BajaNomad

More out-of-control U.S. law enforcement procedures.

Cisco - 12-21-2013 at 01:42 PM

"A 54-year-old New Mexico woman is suing US customs and a hospital after an escalating series of drug searches that took six hours and yielded no sign of drugs—only a $5,000 hospital bill for her trouble. Some details, as rounded up by Raw Story, Reason, and the AP:

* The unidentified woman got stopped returning from Mexico at the El Paso border crossing, when a drug-sniffing dog got agitated. She underwent a strip-search and cavity searches, according to her lawsuit. Agents didn't even shut the door, it adds.

* When those turned up nothing, she got taken to the University Medical Center of El Paso, where doctors gave her laxatives and observed a bowel movement. Still no sign of drugs.
* After that, she got X-rayed and then underwent a CT scan, at which point authorities released her without charges. The medical center later sent her a $5,000 bill for its tests.

The ACLU has taken up the case, and its complaint is here. "The failed drug war and militarized border region have created an environment in which law enforcement officials increasingly inflict extreme and illegal searches on innocent Americans," says a local legal director for the group."

http://www.newser.com/story/179531/woman-gets-5k-bill-after-...

willardguy - 12-21-2013 at 01:54 PM

wow! they obviously put too much faith in their dogs?:o

woody with a view - 12-21-2013 at 01:54 PM

it's the end of the world as we know it!

Ateo - 12-21-2013 at 01:58 PM

Something tells me we are waging a war that will never be won and spending too much on it.

bajabuddha - 12-21-2013 at 03:55 PM

On one re-entry at Tecate i was sermoned for an extra 10 minutes by the Gate Agent who first asked me if New Mexico (my lic. plate) was a Red State turning Blue.... and, after several desparaging anti-Obama remarks, then lectured me on getting to a specific website and signing up to ''protect my rights to keep arms legal!" and when i told him i didn't play with guns any more, i'd had enough of them in Viet Nam, the twink had the nerve to tell me, "Yeah, and you lost that one...". I kept my mouth shut, because a) he HAD a gun, and b) the rest of my day could become very difficult. But inside it still burns. I don't care what your political persuasions are, but a customs official in professional capacity should have some decorum. This wasn't just 'soft banter' either. I've met some very nice border guards, but this one takes the cake. Oh, and of course i was sent to secondary.

moonraker1 - 12-21-2013 at 04:13 PM

Seems that I get sent to secondary at any northbound border crossing. My wife is a Mexican Citizen with a Sentri Card and was told in El Paso, that the Sentri Card was worthless. I also am a New Mexico Resident, but that has never been an issue any place. Only Nogales has been quick in my last several trips, but that also included secondary inspections. Seems that the folks at the border are on a power trip and no one is worthy of any courtesy, just cold professionalism.

durrelllrobert - 12-21-2013 at 04:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by willardguy
wow! they obviously put too much faith in their dogs?:o

Dogs just doing what they do best

Hook - 12-21-2013 at 05:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert
Quote:
Originally posted by willardguy
wow! they obviously put too much faith in their dogs?:o

Dogs just doing what they do best



Maybe your lowest low, Mr. Durrell.

LancairDriver - 12-21-2013 at 05:33 PM

Sounds a lot like another similar story from CNN out of Deming NM.

Lawsuit: Man forced to undergo enemas, colonoscopy on invalid ...
www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/justice/new-mexico-search-lawsuit/
Nov 7, 2013 - Police in Deming, New Mexico, did not return multiple messages left by CNN on Wednesday seeking their side of the story. The city attorney's ...

www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/justice/new-mexico-search-lawsuit/

[Edited on 12-22-2013 by LancairDriver]

Cisco - 12-21-2013 at 05:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LancairDriver
Sounds a lot like another similar story from CNN out of Deming NM.

Lawsuit: Man forced to undergo enemas, colonoscopy on invalid ...
www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/justice/new-mexico-search-lawsuit/
Nov 7, 2013 - Police in Deming, New Mexico, did not return multiple messages left by CNN on Wednesday seeking their side of the story. The city attorney's ...


Yes, CBP, ICE and TSA are making interior U.S. travel much more difficult also.

I refuse to be interrogated while in transit in my country away from La Linea at one of the illegal checkpoints and will not allow a search of my person or my vehicle.

The violation of my fourth amendment right has been explained by the statement " If you are not doing anything wrong what are you so worried about?" by others on this board including retired LE officers.

" If you are not doing anything wrong what are you so worried about?" is only compelling if you assume you're living in a just society--no small assumption.

There are always going to be people in the government who are o.k. with violating people's constitutional right "in the interest of National Security", but did you ever notice - "National Security" HAS no definition. It is whatever is expedient at the time of the abuse.

Doing SOMETHING Wrong

MrBillM - 12-21-2013 at 07:19 PM

Assuming that Cisco is telling the truth (which might be a stretch in itself), the frequency in which he has confrontational exchanges with all sorts of Law-Enforcement personnel as opposed to those of us who do the same traveling without those problems, would suggest that he's doing Something wrong.

Of course, he might simply "Appear" to be a Crazed-Maniac.

Subject to closer scrutiny.

I pass through the Hwy 86 Salton Sea Checkpoint frequently (including last week), rarely (in 30 years+) been asked a question and NEVER hassled.

Makes you wonder about Cisco.

David K - 12-21-2013 at 08:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajabuddha
On one re-entry at Tecate i was sermoned for an extra 10 minutes by the Gate Agent who first asked me if New Mexico (my lic. plate) was a Red State turning Blue.... and, after several desparaging anti-Obama remarks, then lectured me on getting to a specific website and signing up to ''protect my rights to keep arms legal!" and when i told him i didn't play with guns any more, i'd had enough of them in Viet Nam, the twink had the nerve to tell me, "Yeah, and you lost that one...". I kept my mouth shut, because a) he HAD a gun, and b) the rest of my day could become very difficult. But inside it still burns. I don't care what your political persuasions are, but a customs official in professional capacity should have some decorum. This wasn't just 'soft banter' either. I've met some very nice border guards, but this one takes the cake. Oh, and of course i was sent to secondary.


Sounds almost like the inspector at Tecate who kept naming towns in Baja asking if that's "where all the gringos live"? Then the dog was brought by, and went nuts jumping on the side of my truck.. but only because there were dogs in the back of a truck next to mine in the other line. Poor training. I was sent to secondary for the first time in a long time... and of course nothing was brought back that wasn't supposed to be, or even limes which are permitted... but got be sent to secondary previously... only to get a laugh and told to go on by the secondary inspector. I mean, how hard is it to learn what isn't permitted at their salaries?

Some People ARE Suspicious

MrBillM - 12-23-2013 at 09:40 AM

OBVIOUSLY, Cisco must be one of them.

Given his documented history of Mental Problems and Therapy, one might suppose that there is a corollary between that and his difficulties with authority.

Although there are others here who have had far more LE interaction than I have, in my 50 years + of crossing the U.S./Mex border at multiple points and passing through the inland checkpoints, I can count on ONE-HAND the number of times I've had a less-than-satisfactory interaction with LE which was not stimulated by (mostly youthful) uncivil action on my part.

The law of averages would "seem" to indicate that I should have had FAR more unhappy encounters if the "Cisco" standard was a valid indicator of Out-Of-Control LE Ruthlessness.

On the other hand, maybe it's just one Crazy Guy.