Posted on 01/26/2014 5:56:07 PM PST by Michael.SF.
Please excuse the vanity.
I am wondering two things in regards to this, as noted below.
First, what occurred:
Traveling from Phoenix to LA on Friday we noticed the back up to the border crossing (usually used for fruit questions) was at least 2 miles long for those entering Arizona. On our return today, the line was maybe ½ mile and we were delayed 15-20 minutes.
This by itself is a rare occurrence as usually the delay (if any) is brief. We have done this 12-15 times in past 5 years or so. Here is the unusual part:
30-40 cars, trucks and busses representing: Border patrol, CHP, Arizona Highway patrol, also including use of service dogs and what may have been national guard or Homeland security. Also unusual was the number of various official vehicles (Jeeps/Cars) parked on the side of the road or on the median monitoring and watching traffic.
Question for fellow Freepers:
1) Is this occurring on other state crossings?
2) Is this occurring on other Az. Crossings (I-8, I-40) or from New Mexico on same routes?
3) How long has this been going on (we crossed last at Thanksgiving and saw nothing)?
Gosh I never heard of being stopped at the California border LEAVING the state for ag purposes. They usually don’t care what you take out. Coming back into California on the other hand is a different story all together.
Have no clue as to what they were looking for or why
I suspect that this has to do with the ongoing feud between the administration and the state of Arizona.
LOL
The VIPR teams detain and search travelers
In early 2011, a TSA VIPR detained and patted down people at an Amtrak station in Savannah, Georgia.
The incident became controversial because
officers were screening passengers as they were getting off trains, presumably after potential terrorists had detonated their explosives.
But, of course, there were no terrorists and no explosives were detonated.
Amtrak Police Chief John O'Connor described the TSA behavior as illegal, in violation of Amtrak policy, and simply nonsensical. The incident led Amtrak to temporarily ban VIPR teams from Amtrak property.
One wonders how Amtrak could deny the activity if it was clearly legal?
The GAO says VIPR was prompted by the 2004 Madrid train bombings.
Spain, of course, has nothing similar to the US Constitution.
CA - AZ border story..... When I was 13 in ‘64 my high school
teac her dad won a fellowship to study @ U of MD so we left
CA to live in Prince Georges Co for a year. We took a southern
route coming home in ‘65. We reached AZ/CA border outside
of Needles about 3AM. I woke up to hear my dad and the bug
inspector laughing and joking. Went on for 20 minutes or so
and the 2 exhanged addresses. Turns out they were childhood
friends from a little farm town in NorCal. The guy had thru school
with one of pop’s brothers. The guy never asked about what we
were bringing into the state.
Or practicing for not letting US citizens depart.
Amazing coincidence!
Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping!
To get onto The Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping List you must threaten to report me to the Mods if I don't add you to the list...
“Have only seen this at the AZ and CA crossing, and that was back in the 80’s when I was attending grad school in AZ. It was a brief stop to check for people carrying in fruit and vegetables and was a State Dept. of Ag operation, if memory serves. So at that location and no doubt others between CA and its neighbors a stop of some kind is normal.”
There was a similar Ag inspection station on I-5 just south of the Oregon border in the 80’s.
actually I was mistaken it was the 11th not the 18th that I crossed so this is been going on for a while
Hmm. I live in CA but haven’t had to go through those checkpoints in about a year. They tend to concentrate on importation of fruit and vegetables.
I haven’t read that anything is “up” but that is a bit unusual.
truth is in the all the times Ive crossed I’ve never been stopping questioned once, just always flagged through
So Obama can cause massive traffic jams but Christie can't?
Stopped one time many years ago entering California. Inspector was obviously of Mexican origin/descent. Looking for oranges. We had some that originated in California. He took ‘em. Later on in a grocery store in LA we saw oranges from Mexico. What is this $hit all about? California hardly has any orange groves left to protect...all turned into housing/commercial developments. California is just one of several states that can go to hell...if they are not already there.
We crossed on I-40 into and out of California in August, 2013, and no delays. Just breezed through.
I crossed Wed. about 3 in the afternoon and there was no delay at all. I have never been stopped coming into Arizona, only going into California. Lately there has not even been anybody in the booth though, make the stop at stop sign and continue on. I did notice a line of cars and something similar to what you were describing when I left Arizona back on the 7th and I was wondering what was going on also, because as I said, I have never had to stop coming into Arizona, but always going into California from Arizona or Oregon on any route.
I’m expecting searches for guns and/or ammo.
Would not be surprised to have lisc. plate data available from gun shop or gun show purchase.
And the beat (down) goes on
Cal. is trying to catch people who haven’t paid state exit fees.
Your comments confirm my experiences. That is why this was so strange.
They were (are?) concerned about backyard citrus coming through.
That is a legitimate concern
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