Push Back Against Border Checkpoints Located 100s of Miles from Borders!

Let us now praise Terry Bressi of the University of Arizona, who is publicizing the existence of in-country border checkpoints that are hundreds of miles from the nation's edges. Bressi films his encounters - more than 300! - and posts the vids at his YouTube channel.

Watch the vid above but expect to get pissed at the enormous waste of time, resources, and American idealism. Did any of our parents or grandparents or great-grandparents or whoever really come to the United States for this?

This video, by Tracy Oppenheimer, originally went live on November 18. Here's the original writeup:

"This is not increasing our security, in fact, it's making us less secure. It's just feeding an empire building, it's feeding agency budgets, and job security for various law enforcement agencies," says the University of Arizona's Terry Bressi of in-country immigration checkpoints.

Bressi sat down with ReasonTV's Tracy Oppenheimer to discuss these checkpoints and their implications for civil liberties. Bressi estimates that he has been stopped by border patrol between 300-350 times. After his first encounter, he started carrying cameras and audio recording equipment, and has since been videotaping his checkpoint interactions. He says this holds officers accountable for their actions, and he hopes that by posting these videos online, citizens will become more aware of their rights.

"A federal agent who is standing in the middle of a public highway, wearing a public uniform, collecting a public paycheck while seizing the public absent reasonable suspicion has no expectation of privacy," says Bressi in regards to filming border patrol agents. "This is something that I like to remind folks of, that the government thinks that we don't have any right to privacy whatsoever, but that's a double-edged sword."

For more of Bressi's checkpoint videos, visit his YouTube channel.

About 7 minutes.

Produced by Tracy Oppenheimer, shot by Zach Weissmueller.

For more info, links, and downloadable versions, go here.

Comments

[Scotticus Finch]

Bressi films his encounters - more than 300! - and posts the vids at his YouTube channel.

Finally, someone is asking tough questions and posting the answers on YouTube.

[R C Dean]

+1 Orange Line Cosmotarian.

[JW]

I keep asking just how bad it will be in another 10 or 20 years? The only answer I get is how fucked we are, when I'm told repeatedly how we're just paranoid crackpots.

I just want to live long enough to laugh in these people's faces as we're dragged off to the camps.

[Rrabbit]

President Chelsea Clinton is impeached by a Republican controlled Congress not because of the concentration camps (the Republicans want more of those, be "tough on illegal immigrants"), but because she lied about having had sex with a White House intern.

[Fatty Bolger]

female White House intern

[Bo Cara Esq.]

-female White House intern

Not an animal intern of some kind (Santorum was right!)?

[jesse.in.mb]

A group of female White House goat interns.

[juris imprudent]

These kind of interns?

[Alex]

This better not awaken anything in me.

[SomeGuy]

roflmao. I agree that would be kinda sweet but i'll probably be one of the first people shot by the state....i rather die fighting than get dragged away personally but that would be sweet lol

[Juan Rico]

In-country border checkpoints are increasing violation of human rights of all Americans, tourists, and people in general. In-country border checkpoints also cause economic losses and intimidate the population who must endure disrespectful behavior of officers and even police brutality. These checkpoints are not only illegal but address the issue of immigration policy that should be reviewed and, in an urgent manner, police protocols that are hurting people, most of them innocent. My admiration and praise for Terri Bressi standpoint and actions.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Well said.

[Paul.]

I would think that someone named "Juan" would have an interest in shutting down these in-country checkpoints so they can drive around freely, get jobs and earn livings.

[Jquip]

In-country? They're border checkpoints. That's the border.

[Francisco d Anconia]

MOAR Tracy Oppenheimer please!

[Rrabbit]

If I understand correctly, this "in country border checkpoint" is located on a road that runs parallel to the border, about 40 miles away from the border. Makes me wonder whether they put the checkpoint there because putting checkpoints on a road actually used by drug dealers and human traffickers might be too dangerous for the officers.

[AlgerHiss]

Too often the "agents" or "officers" or whatever made-up name for these little jack-wad government employees?.these people are getting a free pass and this should stop immediately. They need to feel the heat of people that are fed up with this bull-shit.

Until these "employees" feel very, very uncomfortable?.until their families are telling them to find other employment because the whole town hates their guts?.nothing will change.

Within the bounds of both civil and criminal law, these people need to be screwed with until they stop their detestable behavior.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Trollin', trollin', trollin, keep the arguments rollin'.

Ooh, here's a good OT story:

"(RNS) Nonbelievers are challenging the Internal Revenue Service's special exemptions for religious organizations in a federal court in Kentucky, saying churches and other religious groups should have the same financial rules as other nonprofit groups....

"The case centers around who must file IRS Form 990, an annual reporting statement that provides information on a group's mission, programs and finances."

The plaintiffs say would-be donors are deterred from giving certain amounts of money because they don't want their names on the 990s. The remedy the plaintiffs seek, of course, is to make churches file 990s as well - so *all* donors will be equally inconvenienced!

"The suit also alleges that, because religious organizations do not file Form 990, there is little proof that the organizations' activities benefit the public and should therefore be tax-exempt. It holds that such "subsidization of religious entities" costs taxpayers $71 billion per year.""

http://www.religionnews.com/20.....-finances/

[SomeGuy]

that is ridiculous. I wouldn't be surprised if those duce bags pull it off

[Hawk Spitui]

And now a word from Peter Hitchens?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQaougVHK1g

And just cuz I feel like it?
http://handleshaus.wordpress.c.....nt-people/

[RandomGermanDude]

I remember being bothered by at least 2 checkpoints driving from San Diego to Phoenix 3 years ago. Going through the first one was not that bad because the officer apparently just took a look at our skin complexion and came to the conclusion that ours was okay. The officer at the second one needed to take a real long look at our passports and asked several questions.

Not as bad as the stories one of our hosts told us about the fine folks at the PHXPD, I guess.

[sage]

I clicked over to this guy's youtube channel, and the first video I clicked on has been removed due to "violation of terms and conditions" or some horseshit.

[Hawk Spitui]

So... What's Reson's thoughts on Tyler Cowan's new book?

Given that Cowan is also an immigration enthusiast, I'd be to hear how you and he reconcile increased immigration with the thinning of the middle class.

[Homple]

Importing more really poor people raises our not-quite-as-poor people toward the middle class, in relative terms anyway.

Trust me, it will work out.

[Joshua]

1 out of every 3 Americans needs to get permission from the government to work and you blame immigration for the thinning of the middle class?

[New Cassandra]

We were staying with some friends who live in Willcox, Arizona 18 months ago, and they took us to visit Tombstone. My wife and I had to carry our passports (we are Aussies) because of the checkpoints. We were still many miles from the border and had no intention of leaving the USA for Mexico (we want to live!).

I was flat out told that if I did not produce my passport or other photo ID I would be detained. - Having a first name that is very common in Mexico did not help the matter as well. - Even though I don't look Latino.

[Claude Hopper]

Kitt Peak and Tucson are both within 100 miles of the border. Bressi says that the border patrol can operate within that limit and they appear to do so (a checkpoint on AZ-86 E/W Tucson-Ajo Hwy is visible on Google maps). I agree that the Govt is encroaching on our freedoms, and Bressi's rights are being violated (union intimidation).