Immigration Checkpoints Challenging Freedom

Typical behavior for a woman in her twenties, I was driving the other day and listening to an insightful series on NPR.  That Saturday's segment was in reference to the ongoing debate/legality of immigration checkpoints here in the U.S. located near the southern borders.  Living far north of the Midwest region, I was not privy to this sort of practice and was a little taken back by what I heard.  For those of you unfamiliar like myself, allow me explain.  In regions near the southern boarder of the U.S. and Mexico, states like Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, etc.., you'll find various checkpoints located up and down the highways in an effort to, mainly, detain illegal immigrants.  The scene is familiar as most roadway checkpoints scenarios are concerned. Cones, officers in uniform and traffic signs set the stage for motorist to slow their vehicles and interact with commanding boarder control officers.  The officers ask a short series of questions, the main question being, "are you a U.S. citizen?"  Think TSA security checkpoints in the airport.  Though, as pointed out by the narrator, these motorists weren't at an airport, nor are they even remotely close to the boarder.  You see, these motorists are traveling roads 50+ miles north of the boarder.  If their proximity to the boarder is that far out, why exactly is boarder control, controlling interstates roadways so far north of an actual boarder?  Why stop 50 miles off the boarder, when we can have boarder checkpoints in states like Colorado or Iowa why we're at it.  Have these officers/government have nothing better to do?  Do these checkpoints really capture hard-pressing aliens or are they moreso a burden to the majority of legit U.S. citizens who succumb to the pressure of these roadway checkpoints to simply be told to "have a good day," upon their series of questioning.

Evidently some law abiding citizens have had just about enough of these seemingly unnecessary roadway checkpoints. The opposition points out that the checkpoints are unconstitutional and have zero regard to the 4th or 5th amendment, ignoring non-plausible searches and having to answer such questions that hold little merit for a "routine" checkpoint. And just who is getting the brunt of the hard hitting questioning subjected by boarder control officers, minorities of course; particularly those of Latino decent.  Not having personally been subjected to racial profiling, I have no experience as to what it must feel like to be subjected to discrimination.  Judgments based on one's appearance, various stereotypes and having to explain oneself that you're an U.S. citizen just on their way to work, sounds like the opposite of freedom. Extremely disheartening to say the least.  Such questioning and interrogation serves it's purpose in airports and on actual boarders, not in state 50 miles north.  Thankfully, in an effort to preserve some decency for those legal immigrants and the goodwill of the constitution, some citizens have chose to voice their dismay and stand up for their constitutional rights by simply ignoring the questions.

Located at https://www.checkpointusa.org/ you'll find information on those citizens who choose to stand up to these unnecessary immigration checkpoints.  The youtube links are located at the bottom and are worthy of some time to watch.  Motorists of all ethnicities, but primarily Caucasians and African Americans, take a stand against the officers and quickly flip the tables.  "Am I being detained," and "am I free to go" are the common rebuttals to the countless questions that the officers fire off at the motorists. The motorists are relentless and do not succumb to the pressure.  Most remain calm and relatively non-confrontational in an effort to preserve our nation's freedom and show distaste for such seemingly unimportant checkpoints.

And for those illegal immigrants that are detained inward, are few and far in between.  As a matter of fact, a majority of the detainees are actually drug or weapon violations.  Which of course has it's upside, but even at that, the officers are simply fishing for some sort of criminal activity and disguise it as these "immigration checkpoints," A little intrusive to say the least.

Lesson to be learned? Keep boarder control at boarders. Preserve the constitution and know, that as an U.S. citizen you have rights that should be upheld under any and all circumstances.  Be in the know and spread the word. Peace, love and harmony.