BajaNomad

CBP actively sabotaging legal border crossings (Again!)

Gypsy62 - 5-12-2021 at 07:38 PM

Wed., May 12, '21:
Anybody who has crossed in the past week has seen the suffering that the CBP has been needlessly inflicting on folks crossing at the 'Regular' and Ready lines. Even Sentry (snobs) appear to be waiting 15min(!].

I have been in TJ visually monitoring the Ready line daily all week in person, deciding whether I wanted to endure the passenger vehicle gauntlet; clearly, 3-4 hour wait at 1pm, ALL weekdays . WTF!!!

This past Sunday, a dual-citizen friend chose to wait in the Mexican-citizen line: EIGHT AND A HALF FREAKING HOURS!!!

Those of you who have suffered through the CBP's bullchit border-crossing sabotage this week at TJ-San Ysidro need to directly express your outrage to the US federal politicians whom represent the border region. Who knows what influence they may prevail upon trumpanov's left-over Klan-posse running the CBP in DC, but one can hope:

- US Representative Juan Vargas, Dem. represents CA 51st district including the San Ysidro border zone:
@ Wash DC: 202 225-8045
@ Chula Vista: 619 422-5963

- US Senator, D-CA, Alex Padilla (assumed Kamala Harris' seat]:
@ DC: 202 224-3553
@ SD CA: 619 239-3884

- US Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-CA:
@ DC: 202 224-3841
@ SD CA: 619 231-9712

If you actually think it's worth contacting any republican pols, knock yourself out.

In 2016, the CBP's union was the 1st in the US to endorse trumpanov. Their leadership has been exacting revenge at the border since his loss last year. This week, they injected their hissy-fit with steroids.

Blame Central American refugees camping at the border?
Gimme' an fn break. I rode my bike into their encampment on Tues: bunched-tents in front of the shopping-mall ped-crossing.
They are all just chillin'; HARDLY poised to charge the border!
Reality and truth.

I waited 30min to cross w/bike @ SYsidro Ready ped-line.
[Ysidro cambios @ MXP19.5/1USD.]

Note: CBP is not stalling commercial truck traffic. Why not? Because the last time they sabotaged the border crossings (the week following trumpanov's election-loss) they sabotaged ALL traffic, but then all the 'pubs that own factories in MX screamed bloody murder so they backed-off.

They learned the lesson not to pinch their corporate supporters, so this time they are strictly screwing the regular folks crossing legally.

Call.
Raise hell.
Aloha

PS- just scoped the thread re Mary-Anne's disappearance @ BOLA. Although I didn't know her personally, any missing person incident is nauseating. Hope for good news.

AKgringo - 5-12-2021 at 08:10 PM

How about our northern border, does anyone know if things are slowed down there as well?

I wonder if CBP has transferred agents to to problem areas, leaving the rest of the crossing points short handed?

BornFisher - 5-12-2021 at 08:16 PM

Sure just connect the dots................. Trump`s fault, no doubt.
And don`t believe the agents who say the border was being controlled before the election then all heck broke loose! Maybe some agents are now working in Texas doing babysitting duties.

Mr. Bills - 5-13-2021 at 07:43 AM

A lot of opinion in the first post but not many facts other than a list of some elected office holders and their office phone numbers.

But I didn't see a phone number for Kamala Harris. Isn't she supposed to be resolving the border crisis concern?

Bajaboy - 5-13-2021 at 08:49 AM

Interesting as they have opened up evening appointments for Sentri applicants. The officer also told me they are working 16 hour days as well.

Maybe border traffic is up:light:

AKgringo - 5-13-2021 at 09:46 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Mr. Bills  
Isn't she supposed to be resolving the border crisis concern?

What do you think she should do? (Personally I have no idea.)


Whether it is Kamala Harris, or Mike Pence before her, the value of a personal visit to the border is not justified by the waste of resources and disruption of the actual work being done to justify the trip.

It would be nothing more than a "photo op" in the long run. I expect our leaders to be able to delegate responsibility to competent people that will provide the feedback to guide and implement official policy.

Gypsy62 - 5-13-2021 at 09:56 AM

Clearly, the crowd that regularly monitors this site are not frequent x-border travellers, hence don't care about the current CBP misconduct; "If it doesn't affect ME, why should I care?" Fairly typical Baja expat-gringo attitude (Socal/AZ, relocated South...).
Those of us whom DO cross >1/month DO know what constitute "normal" crossing times.
Normal weekdays, post morning rush-hour (>11am):
- Regular @ +/- 2hrs,
- Ready @ +/- 1hr,
- Sentri @ minutes.

By far, this sabotage is causing the most suffering to folks in the "Regular" lane (for non-US Citizens). Green-Card holders; Brown folks.

Scramble & scratch to cover for the CBP with BS excuses, but:
After 8.5hrs in the locals line on Sunday, my fairly traumatized friend (solo, = no toilet break) asked the agent what the hell was going on.
Their response:
"there's some kind of infighting going on inside the CBP"
Pressing with " what's does that mean, exactly?", the agent clammed up.

Also damning: the CBP's own Border Wait website is posting bogus crossing times to hide their sabotage. The "Normals" are up to blind the truth.

By party registration*, it is a statistical fact that the CBP is the most republican-partisan federal agency (with the USAF a close 2nd). It is what it is, but when they flex their political loyalties by intentionally failing their duties at legit border crossings that's another matter.

Do something, or don't. Some of us are.

*Political party affiliations are publicly available info.

pacificobob - 5-13-2021 at 11:10 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Mr. Bills  
Isn't she supposed to be resolving the border crisis concern?

What do you think she should do? (Personally I have no idea.)


im holding my breath for your constructive solutions mrbills.

BornFisher - 5-13-2021 at 11:39 AM

Maybe reverse what happened a month ago and reopen some lanes? Otay should have 11 lanes open. Lately, it has 8 or 9 open.
Maybe a good old executive order from Joe could make it happen.

apple - 5-13-2021 at 12:14 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
Whether it is Kamala Harris, or Mike Pence before her, the value of a personal visit to the border is not justified by the waste of resources and disruption of the actual work being done to justify the trip.
It would be nothing more than a "photo op" in the long run.

And yet Republican politicians and members of congress seem to have no problem making the trip for the these photo ops. One even went to the San Ysidro crossing a week or so ago dressed in camo.

[Edited on 5-13-2021 by apple]

del mar - 5-13-2021 at 02:30 PM

although restrictions were mostly ignored this certainly won't help crossing times (sd/tj):(

https://www.sandiegored.com/en/news/204534/Lifting-restricti...

[Edited on 5-13-2021 by del mar]

I just checked the border wait times

John M - 5-13-2021 at 03:13 PM

Regular lanes at 3:00 p.m. today, May 13

TJ - 110 minutes

Otay Mesa - 200 minutes

Mexicali west (east is closed) - 160 minutes

SENTRI is about 12 to 15 minutes at all three

John M

JZ - 5-13-2021 at 03:30 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Gypsy62  
Clearly, the crowd that regularly monitors this site are not frequent x-border travellers, hence don't care about the current CBP misconduct; "If it doesn't affect ME, why should I care?" Fairly typical Baja expat-gringo attitude (Socal/AZ, relocated South...).
Those of us whom DO cross >1/month DO know what constitute "normal" crossing times.
Normal weekdays, post morning rush-hour (>11am):
- Regular @ +/- 2hrs,
- Ready @ +/- 1hr,
- Sentri @ minutes.

By far, this sabotage is causing the most suffering to folks in the "Regular" lane (for non-US Citizens). Green-Card holders; Brown folks.

Scramble & scratch to cover for the CBP with BS excuses, but:
After 8.5hrs in the locals line on Sunday, my fairly traumatized friend (solo, = no toilet break) asked the agent what the hell was going on.
Their response:
"there's some kind of infighting going on inside the CBP"
Pressing with " what's does that mean, exactly?", the agent clammed up.

Also damning: the CBP's own Border Wait website is posting bogus crossing times to hide their sabotage. The "Normals" are up to blind the truth.

By party registration*, it is a statistical fact that the CBP is the most republican-partisan federal agency (with the USAF a close 2nd). It is what it is, but when they flex their political loyalties by intentionally failing their duties at legit border crossings that's another matter.

Do something, or don't. Some of us are.

*Political party affiliations are publicly available info.


Lol @ you for not having Sentri and for voting for a group that wants to destroy America as we know it.

white whale - 5-13-2021 at 04:32 PM

Surprising thread. Air travel seemed to be business as usual for a long time but is the land crossing almost there as well? Is it just casual dissuasion not to cross or is 2019 back * with proof of vax? Outside of this discussion of wait times can US and MEX nationals just cross for any purpose now? Quite the opposite at the CAN US border - zero, zilch, agents there are literally falling asleep in the booths.

The OP had mention of biking - they have to go in the PED lane, is that on both sides? Seems very racist against human power. They kick you out of the auto lane?

Border agents pre 9-11 not always the sharpest minds or high quality hires. Lots are still that way but now they carry a car sized battery / chip on their shoulder and with a keyboard stoke they can mark you with an X over your digital face.

[Edited on 5-13-2021 by white whale]

[Edited on 5-13-2021 by white whale]

RFClark - 5-13-2021 at 06:52 PM

We never cross in SD. because the traffic sucks! All I can say is the Mexicali crossing times (both ways) seem to be a function of the number of people who want to cross! This can be from a few minutes to a few hours! (Hint) Don't cross on Saturday or Sunday cause that’s when the line is the longest!

I’ve seen no change recently (post 1/22/21) except more people crossing! The panhandling folks from south of Mexico don't slow down the traffic! I haven't seen the border patrol dragging their heels either!

BajaMama - 5-14-2021 at 07:26 AM

Back to original post - I would imagine that CBP is checking a little closer at San Ysidro crossing since there are so many migrants at the border - tempting for a humanitarian to want to help and try to smuggle them. The closer check means longer wait time.

On a lighter note: I am crossing into Baja via Mexicali on Tuesday - yay, fishing, paddle boarding, snorkeling, tacos and old friends, here I come! :)

SFandH - 5-14-2021 at 09:08 AM



The rebuilt northbound San Ysidro crossing has tandem booths; that is, two inspection booths in each line. As far as I know, they have never manned the second booth.

Perhaps using the facility as designed would speed things up.

bajatrailrider - 5-14-2021 at 10:27 AM

Best to not use Tj outbound it's a headache without Sentry. Otay just as bad

mtgoat666 - 5-14-2021 at 12:27 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric  
After waiting in line at Tecate for 2.5 hours last year, on a Tuesday, I quit going to Baja. (The usual wait at that time / day used be 0-10 minutes) The increased wait times can be attributed to the decreased hours due to covid. And, as the OP pointed out, there may also be a bit of a political back story. I have to say, for people that live in Mexico and cross to the US to work, then return to Mexico, well, who say the US has to expedite the crossing of non US citizens who work in the US and take their paycheck back to Mexico. You may have noticed that the current conservative movement is somewhat anti-immigration. Indeed, only the obvious incompetence/ pathological lying / disconnected from reality thank God he doesn't have the codes to the nukes any more personality of the last president resulted in him not getting reelected on his anti immigration platform.


Homeland security responds when the rich and white are inconvenienced at LAX or NYC immigration, or a sentri lane. Homeland security does not care about the brown, lower classes that use land borders w/o global entry or sentri.

CBP thinks gringos are fools for using the general and readi lanes,… they figure if you can’t afford sentri, or are so untrustworthy to not warrant sentri, then they might as well chit on you.

CBP officers are blunt tools of the man.

JZ - 5-14-2021 at 01:01 PM

Sounds like they caught Goat with a blunt and smacked him around a little one day. Good for CBP.

white whale - 5-14-2021 at 02:05 PM

So just to be clear right now. US nationals get waived through southbound whatever the purpose of the trip is? Mexico wants that cash. Northbound is Work to Rule union days or legit screening depending on your point of view. Based on the description if I was near the border I'd say $10/yr sounds like a deal for Sentri. A benefit of shorter lines for Mex nationals at the same time.

Is Sentri all automated as Nexus is for CAN/US - slow drive right through, wave to the man or gal?

Russ - 5-14-2021 at 02:19 PM

Seems to me they keep hiring more thugs to guard the "wall" but can't hire them to work the crossings for the mostly legal minded folks?

GeraldoS - 5-14-2021 at 07:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Gypsy62  
Wed., May 12, '21:
Anybody who has crossed in the past week has seen the suffering that the CBP has been needlessly inflicting on folks crossing at the 'Regular' and Ready lines. Even Sentry (snobs) appear to be waiting 15min(!].

I have been in TJ visually monitoring the Ready line daily all week in person, deciding whether I wanted to endure the passenger vehicle gauntlet; clearly, 3-4 hour wait at 1pm, ALL weekdays . WTF!!!

This past Sunday, a dual-citizen friend chose to wait in the Mexican-citizen line: EIGHT AND A HALF FREAKING HOURS!!!

Those of you who have suffered through the CBP's bullchit border-crossing sabotage this week at TJ-San Ysidro need to directly express your outrage to the US federal politicians whom represent the border region knows what influence they may prevail upon trumpanov's left-over Klan-posse running the CBP in DC, but one can hope:


You have your facts wrong. CBP is short-handed at San Ysidro and other border crossings because so many people have been pulled to work in Texas. The immigration checkpoints at San Onofre and Temecula are shut down and everyone is in Texas. This has nothing to do with Trump. It is a direct result of Biden becoming president and opening the floodgates.

If you wanted shorter wait times at the border, you should have swallowed your pride and voted for Trump. This is a perfect example of the Law of Unintended Cirumstances. Even Biden has quietly started work on building the wall.

mtgoat666 - 5-14-2021 at 07:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by GeraldoS  
Quote: Originally posted by Gypsy62  
Wed., May 12, '21:
Anybody who has crossed in the past week has seen the suffering that the CBP has been needlessly inflicting on folks crossing at the 'Regular' and Ready lines. Even Sentry (snobs) appear to be waiting 15min(!].

I have been in TJ visually monitoring the Ready line daily all week in person, deciding whether I wanted to endure the passenger vehicle gauntlet; clearly, 3-4 hour wait at 1pm, ALL weekdays . WTF!!!

This past Sunday, a dual-citizen friend chose to wait in the Mexican-citizen line: EIGHT AND A HALF FREAKING HOURS!!!

Those of you who have suffered through the CBP's bullchit border-crossing sabotage this week at TJ-San Ysidro need to directly express your outrage to the US federal politicians whom represent the border region knows what influence they may prevail upon trumpanov's left-over Klan-posse running the CBP in DC, but one can hope:


You have your facts wrong. CBP is short-handed at San Ysidro and other border crossings because so many people have been pulled to work in Texas. The immigration checkpoints at San Onofre and Temecula are shut down and everyone is in Texas. This has nothing to do with Trump. It is a direct result of Biden becoming president and opening the floodgates.

If you wanted shorter wait times at the border, you should have swallowed your pride and voted for Trump.


Faux News talking points!

WestyWanderer - 5-14-2021 at 09:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Mr. Bills  
Isn't she supposed to be resolving the border crisis concern?

What do you think she should do? (Personally I have no idea.)


How about her job, fix it! She was tasked by her boss to fix the issue so she should at very least address it! I’m not Vice President of the US so don’t ask me what she should do, ask her. This current administration ran on the platform that everything the last administration was doing was wrong and that they could do it better. I know, things like this take time, but at some point you have to take a first step!

WestyWanderer - 5-14-2021 at 09:42 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by bajaric  
After waiting in line at Tecate for 2.5 hours last year, on a Tuesday, I quit going to Baja. (The usual wait at that time / day used be 0-10 minutes) The increased wait times can be attributed to the decreased hours due to covid. And, as the OP pointed out, there may also be a bit of a political back story. I have to say, for people that live in Mexico and cross to the US to work, then return to Mexico, well, who say the US has to expedite the crossing of non US citizens who work in the US and take their paycheck back to Mexico. You may have noticed that the current conservative movement is somewhat anti-immigration. Indeed, only the obvious incompetence/ pathological lying / disconnected from reality thank God he doesn't have the codes to the nukes any more personality of the last president resulted in him not getting reelected on his anti immigration platform.


Homeland security responds when the rich and white are inconvenienced at LAX or NYC immigration, or a sentri lane. Homeland security does not care about the brown, lower classes that use land borders w/o global entry or sentri.

CBP thinks gringos are fools for using the general and readi lanes,… they figure if you can’t afford sentri, or are so untrustworthy to not warrant sentri, then they might as well chit on you.

CBP officers are blunt tools of the man.


Another hate filled diatribe... Can we please get this guy banned? The only things he provides to this forum is ugliness and hostility.

mtgoat666 - 5-14-2021 at 09:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by WestyWanderer  
Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Mr. Bills  
Isn't she supposed to be resolving the border crisis concern?

What do you think she should do? (Personally I have no idea.)


How about her job, fix it! She was tasked by her boss to fix the issue so she should at very least address it! I’m not Vice President of the US so don’t ask me what she should do, ask her. This current administration ran on the platform that everything the last administration was doing was wrong and that they could do it better. I know, things like this take time, but at some point you have to take a first step!


this has been unfixable for 30 years or more. You GOPers are silly to demand a fix in under 3 months :no:

WestyWanderer - 5-14-2021 at 10:06 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by WestyWanderer  
Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Mr. Bills  
Isn't she supposed to be resolving the border crisis concern?

What do you think she should do? (Personally I have no idea.)


How about her job, fix it! She was tasked by her boss to fix the issue so she should at very least address it! I’m not Vice President of the US so don’t ask me what she should do, ask her. This current administration ran on the platform that everything the last administration was doing was wrong and that they could do it better. I know, things like this take time, but at some point you have to take a first step!


this has been unfixable for 30 years or more. You GOPers are silly to demand a fix in under 3 months :no:



That’s awful forward of you to assume I’m a “GOPer.” Regardless of my political affiliation, what I’m saying is you can at least START to take action; that shouldn’t take 3 months. I’m not calling for a fix, I’m calling for a plan and some action on said plan.

As you stated, this has been a “unfixable” for 30 years so someone whose been in politics for 50 should have a pretty good list of ideas on how to at least approach the problem. Also, this administration has had their eyes set on these offices for much longer than 3 months, their plan should have been developed long ago.