Posted on 09/22/2009 11:22:43 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
SODUS NY— The Border Patrol is again being accused of racial profiling in Wayne County, this time at the dawn of the annual apple harvest that brings thousands of migrants to the area.
According to Migrant Support Services organizer John Ghertner — who was there taking photos — and Mi Ranchito owner Primitivo Vasquez, Border Patrol agents blocked off the two entrances to Vasquez’s store Aug. 29, demanding identification from customers before allowing them in.
Mi Ranchito is a specialty grocery store that sells Mexican foods, calling cards and other items targeted at migrant workers. Vasquez was born in Mexico but lives in Oswego and has operated his business for about 15 years.
Ghertner and Vasquez alleged that two Border Patrol vehicles pulled into the parking lot, blocking one of the store’s two entrances. Vasquez’s son, Jairo, asked the Border Patrol agents to leave.
Ghertner said one agent moved his car to the other entrance, and the other agent parked on the road, slightly to the west of the parking lot.
A few minutes later, Jairo Vasquez again asked the other agent to leave, and the agent then parked to the east of the parking lot, Ghertner and Vasquez said.
“Basically, it prevented anyone from coming into his business that were Mexican,” Ghertner said.
Vasquez said it was the fifth or sixth time the Border Patrol had interfered with his business in the last few years. Another time, he said, agents entered his store after-hours while he was stocking to see what he was bringing in from his truck.
“We didn’t have a problem until two or three years ago, and now they’re harassing the store more and more,” Vasquez said. “There is no reason for them to go and park in the entrance of my parking [lot]. I see that they’re profiling because my business is Mexican. They know they’re going to get what they want because most of my customers are Hispanic.”
But Border Patrol spokesman A.J. Price said it’s against policy to set up checkpoints at private businesses. Instead, he said, agents focus on “critical transit nodes,” such as airports and bus stops, or rely on stops from other law enforcement agencies.
“That’s not even a tactical procedure that we ever use,” Price said. “That’d be like someone saying that we were taking pot-shots at people as they drove by our station. We just don’t do that. That’s not an approved tactical operation whatsoever.”
But Ghertner sent photographs, including one he said a Mi Ranchito employee took of two Border Patrol cars parked at the store’s entrance. He said it was from June 5, when agents came to the store to take away customers as they were leaving.
Vasquez said Border Patrol interference has accounted for a substantial drop in business — he estimated it at between 30 and 40 percent — at what’s usually his busiest time of the year.
“Right now, we’re in apple season, and we don’t see that many people come in because they all have a fear of coming out of the camps,” Vasquez said.
Many migrant crew leaders now ask him to deliver out of fear of the Border Patrol, he said.
“But even if we deliver, we’ve lost a lot of business. If we don’t deliver, we’re going down,” he said.
Price noted that Vasquez — who said he was a naturalized citizen — hasn’t filed a formal complaint. But Vasquez said that was only because he didn’t know what the proper channels were to file a complaint, which he’s not working on doing.
Ghertner called the Border Patrol’s response a typical tactic to deflect criticism.
“They make two standard statements: That they didn’t do what they’re claiming that they did, and they always claim that there’s never been a complaint,” said Ghertner, who pointed out that he’s made numerous complaints to the federal government and congressional representatives.
“I believe our congressman and senators are a pretty legitimate formal complaint,” he said. “I’m tired of their racial profiling, but I’m more tired of their dishonesty.”
Brigido Baltizar and Jose Coyt, who were shopping Saturday at Mi Ranchito, said they haven’t had problems at the store but that they have had problems with the Border Patrol.
Baltizar said he was a citizen and that he has been hassled during stops. Agents didn’t accept his driver’s license as a form of identification, he said, and he now carries his passport in his truck at all times as proof of his citizenship.
Well it is all part of the tear america apart, plan. Who wants to be a cop, firefighter, soldier, C.I.A. member???? You will be sued for doing your job, eh?
right...what kind of profiling are they supposed to use
BooFrigginHoo...
If they are not shaking down blue-eyed blondes, there are racist. Ask Obama!
Harassing the Amish again?
Imagine that. The BP thinks most illegal aliens are latinos. The nerve.
I did not know “Illegal Alien” was a race?
Good to see Border Patrol conducting their duties. I am so tired of hate groups that push illegal alien amnnesty. It is anti-American bigotry
I am not sure just where they should look or who they are supposed to look for. I guess the proper liberal answer is nowhere and nobody.....We are the world...we are the children.....sorry had tostart singing after that last thought.
What are they doing, looking for Mexican?
Bastards!
“Imagine that. The BP thinks most illegal aliens are latinos. The nerve.”
Yet, LaRAza, Mexicans who whine like the guy in this article NEVER ever complain about their own kind killing and exploiting every ‘latino’ they can get their hands on. This has to stop! Let the border patrol do their job! They should have been arresting thousands when the marches by illegal aliens were going on. If the ‘authorities’ could have found ANYthing wrong with USA citizens on Sept. 12th in DC, they’d be in jail!
Mexico cartels kidnap, kill migrants headed to U.S.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2345650/posts
Looking for illegal alien Mexicans among Mexicans=racial profiling. If only the border patrol had detained members of the Swedish ski team, it would have been OK!
ping
Yup.
Since you don’t seem to mind that these BP Agents were violating law and policy, can you give us any examples of what other laws and policy the BP is allowed to break and if any other law enforcement agencies are allowed to break any laws of policies?
*Imagine that. The BP thinks most illegal aliens are latinos. The nerve.*
I think that is so cute! Right on.
Where is the camp?
I thought the Border Patrol were suppost to patrol borders. What are they doing in SODUS NY?
Sodus is, I think, on Lake Ontario.
So they are there to catch Mexicans swimming across Lake Ontario?
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