Town Hall Meeting On DHS Checkpoints (1 of 14)

On September 2, 2009, Congresswoman Giffords organized a community meeting in Green Valley, Arizona to discuss the recent findings of a GAO study regarding interior Border Patrol checkpoints.

This is part 1 of a 14 part video series from the meeting and highlights GAO spokesperson Richard Stana who presented the report's findings.

After reviewing the 147 page report and comparing it to Mr. Stana's presentation, several things popped out at me. First, Mr. Stana made it clear that one of the primary reasons why interior Border Patrol checkpoints are allegedly needed is because agents at ports of entry only attempt to interdict 30% of illegal traffic attempting to cross through the ports. This 30% interdiction rate is by design. Otherwise Stana claims, commerce, trade and vehicle traffic would be adversely affected.

Additionally, the GAO report attempts to bury the numbers associated with illegal alien interdiction rates at interior checkpoints. By studying the bar graphs available in the report, it's apparent that internal checkpoints are grossly inefficient when compared to border operations. In the Tucson sector, 10% (300) agents are diverted to interior checkpoint operations. These agents in turn only account for approximately 0.5 of Tucson sector interdictions.

What this means is that the raw numbers show actual border operations and roving patrols are far more effective at interdicting illegal border traffic than internal checkpoints.

Finally, Mr. Stana misspoke regarding Border Patrol authority. He claimed the Border Patrol has more authority to interrogate, search and seize at interior checkpoints then the agency has at the actual border or its functional equivalent. This is false as various Supreme Court rulings have made amply clear.

In short, the GAO presentation was misleading from the start. It ignored fundamental facts regarding alien interdiction rates inside the country vs the actual border. It misrepresented Border Patrol legal authority at interior checkpoints in comparison to the actual border. And it brazenly claimed interior checkpoints are needed because ports of entry are designed to be purposefully ineffective so as to not overly burden border traffic and commerce.

No where was any reference made to individual rights, Homeland Security corruption, violations of our right to travel, violations of our right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure and violation of our right not to be a witness against ourselves.

I am appreciative of Mr. Stana's honesty regarding ports of entry however. No longer can the Border Patrol claim interior checkpoints are necessary to protect us against illegal aliens, drug trafficking and terrorists when ports of entry are purposefully limited in their effectiveness to 30% for the convenience of the government.

Part 2 is available at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W4SaXU_W2c

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• DHS
• CBP
• GAO
• checkpoints
• roadblocks

[P0ttedMeat]

So where is the actual law that obliges a citizen to respond to a checkpoint officer?

Is the best course of action to behave like you do in most of your videos or can a person simply sit there silently until dismissed?

[TalksWithDirt]

Hey! At 1:47 nobody clapped for the BP agents who manned the checkpoint. I don't understand why the people did not thank the BP agents attending the meeting for violating their rights.

[IgnoranceIsNoExuse]

Everybody needs to keep an eye on the government and their enforcers..... keep asking questions, gathering evidence, keep seeking truth and change... But above all else... protect and hold onto your rights and freedoms... If the US of A falls to a police state, so too will other free nations. The world is watching the US, as they always have... So many are inspired by your unwillingness to submit to tyranny from abroad, and now at home.......... The world is watching......

[jbarah05]

yes if karma was on "your side" dont you think that the govenment would have broken down a long time ago like mexico come on buddy grow up and stop living your delusions of grandeur and open your eyes. U dont live by the border so you dont understand wat goes on here i have a minor in border studies and have live out here my whole life. You know what i c is poor labor workers coming over to try to find work here because there country has fucked them over in everyway

[1989JCH]

Border patrol needs to look for wet backs, and quit harrassing U.S citizens at internal unconstitutional check points.

[2xtream]

What is our Government up too>?

Have a look you will be surprised!

watch?v=VebOTc-7shU

[TalksWithDirt]

Besides archaeology has rounded up a lot if evidence that the French were the first in North America and that your ancestors did to them what my ancestors tried to do to your ancestors. So by the logic of nativism we should all stop our fighting, learn French, eat cheese and drink more wine. I'll have some light Burgendy say 1975 with some nice gorgonzola.

[TalksWithDirt]

Don't be silly. Chances of you being an Aztec are small. Chances are pretty good you descend from one of the tribes enslaved by the Aztecs who helped the Spaniards defeat the Aztec empire and were then enslaved by Spain. The Aztec empire did not reach into what is the USA. Aztlan is a myth, the Aztecs were a tribe banished to the swamps and came out fighting to make their empire. I'm sorry your ancestors were colonized by Spain. Note how the winners of modern times were all colonized by England.

[aguilartwelve]

look around buddy. every thing is in spanish. 100's of aztecs are coming back to the northern mexico aka the american southwest daily. we are no longer the minority we are the majority. and the american empire is on the verge of collapse. its not a matter of if its a matter of when the aztecs conquer and retake our god given land back. and guess what the karma is on our side.

[jbarah05]

that will be a cold day in hell when the "Aztecs" take back any of it lands didn't the Aztecs get conquered by the Europeans. Trust me the U.S is two hundred years strong and holding.

[Pafoofnik1]

Government Accounting Office.

[pinkfloydmoon]

What does GAO stand for ? gov. ass oles