Letters to the Editor • Checkpoints

Challenged immigration checkpoint,got arrested for 19 days,then they dismissed the charges.

Hi my name is Gregory Rosenberg. 

On 09/26/2014 I was a passenger in a truck,we stopped at the mandatory immigration checkpoint 30 miles inside US on I -35 Laredo,TX, and I am a US citizen, but I legally and respectfully refused to answer immigration officer's question, if I am a US citizen or not. 

For that they illegally arrested me and the driver, searched the truck and trailer illegally, took the cellphones and then deleted the videos of my illegal arrest, kept us at the jail for 19 days, put a $ 75,000 bond with consignee, lied to us and said that we were being charged with a felony for non compliance so they could keep us at the jail.  When in reality the charge was a misdemeanor for impeding agents duties, which was dismissed anyway because there is nothing in the law that requires you to answer them if you are a US citizen or not,or to allow them to search your car or truck without probable cause.

So they illegally arrested us with fake charges, lied to us, and I have not seen a lawyer for 2 weeks after my arrest, but eventually justice was served, and it was dismissed.  But I feel like being kidnapped, for standing up for people's rights, and I am filing charges against the immigration checkpoint and homeland security, wish me good luck....And Thank you..And here is the link to the video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wpstr2Ht6c


Editors Reply

Good luck.  Sorry to see your troubles traveling freely in America.  I am not a lawyer, but please be advised that I believe they have two years after the arrest to re-file dismissed charges.  And you only have six months after the arrest to file a civil suit (42USC1983) against them. 

I am glad they didn't know how to permanently wipe your video and you knew how to recover it.  Hopefully you can prove the video was deleted now. 

Please see https://www.checkpointusa.org/


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