Homeland Security Surveillance Tower

A brief video clip from April 2004 showing the presence of a Homeland Security Surveillance Tower several miles outside Tucson, Arizona along SR86.

A full resolution image of the tower is available at:

http://checkpointusa.org/DHS/photos/pages/tower2.htm

The surveillance tower was part of a so-called 'High Intensity Enforcement Area' that was in place for well over a year and was a precursor to the current suspicionless checkpoint operations being conducted further West.

Agents used surveillance gear in the tower to look into the cabs of oncoming vehicles. If you happened to be the wrong color or otherwise looked suspicious to the profiling agent, your vehicle would be marked for extra special attention from a Homeland Security agent waiting in a nearby patrol vehicle.

A promotional video from the company that makes these 'Skywatch' surveillance towers can be seen at:

http://www.icxnewheights.com/media/promo.swf

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• surveillance
• tower
• border
• patrol
• homeland
• security
• police
• state

[tucsonrat67]

I live 2 miles from there. I have no problem with it whatsoever. You don't have to deal with drug runners, thies, people killing your dogs, trash all over your property. I wish they had an observation tower every 50 feet. Take your "all they want is a better life mentality" somewhere where you actually see what we have to deal with daily. I've even been held at gunpoint by these so called good people. Just because you drive by somewhere doesn't mean you know what it is like.

[CheckpointUSA]

Maybe if you demanded that the Border Patrol actually patrol the border instead of harassing domestic traffic inside the country absent reasonable suspicion, the illegal aliens would never make it onto your property in the first place.

Just a thought....

[GunsAndSuch]

This observation point is not there to harrass or "keep an eye" or prey on innocents as much as this guy would like make you to beleive. They are there to watch for vehicles coming from the desert onto the highways. IE, Smugglers, Illegals, things like that.

[CheckpointUSA]

Good try GunsAndSuch but I actually had to drive past this surveillance tower on a regular basis for well over a year. The agents were usually hanging out the window using binoculars to look into the cabs of oncoming vehicles. They also used spotlights at night to light up vehicles passing by. I have plenty of photographs to prove it.

Also, the area it was setup near was well populated being only a short distance from Tucson.

Finally, try to remember that 'i' usually comes before 'e'...

[thepatient08]

A)I think the video author has mentioned he passes these things coming to and from a remote job site.

B)This is not tin-foil hat territory, go look up the existence of these towers before insinuating insanity on someone mad about their loss of constitutional rights..

[Wolffe5]

you're fucking retarded person below me

[DackIsBack]

FEMA Camp Watchtower...

[jkjed1]

Hey everyone, let's all have our own cameras to watch our property also...

[foxsaber22]

My dad sold them that tower. He is the vice president of the company.

[GunsAndSuch]

Im right. Your wrong. Stop trying to brainwash these people you loser.

[Kg277]

Keeps the riffraff under control!! Keeps U in your place. and makes you behave. I feel safer already!!

[raw420x]

All the Government has to do now is put up a big fence, and it will be like we are in a giant jail, seemingly free to travel but always under suspicion ... remember Snake Pliskin....