Ma'am, are you unwilling to move your vehicle so that these people can get by? Am I being detained? I've already answered that. Yes, you are. What am I being detained for? >> is immigration checkpoint. But are you aware that it's illegal to stop people without cause? What is the cause of me being detained? In this video, a woman approaches a Border Patrol checkpoint where officers immediately start pressing her with questions about her citizenship. Instead of submitting to their intimidation, she calmly exercises her right to remain silent, refusing to answer questions that are not legally required. The agents try to pressure her, even claiming she has to comply, but she knows the law better than they do and keeps her window rolled up while recording every second of their behavior. What follows is a tense standoff that exposes how these checkpoints are used to violate basic constitutional rights rather than protect them. How are you doing today? I'm sorry. I don't answer questions. All right. Just be a second. You got some identification on you? I don't answer questions. Okay. Am I being detained? You are right now. Temporary. For uh What am I being detained for? Well, this is a checkpoint set up by the you know, we have authorization through Congress to have this checkpoint. Uh are you aware that it is illegal in the United States to detain people without cause? Go ahead and pull up over there for me. Am I being detained? >> Yes. For What am I being detained for? Are you willing to answer my questions? I don't answer questions. All right. Well, in order to not hold up traffic, I'd like you to pull up over there until we can get this resolved. >> So, am I being detained? Yes. Are you a United States citizen? Um I don't answer questions. All right. So, you're you're not willing to say whether you're a United States citizen or not. I don't answer questions. All right. Just be a second. Just stay right there. Ma'am, are you unwilling to move your vehicle so that these people can get by? Am I being detained? I've already answered that. Yes, you are. Um What am I being detained for? This is immigration checkpoint. But are you aware that it's illegal to stop people without cause? What is the cause of me being detained? Do you suspect >> verify your citizenship. You suspect that I'm uh I broke the law for some reason? Well, I just want I need to know whether you're a United States citizen or not. If you're here in this country legally or But but people don't need to answer in a free country >> States In a I don't answer questions. In a free country in a free country like the United States, one need not carry papers to prove anything. All right. You don't need to have papers. You just need to answer my question. I don't answer questions. >> born in the United States? I don't answer questions. >> United States citizen? I don't answer questions. Okay. Well, you're being detained on your own recognizance. Well, I would I would like to go forward. I would like to leave now. You can pull up over there and let these other people by. So, am I being detained? I've already answered that. Yes. Are you asking me to pull over I I'm not sure what your your point is. >> I'm asking you to pull up over there until we can get this resolved so that we this other people behind you can move forward. Cuz they are willing to answer my questions. So, well, that they don't understand the law. I'm sorry for that. Just stand by. Okay. My supervisor is going to come out and you can talk to him. Okay. Would you like to know the statute that it's listed under? Well, I know the law and the law says that if I'm being detained, you have to have a cause for that. >> Yeah, but would you like to know what statute authorizes this checkpoint? Well, that what that's that's statute that you're referring to um negates the Constitution. And the Constitution says that you cannot detain a person without cause. Well, that's the authority we're working under is that statute. I am 28783. It It definitely conflicts with the Constitution. You can see that. Why would you take it up with uh agents working at a checkpoint right now? Why wouldn't you take it up with your congressman? Again, I don't answer questions. >> taken it up with your congressman? I don't answer questions. I'm sorry. >> right. Well, that'd be the route that I would go. If you want to get something resolved, this isn't the way. Um You know, you take it up >> I hear I hear what you're saying and people have done that and I have certainly done that. >> Cuz right now, you're you're you're inflicting on their rights by not letting them by. It is a It is a serious problem. And that's why I'm doing this. >> right now, you're the one that's I'm sorry. >> You're causing these people problems, see? >> I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm I'm prepa- I'm prepared to >> Are you speak with your supervisor, that would be fine. All right. Well, he's coming. Okay. If you want to speak to him, that's fine. He's coming, but it'd be awful uh nice of you to let these people go by. Well, if I'm not being detained for cause, I'm happy to proceed on. You're still being detained. Well, that's not my call. All right. Well, we can just you All you have to do is pull up over there and let these people by. >> it's so easy to just let things go as they are when it's wrong. And I'm sorry. >> You're not letting it go. You You wouldn't be leaving or anything. You'd just be letting these people who are willing to answer the questions continue. So, you're the one that is impeding traffic at this point. You understand? Well, I'm happy to proceed on. I'm happy to go forward and just proceed on about my way. If you think that I'm breaking the law for some reason, then then I'm happy to be detained. >> you can resolve this real fast. Well, you can, too. No, because I have a job to do. I do, too. I'm a citizen. I I do, too. You just said you're citizen. I don't answer questions. All right. Well, stand by. Okay. Thank you. I've explained she's detained. Hey, you look familiar. Do I know you? I don't answer questions. >> don't answer questions? I don't. Do you happen to know where you're at? I don't answer questions. I don't answer questions. Why don't you answer questions? That would be a question I don't answer questions. I see. Well, you're going to be uh you're going to be filmed uh for our purposes as well. What you're doing is you're holding up a bunch of traffic right now. I'm happy to move forward. If I'm being detained for cause, I'm I'm happy to have you search whatever you need to do. >> Well, If you're not If you're not uh If you're detaining me without cause, that would be against the law. Well, actually, no, ma'am, it's not. Not under 28785A of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under the Constitution of the United States, I can only be detained This is a law This is This is a law that is is based on the constitutional privileges that you have. It is clearly a violation of my rights. And It's clearly a violation. >> violation of your rights, ma'am. It surely is. You can stop. If you could do me a favor, we can discuss this further over in second lane. >> forward. Well, that is forward. That's forward into the side. >> happy to go on about my way. >> Uh well, I can I can call Department of Public Safety also and have them move you out of the way because you are actually impeding traffic. The weather, ma'am, what you're doing right now with the weather impeding weather >> happy to move forward. If I'm not being detained, I'm ready to move forward. You can move forward. But you're detaining me for what cause? Because you need to answer whether or not you're a United States citizen. I do not have to I do not have to answer questions. Where are you from? Uh You're asking a question. I don't have to answer >> did the registration come back on this? I ran again. Registration Ma'am, due to the current weather conditions and the impending rain, we're about to uh flush the checkpoint. You are creating a safety hazard here. It would be advisable for you to move on down the highway at a safe speed and a safe pace so that you don't create any more instances of what you're doing right here. You're putting a lot of people in jeopardy right now with what is happening here. >> So, am I being detained? Not anymore, ma'am. I am satisfied that you're a United States citizen based on my communications with you. Please have a safe day. These agents crossed the line by detaining someone without probable cause and tried to force compliance through intimidation. Instead of respecting constitutional limits, they used authority and fear to control the situation. Encounters like this show why citizens must know their rights and never feel pressured into answering unlawful questions.