US relaxes north border checks for undocumented immigrants

United States, 31st October: The US Border Patrol routine checks for undocumented immigrants have been scaled back near the Canadian border.

This has been revealed by patrol agents on the condition of anonymity.

Step aimed to ease overburdened immigration system—The recent order intimated to US Border Patrol agents is aimed to provide a sigh of relief to the overwhelmed US immigration system. The latest action is a part of the US administration’s efforts to prioritize deportation of only those undocumented immigrants who are involved in criminal offence and thus pose a threat to the nation’s security.

The routine search operations undertaken by the US Border Patrol agents at various airports, trains and buses at the northern border will be stopped for undocumented immigrants. Only those immigrants will be targeted who are suspected to be a threat, the US Border Patrol agents reveal.

These checks had been proved to be an effective tool for nabbing undocumented immigrants. Meanwhile, the order is yet to be made public.

Checks led to racial discrimination--The agents undertaking routine checks at various transportation hubs at the northern US border were authorized to question those suspected of threat to the nation. This practice was, no wonder, criticized widely by several immigrant rights groups.

Such groups alleged such checks led to violation of civil liberties of travelers apart from racial profiling.

Border agents baffled by recent order--US Border Patrol agents, on the other hand, say the step was a vital means to stop undocumented immigrants including potential terrorists as well as smugglers from sneaking inside the nation. It also meant to catch those overstaying their US visas.

They were authorized to check transport vehicles within 100 miles of the northern US border It has been found that majority of undocumented immigrants evading initial detection at the US border are in a hurry to board public transportation to reach the nation.

No wonder, the agents are surprised by the order for halting of the transportation checks. Vice president of the union representing the US Border Patrol agents Shawn Moran said the Border Patrol managers are guilty of increasing bureaucracy by making it difficult for the agents to carry their routine duties.

Meanwhile, Bill Brooks, an official spokesperson of the US Customs and Border Protection, said that local commanders will still have the authority to nab undocumented immigrants at various transportation hubs as well as those near the US border.