Immigration Checkpoints Along the U.S.-Mexico Border
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 When
driving from the United States to Mexico and back it is a sure thing one will
encounter a U.S. Border Patrol vehicle checkpoint. Getting into Mexico is easy
but getting out is another story. When driving into Mexico one is usually waived
by a Mexican officer to go into the country. In some instances, one’s car may
randomly be selected for a search and pulled to the side. A quick search and off
to enjoy the splendors of Mexico. However, getting back to the U.S. is a longer
process that may mean waiting in lines for hours and more scrutiny by border
patrol officials. One is required to stop and will most likely have to provide
legal documentation to confirm one’s identity. The American border patrol agent
will usually interrogate the driver as to where they came from, where they are
going and if they are carrying any contraband. It is highly likely that the
border patrol agents will question the driver and their passenger(s) about their
legal status. Border patrol officers may search your vehicle for any contraband.
In addition, it is a common sight to see a border patrol officer walking down
the lines of cars heading to the U.S. with a “drug dog”, which is sniffing
vehicles for any contraband like drugs or explosives. While the majority of
checkpoints are permanent, they are some that are temporary and are moved around
every two weeks or so. Once you get past one checkpoint, there is a good chance
of running into another one as you make your way north of the border.
Individuals can also walk to the U.S. instead of driving through the U.S.-Mexico
border, but the officials are just as strict and the process time-consuming.
Thousands of drivers and pedestrians go through this experience on a daily basis
at the U.S.-Mexico border for the purpose of border security. For residents in
neighboring cities, living near any of the 34 checkpoints (temporary or
permanent) has become a nightmare. For example, residents of communities
surrounding Nogales and Tucson, Arizona where the Interstate 19 is the link
between them are voicing their opposition to the construction of a $30 million
permanent checkpoint approved by Congress last year. Throughout the years, a
temporary checkpoint has been rotated throughout the Interstate usually every
other week or weekly. The U.S. Border Patrol which is under the control of the
Department of Homeland Security sees the permanent checkpoint as being a
necessity for improved security. They point to the millions of dollars of drugs
that have been confiscated at checkpoints and the number of arrests that have
been made. The residents argue that a permanent checkpoint will make the
communities worse off. They are tired of having to deal with increased
smugglers, drug dealers and crimes. Since 9/11 millions of dollars have been
invested in the border with Mexico to add Border Patrol agents, barriers and for
other improvements. The FBI agents working at the U.S. Mexico border have also
stepped up their efforts to catch corrupt Border Patrol officers.
The U.S.-Mexico border as opposed to the U.S.-Canada border tends to get more
attention and government funds. Whereas the U.S.-Mexico border has many physical
barriers like fences and increased vigilance, the Canadian border lacks many of
these barriers. There are less Border Patrol agents and checkpoints in Canada
but the same policies apply to both borders. In many regions of the U.S.-Canada
border, individuals have little trouble getting to the U.S. They can swim, boat,
jog or walk and have sometimes entered through national parks. Some believe the
U.S.-Canada border is not given enough attention especially when it comes to
terrorists. Canada is known for a liberal immigration and asylum system. On an
annual basis Canada receives anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 refugee
applications. It has been reported that greater than half of the
refugee
applications get approval. While Canadian immigration checks applicants against
databases, there are some refugees who are unable to present documentation to
confirm their identity or present fraudulent documents. This is of great concern
to many because terrorists may be capitalizing on the system and setting up
terrorist networks near the U.S.-Canada border. Some Canadian refugees have
included ethnic group militia members from Hezbolla, Algeria’s Armed Islamic
Group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and Babbar Khalsa. Many groups have
raised funds in Canada and some have gone on to commit terrorist attacks. Each
respective border faces different challenges (different terrain and budgets) but
simultaneously face the same (immigrants, smugglers, drug dealers and
terrorists). Both the northern and southern borders serve as a gateway to the
U.S., thus no one border is more important than the other.
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