Border Agents rude and difficult at Nogales

On one hand I'm glad that they give the impression that it's difficult to travel in Mexico, more open campground spaces for me. On the other hand I feel sorry for those who are missing out on a very enjoyable vacation in a beautiful country with some of the nicest people on the planet. The people spreading the hype about the dangers and problems with Mexican are very successful. The few minutes of "hassle" at the border are well worth the magnificent vacation.

Paul Killing time until I can go back in October.

qtla9111 wrote:
Okay, I respect these guys and their jobs (somewhat) and I am not a smarty pants and never refuse anything. It's their turf and their day so I answer what they ask me. But how do I respond to these frequently asked questions:

How is it you were born in the U.S.? (and I have my U.S. passport in hand or better, they do)

Both my children, who are both U.S. citizens from birth, were born in Germany.

qtla9111 wrote:
Why do you live in Mexico and not the U.S.?

I don't know, the Mexican food is better?

qtla9111 wrote:
Aren't you afraid? (here is a guy who is Hispanic and most likely has relatives in Mexico and speaks Spanish all day at home and at work)

Of what? The boogyman?

qtla9111 wrote:
Now, don't they sound a bit smarty pants? Then, it's some vague order to pull over into "X" lane and circle around and then wait in line. Make one false move and they are on you like white on rice and say, "now what did I just tell you?"

Treat me nice, I'll be nice. Treat me like sewage, and you'll get the same in return, and I don't care what uniforn you are wearing. As for being detained, assert your rights as an American citizen. If you have a smart phone, turn on the recorder.

qtla9111 wrote:
It's their job, they know it better than I do. I don't live there, I try not to cross too often and so I have no earthly idea sometimes about what they are talking about.

No one put a gun to their head to force them into that job.

qtla9111 wrote:
Then you go through all that, then the routine X-ray machine and they send you on your way only to have to go through a mandatory secondary checkpoint before leaving the bridge where they want to check you for drugs. WTH!

So you get on the road, and now you are supposedly in the U.S. when all of a sudden there is a checkpoint (location depends on each state, I believe it is supposed to be 21 miles north of the border but now they are much further than that) and you again have to prove your nationality. Why? Didn't we just do that 20 miles back?

Doesn't make sense.

Again, assert your rights as an American citizen against unreasonable search and seizure. It can be and has been done. It drives them crazy, but ICE cannot legally detain you indefinitely because you refuse inspection. There are several YouTube videos where people who have politely, but insistently, exercised their rights and were eventually waved on.

I have done the same as kca87, and sumitted complaints AND kudos about my border crossings. I have always received a polite reply. BTW I always go through Lukeville/Sonoyta and have never had any problems.

Looks like Texas is the winner with Arizona in a close second.


Enforcement Actions Arizona Texas New Mexico California

Apprehensions 124,631 172,33 5,661 54,246

Drug Seizures 1.1M lbs 1.7M lb 43.4K lbs 285.6K lbs

Currency Seizures $5.6M $12.5M $715K $15.9M

Inadmissible 6,011 27,392 489 28,167

CPB's 2012 Fiscal Year in Review

CBP (Customs and Border Protection) has on their website a place to enter compliments and complaints. I have done both and have received responses from them. This is also a good avenue to submit questions or comments about their policy or rules that one may not agree with.

navegator wrote:
Nogales, Arizona is one of the most used ports of entry for illegal drugs, contraband, ETC.


navegator

Please provide your source / data to support this statement. I live just a few miles from Nogales and this is not a correct statement as observed by a local & local News sources. Out of ALL of the MAJOR crossings, Nogales has the least amount of crime & illegal activities occurring. I hate it when people make wild a*s statements without the supporting data. It is just cruel to the people that live in the local that has been attacked without just cause! Not me as I am retired and secure, but when you do this you are taking the food out of the mouths of the people that have little food to start with. Just simply insensitive & cruel!

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

I have no quarrel with those who like to stay here in the good ole' USA. I agree there is a lot to see.

But I've traveled to over 60 countries because I like to see them, their people, and their history. Fortunately I live in a country which respects my right to travel as I wish (well, except for a couple of places they won't let me go to!)

Since I'm doing nothing wrong, and exercising my rights as a citizen of the USA to travel abroad, I am NOT going to allow some disgruntled employee of a bureaucratic agency to deny me that freedom. So I'll continue to cross the border. I'll answer their questions clearly and proudly and without intimidation, and I expect them to do their job safely and effectively.

Overwhelmingly, they do just that.

Those who refuse to travel because of intimidation at the border are simply ceding control of their life. That's not for me.

Nogales, Arizona is one of the most used ports of entry for illegal drugs, contraband, ETC.

Giving contradicting or confusing statements to a Federal agent about products that he or she is asking about is dumb, that raises the level of suspicion as to what is going on and what is it that is being introduced into the US, at this point you are now in the cross hairs of the agent, not good.

They find all sorts of contraband by all sort of persons, from little old grandmas to kids with drugs tapped to theire legs to modified vehicles, and all sort of inventve ways to introduce contraband.

Don't blame the agent for doing his or her dutty, blame your self for not giving truthfull answers or trying to hoodwink the agents.

navegator

And what would that accomplish. I mean exactly? The cops got to the crystal meth freak three or four cars before he got to mine. Pockets full of drugs. Football size rock bashing out all the windows in a dozen cars. Claimed monsters were hiding in them. I came to Mexico and find out sub-human culture is developing here. How many deaths are caused by inebriated drivers in a year? I don't want a stoned or pickled driver aiming for my hood ornament because he "forgot" he was supposed to drive. The war against ethics, intelligence, and responsibility has won.

Live with it. I'll take bets you'll lose.

clarlk wrote:
Why not Post the drug war is a Failed ... so simple

Yep, true.