Clara

On April 14, 2010, my two friends and I headed to Tucson to pick-up a cat that was ill and bring him into Lyle at the church that afternoon. Off we went, as far as the checkpoint that is. Young polite officer asked the question, “U.S. citizen?”

“Yes.”

“All of you?”

“Yes.”

He then nodded for us to go.

Then officer T. Collins tapped on the passenger front side window, startling the passenger who is looking at other officer and ahead.

“What country were you born in?”

“Alaska,” was her startled reply, “The Haida Nation.”

Officer Collin then came around to the driver–who was me—and stated that he already knew who I was and where I lived.

“Well, then there shouldn’t be any problem, you know we’re residents of Arivaca and most of all, of the U.S.”

The next words out of Officer Collins mouth were, “Pull to the side,” while flipping through his little green book. As we pulled up, a cruiser was sent to cut us off, as if we were flight risks. From there things only escalated. Officer Collins then informed us that he was gonna search the car – and that he did – several times, between interrogation of the three suspects, who are now in disbelief, and one of them is getting pretty angry at the intimidation tactics and threats of incarceration.

Another search. After that Officer Collins called in a K-9 Unit. Officer DeCarle arrived with the same enthusiasm. Coming to a screeching halt from 60 miles an hour, the door opens and up pops officer DeCarle. “Put those f*****g cameras away or I’ll have you handcuffed!” Cameras away. DeCarle then got his dog, which to some people might be scary. The dog went in and out of the car and trunk as many times as officer Collins had, DeCarle and Collins then informed us that a female officer was coming for a full body search.

Then they search the car one more time, put the dog away and inform us we can go. Purses dumped, papers flying, trunk dismantled. As we gathered ourselves the two officers stood behind me at the trunk of the car, just smiling as I picked up my stuff from ground. Offocer DeCarle then stated “Don’t leave no junk from your trunk there,” and walked on by to his truck and sped away. I have never been more ashamed of our Homeland Security. There was an apology by Officer Collins an hour and a half later. “Oh yeah, sorry,” and with a smile that we hadn’t seen previously, “Good luck with that cat” (he was informed during the interrogation that Jolene’s 15-year-old cat was to be euthanized).

The next day I got the Border Patrol number from our Xanthous Pages—disconnected with no further information. Next step the Internet—several listings with same number. I finally got a person on the line. He doesn’t know who you call for complaints, he’s with public affairs and everyone has gone home. There was no answer at the number he gave me. Who do you tell on Homeland Security? Homeland Security?