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. . .He must be of the wrong ethnicity. . .

I didn't even think of that! But you could be on to something - a hispanic or arab would have no trouble at all. Plus, who has the money to pay a $10,000.00 fine? The white guy of course! /sarcasm

. . .Some common sense needs to apply up in these border towns where often the country line goes through people's living rooms. . .

Like in Texas? Hipanics crossing the borders trash our farms and ranches, leaving it strewn with filth and human waste, thumbing their collective noses at border controL; maybe it's different near the Canadian border. I am for extremely tight border control - even guarding it militarily, any illegals should be fined and deported.

The Canadian border is pretty different - in most cases, the *locals* in the border towns on both sides have been pretty much free to come and go for years. It's been a tacit agreement, and for a long time in some of these places no one is real sure where the border even is. There's not the same trashing issue up here, not sure why - maybe since the 2 countries are more equal economically and socially there aren't the herds of illegals coming through.

I'm in favor of tight immigration, too, but the border security would be better served by chasing those who come into the country illegaly and keep going rather than harassing and fining the locals who've been wandering back and forth within a few miles of the line for years.

Half the roads don't even have guard posts on them, they just have a sign saying "if you're coming in please stop at the nearest Customs booth". It's on the honor system.

I remember coming back in once at a *manned* crossing (I live in Vermont) where the guards were fast asleep (this was pre-9/11). I stopped the car and waited. Then I waited more. Then I tapped the horn a few times. Nothing. So I got out and walked up to the building and rapped on the window. I looked in the window and both guys were tipped back in their chairs, snoozin. One finally woke up and came out, asked me a few cursory questions, then stumbled back into the building and I left.

LQ