# Can a US border guard ask a citizen about internal travel in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973 "2013-07-31T04:42:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/61 "2013-08-01T16:20:16Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > The correct response is “What do you need?” :smack: I’ll know better next time. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/62 "2013-08-01T17:57:22Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > The correct response is “What do you need?” Should you happen to be lacking a hand up your ass, this will do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/63 "2013-08-01T18:42:18Z")
I’ve crossed many times without serious incident. One amusing crossing to Vancouver: my wife and I, our niece and her husband were all going up for the day. The niece is a doctor, her husband a science teacher, my wife an MBA and I’m a college grad. In addition, my wife and I were in the Foreign Service for a number of years. For some reason, on the way back into the US, the guard asked the niece where she graduated college. She told him LSU. With a smirk, he says “Oh, Louisiana; _parlez vous Francaise_?” She said “Oui”, and we all commenced speaking to each other in French. The guard went slack-jawed, clearly not understanding what we were saying, grumbled something or other and waved us through. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![luvrbcs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@luvrbcs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luvrbcs)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/64 "2013-08-01T19:46:30Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > They’ve sworn a duty to protect us, and you being an a-hole isn’t making their job any easier. Police do NOT have a duty to protect us. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren\_v.\_District\_of\_Columbia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_v._District_of_Columbia) [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/28scotus.html?\_r=0](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/28scotus.html?_r=0) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/65 "2013-08-01T20:02:48Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Just yesterday I was driving in western Penna. towards the Ohio border and saw a white-and-green Border Patrol SUV on the median strip of a major highway, a long way from either the Canadian or Mexican border. Looking for illegal migrant workers, I suppose, but who knows? The border patrol often sets up roadblocks on I-93 about 50-60 miles from the Canadian border on busy weekends - especially the biker weekends in Laconia. They’re usually looking for biker gangs coming down from Montreal. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/66 "2013-08-01T20:18:20Z")
I still don’t understand why we have to be subject to border-type controls within the United States. Agents at these checkpoints always inquire where one is headed, even when one is simply on a short distance trip between two points in the United States (i.e. from Las Cruces, NM to Alamogordo, NM). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/67 "2013-08-01T20:21:20Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Well, anyone is allowed to ask whatever they want. They question is if you are required to answer or comply. > > There are a number of YouTube clips where various individuals go out of there way to be test the Border Patrol. Typically it goes something like this: > > BP asks typical BP questions. “Are you a US citizen?”. “Where are you going?” > Driver sits there silently refusing to answer. > BP repeats. > “Please turn the camera off.” > Driver says “no, I would rather not”. > More questions. > Driver simply, but politely provides responses like: > “Something something Fourth Amendment I don’t have to answer you.” > “Am I being detained?” > “Do you have probably cause that I am not an America citizen?” > “No you do not have my permission to enter the vehicle.” > “Am I free to go?” > Goes back and forth until BP calls supervisor. > “Ere now wots all this?” > Repeats > This may go back and forth again for a bit, but eventually the BP lets the driver go on his way. > IANAL though, so it could just be the BP are like “Screw it. This idiot isn’t an illegal and I don’t feel like dealing with the paperwork to detain and ultimately release a US citizen just for being annoying.” That sounds like a sovereign citizen script. The movement is in Canada too. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/68 "2013-08-01T21:05:09Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > That sounds like a sovereign citizen script. The movement is in Canada too. There is a gentleman who has a Youtube-Channel (“CheckpointUSA”) where he posts videos like this one: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/u6uw7506xMw/hqdefault.jpg "Homeland Security Checkpoint: Video Blog - Day 1") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6uw7506xMw) ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/69 "2013-08-01T21:45:23Z")
> [@Donnerwetter](#): > > There is a gentleman who has a Youtube-Channel (“CheckpointUSA”) where he posts videos like this one: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6uw7506xMw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6uw7506xMw) I don’t know if we can really criticize this guy. He’s stopping at checkpoints _inside_ the U.S. near the border. I’d give 'em hell, too. At the border, I’ll be nice. But someone needs to stand against “voluntary” checkpoints where their main tactic of compliance is intimidation. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/70 "2013-08-01T23:15:22Z")
nm. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/71 "2013-08-01T23:27:58Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > They’ve sworn a duty to protect us, and you being an a-hole isn’t making their job any easier. From who? Mexican fruit pickers making $100 a day? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/72 "2013-08-02T01:40:05Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > The border patrol often sets up roadblocks on I-93 about 50-60 miles from the Canadian border on busy weekends - especially the biker weekends in Laconia. They’re usually looking for biker gangs coming down from Montreal. I believe you, but this was an east-west highway. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/73 "2013-08-02T01:42:55Z")
> [@luvrbcs](#): > > Police do NOT have a duty to protect us. > > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren\_v.\_District\_of\_Columbia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_v._District_of_Columbia) > > [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/28scotus.html?\_r=0](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/28scotus.html?_r=0) Those are terrible, terrible decisions. Failure to penalize police misconduct, incompetence or lethargy will only lead to more of it. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/74 "2013-08-02T02:25:59Z")
> [@luvrbcs](#): > > Police do NOT have a duty to protect us. > > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren\_v.\_District\_of\_Columbia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_v._District_of_Columbia) > > [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/28scotus.html?\_r=0](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/28scotus.html?_r=0) Guess I now understand where SYG came from. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/75 "2013-08-02T06:27:00Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > From who? Mexican fruit pickers making $100 a day? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/76 "2013-08-02T11:05:00Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > That sounds like a sovereign citizen script. The movement is in Canada too. Really? I’ve only ever heard that kind of talk from Americans. I guess I just never encountered anyone like that back home. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/77 "2013-08-02T11:43:57Z")
> [@eastcheap](#): > > That’s too much information. It sounds suspicious. > > Act dumb and give minimal answers to the questions asked. It’s what they expect from honest travellers. How is that “too much information” Sounds to me like it is the minimum amount of information needed to answer the question. What would you suggest? Just saying “Transit” or something? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/78 "2013-08-02T12:37:02Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Those are terrible, terrible decisions. Failure to penalize police misconduct, incompetence or lethargy will only lead to more of it. What do you mean by “terrible?” It’s perhaps disconcerting to learn the police have no individual duty to protect you. Is that what you mean? Or is there some legal basis the court missed? The DC case was consolidated for appeal by another DC case raising similar concerns. A motorist stopped for a red light was hit by another car, then assaulted by the occupants of that car, suffering a broken jaw. When the responding police officer arrived, he ordered the motorist to step away from the assailants and stop demanding to see their identification. The officer then failed to get that information himself; the driver was thus unable to sue anyone for the damages her (and his car) suffered. So he sued the officer. Speaking as to the similar issues in both cases, the court said: > [@](#): > > In either case, it is easy to condemn the failures of the police. However, the desire for condemnation cannot satisfy the need for a special relationship out of which a duty to specific persons arises. In neither of these cases has a relationship been alleged beyond that found in general police response to crimes. Civil liability fails as a matter of law. Was that not correct? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/79 "2013-08-02T12:44:44Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > Really? I’ve only ever heard that kind of talk from Americans. I guess I just never encountered anyone like that back home. They are there. > **[FOR COURT PERSONNEL, ATTORNEYS, INVESTIGATORS: Alberta Judge Analyzes Bizarre...](https://patrickpretty.com/2012/09/28/for-court-personnel-attorneys-investigators-alberta-judge-analyzes-bizarre-filings-by-sovereign-citizens-others-divorce-case-leads-to-extaordinary-dissection-of-various-schemes-and-introduces/)** > > From time to time over the years, readers have commented that some of the stories published by the PP Blog read like fiction. Did AdSurfDaily Ponzi schemer Andy Bowdoin, for example, really compare… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973/80 "2013-08-02T13:05:10Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > …Was that not correct? Were I ruling in those cases, I would say no. The “general police response to crimes” should be diligent and competent. Citizens who suffer damages as a result of otherwise-inexcusable police misconduct, incompetence or lethargy should be compensated by the officer’s political subdivision. If I were a legislator, I would vote for a civil liability law to that effect. Judges can generally sort out the wheat from the chaff when it comes to such lawsuits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-us-border-guard-ask-a-citizen-about-internal-travel-in-the-us/664973.md?page=5)