Since last year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have been conducting immigration checkpoints in Hew Hampshire’s White Mountains.
NH’s motto ‘Live Free or Die’ is fast becoming a joke to all who visit.
Why would I say that?
Because this past Memorial Day weekend, State Police with funding from DHS conducted a DWI ‘saturation patrol’ in Conway from 9 PM-3 AM stopping ninety motorists. Anyone familiar with North Conway knows that most bars and restaurants close at 1AM and stopping ninety Conway residents would have caused a public outcry.
So who were the police targeting? Could it be vacationers, you be the judge.
While this was happening in Conway, State Police and the CBP also set up a three-day ‘immigration’ checkpoint in the White Mountains, stopping thousands of motorists along Route 93.
Not to be outdone, NH’s Forest Rangers conducted ‘Firewood Quarantine’ checkpoints, stopping and questioning vacationers about out of state firewood.
That’s a total of three different police checkpoints in the White Mountains! (Click here to find out how police conduct twenty-three different checkpoints.)
Last year, I warned everyone that police use checkpoints as a pretext to look inside vehicles and intimidate tourists into letting them search their cars.
Changing the name from ‘Firewood’ checkpoints to ‘Firewood Quarantine’ checkpoints does not change the fact that they are being used as an end run around our Constitution.
Why don’t newspapers like the Conway Daily Sun, the Union Leader and the Concord Monitor sound the alarm? It’s not like this is a new thing, they’ve been reporting on it for nearly two years now.
Why are they giving DHS a free pass to turn one of the ten best adventure towns in the country? Into one of the ten most checkpointed towns in America? (Yes, I made that word up.)
For tourists asking what to do in NH’s White Mountains this summer?
I bet none of them thought it would entail having your family be questioned by law enforcement.
Unfortunately I have some more bad news, it appears things are going to get worse.
Yesterday, the Union Leader reported that DHS plans to conduct five more immigration checkpoints.
It appears that ‘Firewood Quarantine’ checkpoints will also become a regular thing in the White Mountains.
An article in today’s Laconia Daily Sun reminds tourists to expect more checkpoints.
Don’t forget in much of New England the CBP responds to domestic 911 calls and has the power to ticket tourists for speeding and much more.
How much business will be lost as vacationers from Canada, Massachusetts and beyond, stop coming to North Conway because DHS is turning it into an excuse to stop, question and search everyone?
My advice to anyone thinking of vacationing in the White Mountains this summer. Stay away unless you want to be treated like a criminal.
https://massprivatei.blogspot.com/2018/06/vacationing-in-nhs-white-mountains-this.html
I have lived in northern NH for 21+ years, and been through that CBP checkpoint dozens of times over the years (always carrying and without wearing a seatbelt). Am asked if I was born in USA, answer “yes” and am on my way, never takes more than 10 seconds. Just about all arrests made here are for ILLEGALS, once in a while some one is busted for narcotics. My rights have never been violated, except to have to stop for 10 seconds and answer 1 question. If that’s what it takes to get some of these Illegals out of here, oh well. I know I will get hell for that here, so what! There were 17 arrests at the Mem Day weekend checkpoint, ALL Illegals!
As for CBP and / or Fish and Game Officers pulling people over for traffic infractions, I have never seen it, nor even heard of it, ever! It’s something us locals would most def know of if it was happening, and it is pure bullshit! CBP and Fish and Game Officers do back up Local and State Police on urgent calls, but up here, Leo’s are far spread and few in numbers…. As for out-of-staters, screw em… They throw garbage out their car windows, destroy our private property, Litter our pristine Lakes, Rivers, and Streams, drive on our roadways like complete assholes, and act like they own the place while here.
As for out of staters, I promise you, I despise them every bit as much as you do. When the weather is good here in Oregon, you can’t do anything, it is all theirs.
But CBP, Fish and Game, and state police are all unauthorized and illegal agencies and are an affront and a total running violation of our Bill of Rights. You can’t support tyranny because you think it serves you personally. You sanction one of them, you sanction all of them.
And you are right, that is not going to go over here.
Who can afford a vacation anyway these days?
That aside, there’s NO PLACE I’d rather be than right where I am. This place is a PERMANENT vacation for me (from the insanity of L.A., or any other city for that matter) 🙂
Staycations!
They are good for counting ammunition, restocking supplies and finishing that moat around the castle.
@$$holes everywhere. Vacationers are most rude. It’s THEIR time, and damn anybody who’d get in the way!
Anywhere that is nice, the vacationeers tend to ruin while there. It takes the entire off season to repair the damage. But, don’t make it too nice, or your property taxes will spike!
Always gittin’ bit in the azz.
June 2, 2018
Henry, Thank You. These Check points are unlawful as can be. Once a drug dog is used it is not an immigration issue. This is a direct infringement on the Right to Travel. A Warrantless stop and search. In New Hampshire most news regarding police action are press releases by the police agency involved. No bias there???
Harry NH
The Free State Project, photography is not a crime (PINAC), checkpoint monitors, and the libertarian community in general is going to have a field day with this. I suspect this is part of the reason the feds chose this area to saturate. Gotta show those freedom lovers who really runs the show ’round here, amirite?!