| Pages:
1
2 |
Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5901
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
|
|
Border Officers Mistreat People Entering US Legally
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/may/10/aclu-dhs-investig...
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security calling for an investigation into alleged abuses of
U.S. citizens, legal residents and other visitors to the U.S. at ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The complaint, submitted Wednesday, will be the subject of a news conference scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday in San Diego. Officials for the Department
of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection, one of its agencies, were not immediately available for comment; this story will be updated
once they respond.
ACLU lawyers detailed 11 cases where Customs and Border Protection officers are accused of violating civil and human rights of certain individuals –
mostly U.S. citizens, legal residents and others with permission to enter the country – by allegedly using excessive force, ignoring due process and
illegally confiscating property.
The 17-page complaint said the targeted individuals suffered panic attacks, were detained and handcuffed without explanation, beaten, threatened or,
in one case, chained by a toe to a bench. It also alleged that people were interrogated intensely and coerced into falsely admitting they were not
born in the United States despite being native-born citizens. And the complaint alleges verbal abuse by officers that included obscenities and racist
and intimidating remarks, including “*******” and “you’re invading my country.”
“There is simply no justification for the kind of needless abuse CBP officers inflict on many travelers,” said Sean Riordan, staff attorney for the
ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties. “Far too many travelers are told by CBP officers that they ‘have no rights.’ But the government must comply
with basic and constitutional rights even when it is policing the border.”
Customs and Border Protection oversees Port of Entry officers, who wear blue uniforms, and U.S. Border Patrol agents, who wear green and patrol the
open lands between official entry points.
The ACLU is asking the agency to look into each allegation of abuse outlined in the complaint; launch a comprehensive investigation of alleged abuses
at ports of entry; and implement changes in training, oversight and accountability.
Four affiliates of the ACLU signed the letter: San Diego and Imperial Counties, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project and
the ACLU Human Rights Program joined the complaint.
Here are some cases outlined in the complaint:
At the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Feb. 25, 2011, Marc Ballin, a U.S. citizen returning from Mexico in the pedestrian line, attempted to cut in line.
CBP officers asked him to step out of line and he apologized for cutting, then turned over his passport. Ballin said he was then handcuffed and his
head was slammed into a desk before he was pushed, punched and kicked. After being removed from the public area, he said, he was threatened with a
tasing if he did not provide fingerprints and a photo. Ballin said he was then released without explanation, and proceeded to a hospital where he was
treated for shoulder and wrist injuries.
At the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in April 2009, Trosky Vasquez, a U.S. citizen and former Marine, was returning with his wife and a friend. He was
allegedly detained, beaten and threatened with a tasing before he was released without explanation. Vasquez said when he asked for the names of the
officers involved in his situation, a supervisor told him: “The rules are different here. We’re protected by the Patriot Act.” Vasquez said he went to
a hospital, where he received treatment for bruises and had his wrist placed in a cast.
At the Otay Mesa crossing in June 2011, U.S. citizen Michael Studdard was headed southbound on foot. Officers tried to stop him and he asked why.
Studdard had a tape recorder in his hand and several minutes later an officer tried to take it from him. He alleges he was thrown on a table and
handcuffed, then placed in a cell for nearly an hour before he was released without explanation.
Hernan Cuevas, a Chilean businessman trying to enter the Calexico/Mexicali Port of Entry with a valid visa, was allegedly handcuffed, strip-searched
and detained for more than three hours without explanation on May 19, 2011. At some point, Cuevas said, he was chained by his big toe to a metal
bench. According to his complaint, a CBP officer told him: “I don’t give a *## of your educated manners and all your corporate bullchit. This is my
country now…” Cuevas said he asked to call his attorneys or the Chilean Consulate but was denied.
Edith Collins-George, a U.S. citizen, drove into the Calexico/Mexicali Port of Entry after visiting her mother in Mexico on March 23, 2010. She was
returning with a desk chair in her vehicle. Collins-George said she was referred to secondary inspection, where she was allegedly handcuffed without
explanation. When she told officers that she's an American citizen, she was reportedly told: "You don’t have rights here.” She was allegedly not
allowed to contact a lawyer, then released without explanation a few hours later.
The ACLU complaint comes after other international human-rights groups have raised concerns about Customs and Border Patrol conduct. They include:
In 2008, the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed worry “about allegations of brutality and use of excessive or deadly
force by law enforcement officials against persons belonging to racial, ethnic or national minorities, in particular Latino and African American
persons and undocumented migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.”
In 2010, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights alleged "abuses and excesses committed by officers charged with enforcing the law” along the
same border.
|
|
|
Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5901
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
|
|
If they do this stuff to people entering legally, imagine what they do to those entering illegally.
|
|
|
LaPazGringo
Nomad
Posts: 237
Registered: 2-28-2012
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
|
|
The ACLU complaining that someone was abused? I refuse to believe it.
|
|
|
Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5901
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
|
|
Yeah, I knew the letters ACLU in the article would cause many to ignore the mistreatment of these people in the story.
|
|
|
LaPazGringo
Nomad
Posts: 237
Registered: 2-28-2012
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by ateo
Yeah, I knew the letters ACLU in the article would cause many to ignore the mistreatment of these people in the story. |
Honestly, I stopped reading right there. The ACLU's very existence is predicated on allegations of mistreatment. Not interested, but that's just me!
|
|
|
Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5901
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by LaPazGringo
| Quote: | Originally posted by ateo
Yeah, I knew the letters ACLU in the article would cause many to ignore the mistreatment of these people in the story. |
Honestly, I stopped reading right there. The ACLU's very existence is predicated on allegations of mistreatment. Not interested, but that's just me!
|
I can't force you to read the article! You have that right. 
|
|
|
LaPazGringo
Nomad
Posts: 237
Registered: 2-28-2012
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by ateo
| Quote: | Originally posted by LaPazGringo
| Quote: | Originally posted by ateo
Yeah, I knew the letters ACLU in the article would cause many to ignore the mistreatment of these people in the story. |
Honestly, I stopped reading right there. The ACLU's very existence is predicated on allegations of mistreatment. Not interested, but that's just me!
|
I can't force you to read the article! You have that right.
|
I just swallowed my pride and read it. That's the best the ACLU can come up with? Millions and millions and millions of people crossing and they
present one side of a few random stories? I wonder what the other side of the story is? And so what does the ACLU suggest we do about the rampant
abuse of civil liberties by Homeland Security?
|
|
|
Taco de Baja
Super Nomad
Posts: 1913
Registered: 4-14-2004
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Dreamin' of Baja
|
|
I remember the time one of these "thugs" grabbed my wrist when I pulled up to the gate (pre 9/11) in my vehicle and asked "Do you always had high
blood pressure?"
When I calmly told him, "You can't determine BP by grabbing a wrist.", he got a little peeved.
Then he asked if I had any drugs.
I said "Sure, aspirin, Tylenol, Tums,..."
He got even more peeed and said "I mean, ILLEGAL drugs!"
I said, "That's not what you asked..."
He of course sent us to secondary where we had to wait for almost an ENTIRE HOUR while the "white shirts" and the "blue shirts" had to decide who was
responsible for checking the vehicle out in more detail.....
Oh the horror!
Truth generally lies in the coordination of antagonistic opinions
-Herbert Spencer
|
|
|
Cisco
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4196
Registered: 12-30-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by LaPazGringo
| Quote: | Originally posted by ateo
Yeah, I knew the letters ACLU in the article would cause many to ignore the mistreatment of these people in the story. |
Honestly, I stopped reading right there. The ACLU's very existence is predicated on allegations of mistreatment. Not interested, but that's just me!
|
Having no interest in the protection of the few remaining civil liberties you have as an American citizen is despicable but all too common.
Your civil liberties have been and are being taken from you slowly and insidiously. Back in January, 40,000 new laws went into effect all over
America. The politicians continue to hit us with wave after wave of regulations and laws with no end in sight as a method of control of "their"
resource. The Sheeple, of which you are included.
Your thinking and adherence to a police state of controls is opening US culture to two words that previously were the exclusive province of N-zi
Germany and the communist bloc: "Papers, please."
|
|
|
LaPazGringo
Nomad
Posts: 237
Registered: 2-28-2012
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Cisco
| Quote: | Originally posted by LaPazGringo
| Quote: | Originally posted by ateo
Yeah, I knew the letters ACLU in the article would cause many to ignore the mistreatment of these people in the story. |
Honestly, I stopped reading right there. The ACLU's very existence is predicated on allegations of mistreatment. Not interested, but that's just me!
|
Having no interest in the protection of the few remaining civil liberties you have as an American citizen is despicable but all too common.
Your civil liberties have been and are being taken from you slowly and insidiously. Back in January, 40,000 new laws went into effect all over
America. The politicians continue to hit us with wave after wave of regulations and laws with no end in sight as a method of control of "their"
resource. The Sheeple, of which you are included.
Your thinking and adherence to a police state of controls is opening US culture to two words that previously were the exclusive province of N-zi
Germany and the communist bloc: "Papers, please." |
And the ACLU is going to save us from such horrors, right?
|
|
|
sancho
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2524
Registered: 10-6-2004
Location: OC So Cal
Member Is Offline
|
|
I guess being an Gringo Caucasian has some
benefits
|
|
|
J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
Mood: Easy Does It
|
|
PAPERS PLEASE
Look around that day is upon us now. they already have the infrastructure in place. 
|
|
|
mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18398
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by LaPazGringo
| Quote: | Originally posted by ateo
Yeah, I knew the letters ACLU in the article would cause many to ignore the mistreatment of these people in the story. |
Honestly, I stopped reading right there. The ACLU's very existence is predicated on allegations of mistreatment. Not interested, but that's just me!
|
there are 2 types of people in the world: neo-N-zis and people that value civil rights
seriously, the aclu fights for the rights of all, conservatives and liberals -- it is silly for anyone but a fascist to be anti-aclu
heck, the aclu has defended civil rights of neo-N-zi skinheads
|
|
|
Cisco
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4196
Registered: 12-30-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by LaPazGringo
| Quote: | Originally posted by Cisco
| Quote: | Originally posted by LaPazGringo
| Quote: | Originally posted by ateo
Yeah, I knew the letters ACLU in the article would cause many to ignore the mistreatment of these people in the story. |
Honestly, I stopped reading right there. The ACLU's very existence is predicated on allegations of mistreatment. Not interested, but that's just me!
|
Having no interest in the protection of the few remaining civil liberties you have as an American citizen is despicable but all too common.
Your civil liberties have been and are being taken from you slowly and insidiously. Back in January, 40,000 new laws went into effect all over
America. The politicians continue to hit us with wave after wave of regulations and laws with no end in sight as a method of control of "their"
resource. The Sheeple, of which you are included.
Your thinking and adherence to a police state of controls is opening US culture to two words that previously were the exclusive province of N-zi
Germany and the communist bloc: "Papers, please." |
And the ACLU is going to save us from such horrors, right? |
Nope! We’re screwed. It has been too long that the American people have sat on their butts enjoying the latest sports, who’s screwing who on T.V.
Idolizing the latest movie stars, eating well and enjoying themselves without consideration of the realities of their existence.
I believe it was Steinbeck who said that all that was needed to bring down a nation was to give it’s occupants everything that they wanted.
KEEP SHOPPING!!!
After reading farther in this posting I find that I was unfair to you. You later posted:
“I just swallowed my pride and read it.... And so what does the ACLU suggest we do about the rampant abuse of civil liberties by Homeland Security?”
and I applaud your swallowing your pride in an attempt to understand something instead of just going off viscerally as I did when I read your initial
post.
SPLC, ACLU (which was founded incidentally by Helen Keller), OWS, Kent State, Berkeley,...I could go on and on about what we can do. Unfortunately the
police state has quashed every attempt by force or discrediting the participants. We’re screwed, there is nothing I know of that is going to stop the
machine.
Personally I do not buy into it though and although I have to submit to the procedures at the point of entry I do not have to submit to them at
internal checkpoints and I refuse to do so. Much to their consternation and my inconvenience.
That is but one thing I do, there are many more and a lot of jail time for peacefully resisting for a very long time. Incidentally, I did not advocate
peace demonstrations until I was honorably discharged from the military and after what I saw and the reasons why we were doing what we were doing to
other countries and their peoples. We are doing them even more and more atrociously now and to our own people also.
Because of my actions I feel better about myself and my lack of hypocrisy is refreshing to me.
"There's no telling how many wars it will take to secure freedom in the homeland."
--George W. Bush
|
|
|
soulpatch
Nomad
Posts: 404
Registered: 7-30-2005
Member Is Offline
|
|
My family and I have been needlessly treated unprofessionally by more than one of these knuckleheads.
I have been amazed that their supervisors don't drop a serious hammer on them.
To get a result from a complaint I filed I actually had to go to their PIO to get any traction and I told him I was going to circulate a specific
agents name through all media and public safety websites as possible.
I, shortly thereafter, got a call from the district supervisor and he and I had a number of productive conversations detailing agent contact and
follow up.
That was a number of years ago, though, and things seem as if they are worse now.
I am grateful the ACLU is out there fighting for us.
|
|
|
woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
|
|
they suck! my experience last week was the worst in a long time. they sent 7 agents to surround my wife and i asking us rapid fire questions
seperately. one guy asked me if my wife's story would match mine and i told him i didn't know because he hadn't asked her anything yet (she was busy
with another guy at the time)....
they are very aggressive and it must be a biatch to have to live with one of them when they get home all high strung on power.....
|
|
|
Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
|
|
They've got a tuff job! Dealing with everything and anything. What would you rather have, Border Patrol going through your stuff or banditos taking
your stuff?
|
|
|
Cisco
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4196
Registered: 12-30-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Cypress
They've got a tuff job! Dealing with everything and anything. What would you rather have, Border Patrol going through your stuff or banditos taking
your stuff? |
That is a ridiculous analogy.
They ARE the banditos.
|
|
|
Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
|
|
Cisco,
|
|
|
willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
Member Is Offline
|
|
I don't get it. we have someone going to bat for us, why the controversy?
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
