Eastern Railroad Discussion > NYT: Amtrak "border" searches are up

The New York Times reports that U.S. border patrol searches far from the border have risen in the past year. In particular, searches of Amtrak and Greyhound passengers have gone up.

The issue is expected to end up in the Supreme Court as the administration's expansive view of what is "near" the border is challenged.

Although a number of drug arrests have been made, only a small percentage of illegal entry apprehensions have been made.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/21/us/politics/trump-border-patrol-searches.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Posted from Android

Good...it's about time......

Bob

navarch2 Wrote:
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> Good...it's about time......
>
> Bob


(I just realized that I put this post in the wrong forum.)

Several people here have mentioned the increased number of searches aboard Amtrak trains. Especially near Albuquerque NM, and Rochester NY. Neither is especially close to a border point of entry.

I have experienced border searches on #48 for the past ten years. Usually at Buffalo, but also later at Rochester. They always waste about 20 minutes going through the coaches, where I am riding. I can't imagine them finding anyone significant. Maybe in 10 trips, I can remember one person standing on the platform in handcuffs.

Are they setting up road blocks on the Thruway near Buffalo to check out cars ? If not, it is class discrimination against rail and bus passengers. If they held up traffic on I-90 for a half-hour, it would be on the 6 O'clock news. The only thing this feather-bedding exercise of being over-staffed will deter is for the drug traffickers and illegals to drive rather than take Amtrak and Greyhound.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/18 07:06 by joemvcnj.

Even one arrest can be a deterrent....if there are no inspections/searches than you can bet the drugs and illegals would be flowing!!!

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

The notion of searching a train in Rochester, NY on the grounds that its less than a hundred miles inside the border is outrageous. The international border is in the middle of Lake Ontario, and there is no conceivable route via land that puts Rochester anywhere near the border.

This is the same security theater that got people killed up in the Adirondacks a few years back. The federales set up a checkpoint on Route 9, deliberately on a blind curve, so people couldn't just turn around and avoid the checkpoint. Great location--it was so blind that a car that was getting the "show me your papers" treatment got rear ended by a bus.

livesteamer Wrote:
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> Even one arrest can be a deterrent....if there are
> no inspections/searches than you can bet the drugs
> and illegals would be flowing!!!

exactly. as a passenger, I would welcome ANY "proactive" law enforcement in this day and age.......

66

march_hare Wrote:
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> The notion of searching a train in Rochester, NY on the grounds that its less than a hundred miles inside the border is outrageous. The international border is in the middle of Lake Ontario, and there is no conceivable route via land that puts Rochester anywhere near the border.

Once they read your post here on TO, perhaps they'll switch the location of the searches to Buffalo.

End of controversy.

> This is the same security theater that got people killed up in the Adirondacks a few years back. The federales set up a checkpoint on Route 9, deliberately on a blind curve, so people couldn't just turn around and avoid the checkpoint. Great location--it was so blind that a car that was getting the "show me your papers" treatment got rear ended by a bus.

Sounds to me like the fault lies with a bus driver who was driving his rig too fast for the conditions.

Placing fault where it actually belongs seems to be an almost impossible chore these days. Any NRA member will verify this.

CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
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(SNIP)
>
> Placing fault where it actually belongs seems to
> be an almost impossible chore these days. Any NRA
> member will verify this.

The NRA. There's a responsible bunch of folks.

Why shouldn't every nut job be allowed to buy and own rapid fire arms, and hundreds of high capacity magazines? Doesn't the second amendment mean anything anymore?

Even if this kid had 60 police interventions and psychiatric referrals, doesn't he have a right to own weapons?

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> livesteamer Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Even one arrest can be a deterrent....if there
> are
> > no inspections/searches than you can bet the
> drugs
> > and illegals would be flowing!!!
>
> exactly. as a passenger, I would welcome ANY
> "proactive" law enforcement in this day and
> age.......
>
> 66

Including be woken up at midnight - 1am to be asked stupid questions (i.e, are you an American) ?

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Even if this kid had 60 police interventions and psychiatric referrals . . .

Now we know the value of 39 police interventions.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Including be woken up at midnight - 1am to be asked stupid questions (i.e, are you an American)?

Look upon it as part of your patriotic duty! ;) We thank you for your service!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/18 11:40 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.

Why do the Border Patrol people search the Lake Shore Limited, and not trains 63 and 64 that actually cross the border? I have NEVER understood this...

Posted from Android

MC6853 Wrote:
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> Why do the Border Patrol people search the Lake Shore Limited, and not trains 63 and 64 that actually cross the border? I have NEVER understood this...

The passengers on 63 and 64 ARE inspected at the border.

Who says they don't ? Everyone has to get off the Maple Leaf at the station just before the border in each direction for Customs, because they are too lazy and obtuse to get on the train themselves. We don't know what goes on in the train during that time, or if Border agents are around as well.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/18 11:49 by joemvcnj.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Are they setting up road blocks on the Thruway
> near Buffalo to check out cars ? If not, it is
> class discrimination against rail and bus
> passengers.

When did train and bus passengers become a "class"?

I had my car in a dealer for service and there was a Border Patrol Agent there waiting for his SUV to be finished. I asked him about the checks on 48 and he said its because 48 gets a lot of passengers that connect from trains like the SW Chief.

Posted from iPhone

I do believe that every train from Vancouver, BC is inspected and processed by US Customs...even prior to boarding in Vancouver, US agents secure the train behind a fenced cage and process every
passenger. Plus, there is a full passport inspection at US border

Posted from Android

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> goneon66 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > livesteamer Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Even one arrest can be a deterrent....if
> there
> > are
> > > no inspections/searches than you can bet the
> > drugs
> > > and illegals would be flowing!!!
> >
> > exactly. as a passenger, I would welcome ANY
> > "proactive" law enforcement in this day and
> > age.......
> >
> > 66
>
> Including be woken up at midnight - 1am to be
> asked stupid questions (i.e, are you an American)
> ?

yea, NO problem.......

66

livesteamer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do believe that every train from Vancouver, BC
> is inspected and processed by US Customs...even
> prior to boarding in Vancouver, US agents secure
> the train behind a fenced cage and process every
> passenger. Plus, there is a full passport
> inspection at US border
>
> Posted from Android

Good point all passengers entering U.S. through VCR airport go through U.S. Security check by U.S. officers. Same at Montreal and Toronto and Calgary, maybe others.