US Border Patrol

The United States Border Patrol operates 71 traffic checkpoints, including 32 permanent traffic checkpoints, near the southern border of the United States.  The primary purpose of these inspection stations is to deter illegal immigration and smuggling activities. After 9/11 they took on the additional role of terrorism deterrence. These checkpoints are located between 25 and 75 miles of the  Mexico - United States border along major U.S.  highways. Their situation at interior locations allows them to deter illegal activities that may have bypassed official border crossings along the border frontier. The checkpoints are described as "the third layer in the Border Patrol's three-layer strategy", following "line watch" and "roving patrol" operations on or nearer the border.   Of the 32 permanent checkpoints, Texas has 15 of them.  Last year we passed through three checkpoints; one each in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.  This year we will likely pass through many more as our ventures  bring us that much closer to the border area and for a longer stretch

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An example of the 32 permanent Border Checkpoints, where up to 5 lanes of traffic can be checked simultaneously.

The checkpoint to the right is a temporary one.   You can never tell where one of these might "open up" overnight ostensibly to keep the drug and illegal smugglers "off their game".

An example of what is confiscated by the checkpoints.   Drugs inside bags of "white lime" in this case.   Wonder how many such shipments DO get through?!!

This one is off the charts....what "brain trust" thought this one would make it through a checkpoint!!?!!

Desperate?   Certainly sad.

Signs like this are put up to "remind" would be smugglers of the risks they are taking.

This checkpoint is in Falfurrias, TX on US 281.  We will be passing through this checkpoint tomorrow en route from South Padre Island to Kerrville and the Texas Hill Country.