Lake Shore Limited this week

[MattW]

It's not the government, it's the sheeple that allowed the government to propaganda (yes, a verb) them into believing terrorists hid around any corner and we must do whatever it takes to root them out. Well if dubya had tried that 2 or 3 years after 9/11 instead of the month after, it wouldn't have gotten very far and he might not have gotten reelected. The expanded anti-constitutional stance of the border patrol is a direct result of that.

 

[ThayerATM]

The Border Patrol shouldn't be boarding Amtrak trains looking for anything other than illegals. If they happen to catch an illegal alien who is also smuggling drugs, well so be it. But they shouldn't be looking for that except at an actual border crossing.

While I'm hardly an expert in this area, I am a frequent traveler across the US/CANADIAN border.

It's been my opinion that the US Customs & Immigration is charged with both looking out for illegal aliens AND looking out for smuggling, in addition to other stuff. We were once pulled into secondary in Port Huron, MI, where an un-eaten half of a sub sandwich was confiscated because of the "no beef from Canada" law. My wife offered to produce the eaten half of the sub, but they declined.

I think that the border patrol can board an Amtrak train (within that 100 mile limit) in order to enforce immigration laws, and also contraband laws, like Cuban cigars, if they have reason to suspect.

While time consuming, random checks are not unusual at automobile crossings.

And remember just 10 years ago there were talks going on with the US and Canada to just open the borders, and do away with the checks? 9/11 sure changed things.

 

[AlanB]

The Border Patrol shouldn't be boarding Amtrak trains looking for anything other than illegals. If they happen to catch an illegal alien who is also smuggling drugs, well so be it. But they shouldn't be looking for that except at an actual border crossing.

While I'm hardly an expert in this area, I am a frequent traveler across the US/CANADIAN border.

It's been my opinion that the US Customs & Immigration is charged with both looking out for illegal aliens AND looking out for smuggling, in addition to other stuff. We were once pulled into secondary in Port Huron, MI, where an un-eaten half of a sub sandwich was confiscated because of the "no beef from Canada" law. My wife offered to produce the eaten half of the sub, but they declined.

I think that the border patrol can board an Amtrak train (within that 100 mile limit) in order to enforce immigration laws, and also contraband laws, like Cuban cigars, if they have reason to suspect.

While time consuming, random checks are not unusual at automobile crossings.

And remember just 10 years ago there were talks going on with the US and Canada to just open the borders, and do away with the checks? 9/11 sure changed things.

Thayer,

In hindsight I realize that perhaps I was less than clear in my post. I wouldn't argue with all that you've said. A train crossing the border, or a vehicle, what ever, yes at that point they should and can be looking for drugs; just like they look for someone having brought that $2,000 fur coat overseas to avoid paying taxes on it. That's all well and fine.

But once you're already over the border, at that point BP's only concern is, are you a legal citizen or not. If you do happen to have drugs on you, well you can certainly be charged for possession. But it's not BP's business at that point because they don't know if you came over the border with those drugs or brought them within the states. Therefore my contention is that a BP agent boarding the LSL which does not cross any international boundaries should not be looking for drugs. Their only concern and focus should be finding an illegal alien.

 

[frj1983]

Well,

My Wife and I will be boarding the LSL next Friday night for a trip to Springfield MA. I must say I'm now a little concerned about lateness (not that the LSL hasn't been late before), but I'm wondering why they are suddenly deciding to do this now? Slow times at the Border? Agents bored with current job? Who knows? I'll keep you all posted as to what happens next week! h34r:

We're still looking forward to the trip! :lol:

 

[Green Maned Lion]

They've been doing this for years. The only thing is someone happened to ask recently.

 

[ThayerATM]

The Border Patrol shouldn't be boarding Amtrak trains looking for anything other than illegals. If they happen to catch an illegal alien who is also smuggling drugs, well so be it. But they shouldn't be looking for that except at an actual border crossing.

While I'm hardly an expert in this area, I am a frequent traveler across the US/CANADIAN border.

It's been my opinion that the US Customs & Immigration is charged with both looking out for illegal aliens AND looking out for smuggling, in addition to other stuff. We were once pulled into secondary in Port Huron, MI, where an un-eaten half of a sub sandwich was confiscated because of the "no beef from Canada" law. My wife offered to produce the eaten half of the sub, but they declined.

I think that the border patrol can board an Amtrak train (within that 100 mile limit) in order to enforce immigration laws, and also contraband laws, like Cuban cigars, if they have reason to suspect.

While time consuming, random checks are not unusual at automobile crossings.

And remember just 10 years ago there were talks going on with the US and Canada to just open the borders, and do away with the checks? 9/11 sure changed things.

Thayer,

In hindsight I realize that perhaps I was less than clear in my post. I wouldn't argue with all that you've said. A train crossing the border, or a vehicle, what ever, yes at that point they should and can be looking for drugs; just like they look for someone having brought that $2,000 fur coat overseas to avoid paying taxes on it. That's all well and fine.

But once you're already over the border, at that point BP's only concern is, are you a legal citizen or not. If you do happen to have drugs on you, well you can certainly be charged for possession. But it's not BP's business at that point because they don't know if you came over the border with those drugs or brought them within the states. Therefore my contention is that a BP agent boarding the LSL which does not cross any international boundaries should not be looking for drugs. Their only concern and focus should be finding an illegal alien.

This little clip right from the Border Patrol's Web Page...

During the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Border Patrol, along with the INS inspection division, the U.S. Customs inspection division, and the Department of Agriculture’s plant and animal inspection service, were merged into a new agency called U.S. Customs and Border Protection, also known as CBP.

While the traditional mission of the United States Border Patrol has always been the detection and prevention of the illegal entry of aliens and smuggling of illegal contraband into the United States anywhere other than a designated port-of-entry, the dawn of the age of terrorism within our nation has added a new and high priority mission: to detect and prevent the entry of terrorists and their weapons into the United States.

On horseback, and on land, sea, and air, the United States Border Patrol defends America.

The Border Patrol never sleeps. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week the men and women of the United States Border Patrol are doing everything possible with the limited resources available to them to secure the borders of the United States of America.

The Border Patrol’s mission has increased over the years. Today, the Border Patrol must also operate within the interior of United States — monitoring roads and even some airports where illegal aliens concentrate. In addition, other government agencies have granted the United States Border Patrol certain additional powers to help them protect our borders.

 

[pinehurst]

They boarded the LSL briefly in Rochester last spring to ask for our country of citizenship. One guy began harassing the Indian (AKA from India) kid next to us for not having his passport. Thought you only needed passports to cross international borders.

 

[Everydaymatters]

They boarded the LSL briefly in Rochester last spring to ask for our country of citizenship. One guy began harassing the Indian (AKA from India) kid next to us for not having his passport. Thought you only needed passports to cross international borders.

Aren't foreigners who are here for a visit were required to carry their passport with them at all times?????

 

[ThayerATM]

They boarded the LSL briefly in Rochester last spring to ask for our country of citizenship. One guy began harassing the Indian (AKA from India) kid next to us for not having his passport. Thought you only needed passports to cross international borders.

Aren't foreigners who are here for a visit were required to carry their passport with them at all times?????

Each of our Amtrak tickets is clearly marked with the statement: VALID PHOTO ID REQUIRED. Since I've been crossing the Canadian/US border several times a year for 50 years now, I've always considered my passport to be my official ID for travel. It hasn't let me down yet. I don't know if foreigners are REQUIRED to carry a passport, but it certainly seems like poor judgement to NOT carry one, with a valid visitors visa stamped in it.

We were crossing into Canada a few years ago, well before the days when passports were required, and when we got to the inspection station my wife produced here drivers license, and admitted that she had forgotten to bring her passport. The Canadian customs agent read her the riot act. <_< I was resigned to the fact that we would have to return home and get hers, when the agent finally relented, and let her pass. Whew!!! She's never forgotten since.

 

[Bob Dylan]

They boarded the LSL briefly in Rochester last spring to ask for our country of citizenship. One guy began harassing the Indian (AKA from India) kid next to us for not having his passport. Thought you only needed passports to cross international borders.

This is getting into the area of racial profiling!If they asked everyone for their ID/proof of citizenship,OK!If not,its clearly a violation of policy and IIRC

also federal civil rights laws and supremecourt decisions!"Reasonable suspicion IS a grounds for authorities to ask for ID and failure or refusual to produce said ID IS grounds for detention or arrest but someone being suspicious because of the color of their skin or the way they dress or talk is illegal and that thug should have been reported IMO! :angry: As the old saying went:I didnt care when they came for them because I wasnt one of them, but when they came for me there was no-one left to stand up for me!Know and stand up for your rights,intimidation and fear is the weapon of dictators and thugs! :angry: