Rally Protesting Border Patrol Raids on Greyhound Buses Planned in Indio
INDIO (CNS) - A rally will be held today at the Indio Greyhound bus station to protest border patrol searches of Greyhound passengers, which organizers claim are conducted in violation of the passengers' constitutional
rights.
The late-morning protest follows a letter issued by the American Civil Liberties Union this week decrying recent ``warrantless raids'' conducted by immigration officials. The ACLU alleges that border officials have been randomly boarding Greyhound buses to search passengers, with Greyhound's blessing.
One such incident occurred in Indio last month, when a Los Angeles resident boarded a Greyhound bus, then was detained because his "shoes looked suspicious,'' according to the ACLU. Because his shoes looked like those of "someone who had recently crossed the border,'' agents questioned the man regarding his immigration status.
The incident was one of many the ACLU of Southern California says it has received out of Riverside County, though the ACLU's letter to Greyhound headquarters also addressed similar reports out of Washington, Vermont, New York, Michigan, Florida and Arizona. The ACLU affiliates of New Hampshire, Maine and Texas also joined the drafting of the letter.
"Greyhound is in the business of transporting its passengers safely from place to place,'' said Jennie Pasquarella, director of immigrants' right for the ACLU Foundations of California. ``It should not be in the business of subjecting its passengers to intimidating interrogations, suspicion-less searches, warrantless arrests and the threat of deportation.''
According to the ACLU, the raids are being conducted by immigration agents "with the agreement of Greyhound,'' and the number of searches are comparable to actions of "police states.''
Greyhound issued a statement earlier this year saying the company was required to cooperate with law enforcement agents who demand to board the buses, but the ACLU insists agents can be denied access if they lack probable cause. Allowing immigration agents to detain passengers without probable cause is a violation of the passengers' Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure, the ACLU argued.
Protesters are planning a variety of events today at Greyhound stations across Southern California, including the 10 a.m. rally in Indio.
