Border Patrol Checking by Border

[jis]

The specific method and process of forfeiture varies by situation and circumstance. The authority to search without cause is distinct from the authority to seize without charge but the level of coordination allowed between different groups and departments can short circuit fundamental liberties and protections that require a meaningful separation of powers to exist as more than a theoretical construct.

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Link: https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2020-09/OIG-20-66-Aug20.pdf

Interesting. So these are the forfeitures involving DHS, and do not include the local, County and State Police forfeitures, right? Does anyone keep track of those in a consolidated way? Maybe Department of Justice perhaps? Probably not. Isn't there a huge amount of forfeiture done by the DEA which is not under DHS but under DoJ?

 

[NS VIA Fan]

That's the building. Why is it special?

The Border goes through the centre of the building.

And there's also CanUSA Street in Rock Island/Derby Line. The yellow line down the centre of the road is the border. Houses on the left are in the US and on the right in Canada

https://goo.gl/maps/bh4fRpvNZFrY1oXw5

 

[Exvalley]

The Border goes through the centre of the building.

We have a winner!

The library serves two towns - one in Canada and one in the United States. The border runs right through the building.

How has the library operated while the border is closed? Sadly, it hasn't. It has remained closed since the border was closed.

 

[Trollopian]

With modern e-visas a swipe of a serialized passport card should be all that is required for most global travel but instead we have to carry a booklet with several pages of filler content that leaks up to ten years of your travel history to overzealous inspectors and entry level desk clerks all over the world.

Oui, c'est vrai, but surely I'm not the only person who rather appreciates the retro appearance and the formal script of our U.S. passports? And the very correct diplomatic French. "Le Secrétaire d'État des États-Unis d'Amérique prie par les présentes toutes autorités compétentes de laisser passer le citoyen ou ressortissant des États-Unis titulaire du présent passeport, sans délai ni difficulté et, en cas de besoin, de lui accorder toute aide et protection légitimes." The English translation, which is pretty faithful, nevertheless doesn't convey the full flavor. "Prie," for example, becomes a banal "request" when a more accurate rendering would be "entreat" or "beseech." And from the Secretary of State him- or herself! That somehow glams up the morning trudge at Heathrow or CDG.

 

[jis]

I really liked going through the biometric immigration barrier in Amsterdam. In the UK I think we can register to use theirs just like they can register and use Global Entry kiosks here.

 

[zephyr17]

Just an FYI on the Maple Leaf. They no longer do the onboard inspection on it. All passengers detrain with ALL their stuff and go through Customs and Immigration processing much like at an airport. Then you hang around the station until they open the train for reboarding.

The new Niagara Falls, NY station is built for international inspections and is much better than the old Lehigh Valley freighthouse station was.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Glad to hear it. This was a long time ago.

And regarding the Canadian/American library lawn, looks like it needs a wall..

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Just an FYI on the Maple Leaf. They no longer do the onboard inspection on it. All passengers detrain with ALL their stuff and go through Customs and Immigration processing much like at an airport. Then you hang around the station until they open the train for reboarding.

The new Niagara Falls, NY station is built for international inspections and is much better than the old Lehigh Valley freighthouse station was.

A bonus of business class on the Maple Leaf... you get to get off the train first which means you are first in line and don’t have to wait so long for your questioning.

Bonus tip- don’t say you like trains or that your vacation plans were made around VIA rail... they will find that to be very suspicious!!!

 

[Brian Battuello]

For some reason whenever I go through JFK immigration, the DHS guy looks at the screen and scowls. But then maybe he decides they've given me a hard enough time and cuts me a break.

Remember that I have three more "room" stories to go...

 

[Brian Battuello]

By the way, I'm not sure if this was the "ID check" topic or not. However on a routine Acela run today, the conductor asked exactly one party in our car to see their ID. He was almost apologetic and said that the computer (i.e. his company cell phone) told him who to check, and as far as he could tell it was more or less random. He didn't or wouldn't say how often it pops up. So he was checking, but only occasionally. If you had any sort of ID I think he'd be happy, he wasn't exactly checking nationality.

 

[PVD]

That is the way it works for conductors scanning tickets. Amtrak has a list of acceptable forms of ID. Nationality is not relevant to Amtrak.

 

[neroden]

Yup, and as far as I am concerned I don't care enough to spend my time fighting that battle. So I am guilty as charged, but life will go on as is as far as I am concerned. Showing an Id like wearing a mask is an easy thing to do. Those who have the time and money can spend such on this. Not me.

About searches, a favorite technique used by them is when you refuse, they say they will need to get a dog or warrant because they suspect you are carrying drugs or some such and until they can, they need to detain you, so off you go off the train as it sails away.

Correct response when on Amtrak, IMO, is "Get the conductor."

As I explained to the DEA agent when I was harassed by the DEA on Amtrak -- Amtrak has the authority to search my luggage (I agreed to this when I bought my ticket), check my ID, and so forth -- the DEA, Border Patrol, ICE, and so forth do not have that authority.

If the conductor wants to cooperate with them and search my luggage, I let him (which is what happened that time). If the conductor doesn't want to, well, the conductor rules and has the power to kick cops off the train. Either way, I get the conductor. Rogue law enforcement agencies behave themselves better when there's a witness in a uniform.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

Well, you could buy a ticket from Amtrak to Niagara Falls, NY, take a taxi across the border, then buy a ticket from VIA from Niagara Falls, Ont., to Toronto. You can probably get to the Niagara Falls, Ont. Train station before the train gets there.

Brilliant idea! I didn’t think of that

 

[Bob Dylan]

Brilliant idea! I didn’t think of that

Chances are that the Maple Leaf, as we know it won't be coming back any time soon, if ever!

With the Canadian Border closed at least till the end of the Summer,GO Transit, the outfit that runs the Go Commuter Trains and Buses between Niagara Falls and Toronto, has slowly resumed some services to the Canadian side of the Border, while Amtrak is only running Empire Service Trains to the American side.

There is a plan to allow passengers crossing the Border on a Train to/from Montreal, to go through Customs and Immigtstion @ the Montreal Station, like is normally done @ the Vancouver Rail Staion on the Suspended Trains to/from Seattle, ( and the Torinto,Montreal and Vancouver Airports)but nothing seems to be happening about it being implemented @ Union Station in Toronto .

I used to ride the Maple Leaf several times a year, and never had any problems @ the VIA Station entering Canada, but on the return to the US, the Agents @ the Station on the New York side would go out of their way to be rude,slow and suspicious.

On the other hand, crossing the border by land was always Ezzy/ Pezzy.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

There is a plan to allow passengers crossing the Border on a Train to/from Montreal, to go through Customs and Immigtstion @ the Montreal Station, like is normally done @ the Vancouver Rail Staion on the Suspended Trains to/from Seattle, ( and the Torinto,Montreal and Vancouver Airports)but nothing seems to be happening about it being implemented @ Union Station in Toronto .

As discussed previously....it would be difficult to clear passengers in Toronto as the train makes several stops between there and the border (150km)

The Cascades runs non-stop to Vancouver and when the Montreal facility opens...the Adirondack will also run non-stop and the current suburban St. Lambert stop will be eliminated.

 

[Bob Dylan]

As discussed previously....it would be difficult to clear passengers in Toronto as the train makes several stops between there and the border (150km)

The Cascades runs non-stop to Vancouver and when the Montreal facility opens...the Adirondack will also run non-stop and the current suburban St. Lambert stop will be eliminated.

Thanks!

So the Maple Leaf, if resumed, will still be a VIA Train between Toronto and the stop in Niagara Falls @ the VIA Station, and an Amtrak Train between NYP and the stop @ the VIA Station on the Canadian side.

 

[PVD]

Correct response when on Amtrak, IMO, is "Get the conductor."

As I explained to the DEA agent when I was harassed by the DEA on Amtrak -- Amtrak has the authority to search my luggage (I agreed to this when I bought my ticket), check my ID, and so forth -- the DEA, Border Patrol, ICE, and so forth do not have that authority.

If the conductor wants to cooperate with them and search my luggage, I let him (which is what happened that time). If the conductor doesn't want to, well, the conductor rules and has the power to kick cops off the train. Either way, I get the conductor. Rogue law enforcement agencies behave themselves better when there's a witness in a uniform.

As to ID, Amtrak has agreed to let any LEO check ID. It is on the website, I don't see anything about searches except by Amtrak or "an authorized carrier representative" For liability reasons, I would suspect that LE is not a representative of Amtrak.

 

[zephyr17]

As discussed previously....it would be difficult to clear passengers in Toronto as the train makes several stops between there and the border (150km)

The Cascades runs non-stop to Vancouver and when the Montreal facility opens...the Adirondack will also run non-stop and the current suburban St. Lambert stop will be eliminated.

There has been discussion that Canada use its Preclearance rights to move their CBSA operation into the new Niagara Falls, NY station. The new facility was designed for use by both countries.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

There has been discussion that Canada use its Preclearance rights to move their CBSA operation into the new Niagara Falls, NY station. The new facility was designed for use by both countries.

That would make the most sense! Run a couple of GO Trains to NF NY where passengers would clear CBP or CBSA and connect to/from Empire Service Trains. A couple of frequencies could be offered each way each day.