Well, it looks like the Department of Homeland Stupidity is at it again.

Employees of the department have always acted geographically challenged and today would be no exception. While driving Westbound along Arizona State Route 86 near mile marker 146, I came upon a suspicionless federal checkpoint that appears to be manned by Border Patrol agents employed by Homeland Security. Since this area is well over forty miles North of the international border, it would appear that these so-called "Border Patrol" agents still haven't figured out where the actual border is.

Instead of using a GPS unit to help them find the border (a great place to be if you actually want to patrol it), these agents have instead chosen to harass the traveling public well inside the country along a State Highway absent any reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing. Of course this location is much closer to local convenience stores than the border which may explain the decision to locate the checkpoint where it is.

When I drove by this morning, the checkpoint included several Homeland Security patrol vehicles along with at least two trailers and a portable generator for high intensity lights to be used at night. Cones were setup along the highway directing Eastbound traffic off the road and to a stop. At least four agents were visible to the South side of the road but no Eastbound traffic was present at the time.

I also noted several Tohono O'odham Nation utility vehicles at the checkpoint even though it's currently located off the reservation. Additionally, the presence of several Tohono O'odham Nation Ranger trucks were noted at the checkpoint yesterday afternoon. This is curious given that tribal rangers have no enforcement authority and the checkpoint isn't on the reservation. Of course, the Border Patrol has been profiling and harassing the Tohono O'odham people for quite some time now so perhaps the Rangers had come to the rescue of enrolled members of the tribe....

Anyway, I'll be traveling back along this route later today. Since Eastbound traffic is being profiled, I expect to be stopped & harassed. I already have video and photos taken earlier today and will be recording any interaction I'm forced to endure with federal agents if stopped on my way back to Tucson. An update will be posted to my blog when the opportunity arises.