Visit us on Linked-in Visit us on Twitter Visit us on Facebook Directions to Our Office Visit us on Yelp
Free Consultation

Immigration Checkpoints in the United States Get a Second Look

Residents of border towns such as Temecula and Oceanside in California, as well as Yuma and Nogales in Arizona, are familiar with United States Border Patrol officers setting up checkpoints and roadblocks to stop and search all vehicles for the presence of undocumented immigrants. If you are in need of a San Diego immigration lawyer, click here.

However, ever since the advancement of comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. Congress, residents of towns such as Marfa in Texas have already witnessed the surge of customs and immigration agents, which are seen as a compromise between legislators who want more security along the border in exchange for improving the quality of life of immigrants.

A recent article in the online edition of the Dallas Morning News explained that some Marfa citizens are concerned about the increased presence of Border Patrol agents and their checkpoints. They welcome the increased commercial activity from officers who frequent roadside diners, but they also have their reservations on the topic. Many of these checkpoints end up with is a great number of arrests for small quantities of controlled substances, which are ultimately handled by local sheriff’s departments. The result is higher expenses for the county as they are required to handle many more arrests.

A similar situation has been observed in Novato, California; checkpoints set up by law enforcement officers who wish to catch drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol are actually ending up with more undocumented immigrants and very few intoxicated drivers. This shows, among other things, that Border Patrol checkpoints in border communities such as Oceanside, Temecula, and others are not as effective as they intend to be.

Residents of border towns who run into checkpoints manned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers also worry about the minimization of Constitutional rights such as freedom of movement and the Fourth Amendment, but they also often complain that there are not enough agents, and thus it takes them forever to get through a checkpoint.

As a San Diego Immigration law firm, we are familiar with issues of customs and border control, as well as immigration check points. If you have questions, need more information or are looking for an immigration lawyer in San Diego, please don’t hesitate and contact us at 858-874-0711 today. Knowledgeable in all areas of immigration, we are here to help and offer free immigration consultations.

March 2024
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031