in a big white van with govt. plates and all 10 of us in uniform and the guy walks up and asks if we were u.s citizens he got pissed when we all started laughing at him.

Members of the military are not necessarily citizens.

 

[glock girl]

The last time we went to South Padre, I was driving when we went through the checkpoint coming back home. When we were asked if we were US Citizens, I was SO insanely tempted to answer "Si senor."

 

[Karat]

Why do you go through a check point f you never leave the country/

BC

I drove from Phoenix to San Diego a couple months ago, I gad to go through 6 BP checkpoints on Interstate 8, one even had a dog walk around my car, and one right were the 8 runs right along the border had some National Guardmen with M16s...

 

[Fyrtwuck]

I just drove back from Brownsville monday. It was my first time through the checkpoint north of Harlingen.


While easy to deal with it isn't necessarily right.

Wait your place in line. When you pull up to talk with the officer standing beside the road answer what he asks you politely and truthfully. Pray the dog (for drugs or explosives?) doesn't get a wild hair and key in on the beef jerky you have for snacks. Once they are satisfied you are on your way.

I was asked if my girlfriend and myself were citizens of the United States. Then we were told to be on our way. No IDs were checked.

YMMV, don't act hinky. They seem as perturbed by the situation as we are.

Ek

You just reminded me of something that happened to me in 1983. I was getting ready to board a military flight coming back to the US from Germany and they had us lay our duffle bags and field jackets out for inspection. Here comes the dog and handler. The dog alerted on my field jacket. The handler gave me one of those "I gotcha" looks and searched my jacket. He found an apple I had in my pocket. He tosses me the apple and smacks the dog on the butt and says "thats not what we're looking for dummy" and moved on. The whole group was laughing.

 

[infotechsailor]

Why the Border Patrol no longer searches vehicles at their "checkpoints":

pastor anderson @ a teaparty--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVemYhWSFPM

 

[SD4]

If you are asked to produce ID, hand over both pieces of plastic. Otherwise, just proceed normally. I don't believe they ask for ID.

 

[mons meg]

Why the Border Patrol no longer searches vehicles at their "checkpoints":

did the BP ever engage in massive, unwarranted searches of vehicles at these checkpoints?

 

[jstaylor62]

I will be driving to Del Rio, Texas (close to the Mexican border) to visit my son who is stationed there and just returned from Iraq. I will be armed (I have my cc permit from OK) and if I remember correctly the Border Patrol only stops you on the way back north. The stop is about 25 miles from the border. They let the dog sniff around the car and just asked if we were US citizens and where were we headed? No driver license check. Do I have to (or should I) tell them I am carrying and have a permit? I want to do the right thing and avoid any problems.

They are just doing a thankless job, so I would not have a problem in announcing I am carrying before they ask for identification. You have have just deflated a potential situation just incase they look through the window of the vehicle and see the gun you thought you had concealed. Also, the Del Rio area is a heavily hunter populated area becuase of all the hunting ranches, so they know everyone is armed.

BTW - When I was in that area, I only saw the Border Patrol on the move, never at a roadblock.

 

[alanwk]

Well I went through the checkpoint on Hwy90 between Del Rio and Uvalde. The entire check was about 10 seconds. "Are you American citizens? Have a good day." Dog did do some sniffing.