Although I'm as close to Mike's contraband as I want to be, I still appreciate
the generous spirit of his invitation (I guess).
As one who owns property in and plans eventually to reside within one of these
frontier zones, I'd like to add some perspective here.
When I used to return from the border at Eagle Pass, Texas (near which my
property is located), the Border Patrol's secondary highway checkpoint (just
southwest of the junction of US 57 and FM 481 about 12 miles northeast of Eagle
Pass) was more often closed than not. When it was open, the minimal staff was
looking only for illegal immigrants. They were Border Patrol, after all, not
Customs. They would just wave you through if you looked halfway blond and
didn't have any passengers obviously trying to hide. That all changed after
9/11. Now the Border Patrol is part of the Bureau of Customs and Border
Protection's "One Face at the Border." The checkpoint is always open, and the
staff is human, canine, and videocam. Each person is quizzed on U.S.
nationality or immigration status, destination, and purpose of trip, just as is
done at the U.S. Border Stations at the end of the international bridges. These
secondary checkpoints are legally considered functional equivalents of the
border. Thus the agents have authority to search without warrant and
interrogate under oath (so say the Supremes). Be advised that the Bureau also
has authority to throw up impromptu mobile checkpoints anywhere within a
reasonable distance of the border.
If one leaves Eagle Pass northward on US 277, then takes Texas 131 north, and
then goes eastward on US 90, no Border Patrol checkpoint is encountered until
somewhere near Uvalde on US 90. I don't remember the exact location. In any
case, the fuzzy zone between the boundary and the secondary inspections widens
out considerably above Eagle Pass, as it does in the area downriver from Laredo.
There are no checkpoints between Eagle Pass and Del Rio. I'm sure the locations
of the secondary checkpoints is dictated by the chokepoints in the highway
infrastructure.
Lowell G. McManus
Leesville, Louisiana, USA
----- Original Message -----
From: "acroorca2002" <orc@...>
To: <BoundaryPoint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 11:57 AM
Subject: [BoundaryPoint] customs exclaves in the usa
> well you can forget about that marijuana passport idea since new
> mexico has no legal medical marijuana
> hahaha
> & it appears the las cruces el paso domestic customs exclave i am
> currently in is one of at least 3 i have finally fully sniffed out
>
> tho there could be more
>
> the second of these cuts off the big bend
> & the third one cuts off the southernmost tip of texas
> from north of laredo but south of hebbronville & falfurrias etc
>
> so all 3 of the loveliest protuberances of texas get cut off
> & lowest new mexico gets circumcised too along with the westernmost
> nose of texas
>
> so yes thats a divided customs exclave in this apparently unique case
> of nmtx
>
> & texas has no medical marijuana either btw
>
> so basically that whole idea is caput & complete for now
> except maybe i will give governor bill richardson a call
> if he is still governor
> as he is a famous proponent of legalizing all marijuana
> & might enjoy the unique opportunity of getting involved in such a
> stunt
> for all i could imagine
>
>
> in the meantime i have recovered the geocache
> yikes
> & good thing i didnt waste time giving its location
> since i realized all dogs can sniff dope & many love to eat it too
> not just customs service dogs
> & so i will be recommitting the stash to an indoor location safe from
> all dogs
> & still accessible 7 days a week except major holidays
> about which more later too
>
>
> but basically i have been smoking the stuff as fast as i can & still
> cant imagine finishing it all at this rate before spring unless some
> of you get down here to help me consume it
> because we will probably never get it out of here
> hahaha
> but could have a great time using it up
>
> & i know there are at least half a dozen of you within overnight
> arrival range
> so what are you waiting for
>
> & remember we get to be in el paso too
> not just las cruces
>
> so i can & we could retry the chnmtx tristate point
> where i had to settle for a class c visit last year
> before taking flight
>
> maybe the rio will even be bone dry this time
>
> it nearly was last time
>
> or theres even an interstate tricounty point here in my little clave
> we could explore one day
> where dona ana & otero counties of nm meet el paso county tx
>
> well anyway thats just for starters
>
> the place is quite civilized too
>
> so i hope many will come to play cheech &or chong with me
> & sooner than later
> but there is in fact probably no hurry at all
>
>
>
>
>
>
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