U.S. Customs & Border Protection Checks
The information contained on this page is provided as a courtesy for our passengers and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Passengers should contact their own attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal issue or factual situation. Below you will find information on U.S. Customs and Border Protection checks as well as links to additional resources and assistance.
IMMIGRATION ISSUES THAT MAY AFFECT BUS PASSENGERS
During your journey, federal agents from United States Customs and Border Protection might board the bus and ask passengers questions about their immigration or citizenship status.
Under C&J Bus Lines policy, neither C&J Bus Lines drivers nor its other employees will provide consent to warrantless immigration enforcement checks of its buses. However, C&J Bus Lines’ employees will not physically resist or otherwise prevent federal agents from boarding our buses should they do so even without our consent. This policy has been implemented for the safety of C&J Bus Lines passengers and employees.
Know Your Rights
If Border Patrol Agents board the bus or question you in a public area of our facilities, you have the following rights, according to the ACLU:
- You have the right to remain silent.
- When in doubt, do not answer questions about your citizenship or immigration status or sign any paperwork without the advice of a lawyer.
- If you have valid immigration documents, provide them. Never provide false documents.
- You have the right to ask agents if you are being detained and why.
- You can refuse a search of your belongings and your person by saying “I do not consent to a search.”
- You have the right to record video of immigration agents as long as you do not interfere with their activities.
– American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) | 212-549-2500
* The law is 8 USC § 1357(a)(3). You may contact your members of Congress to voice your opinion on this law: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
No Discrimination
The use of race or ethnicity as a factor in conducting stops, searches, inspections, and other law enforcement activities based on the erroneous assumption that a person of one race or ethnicity is more likely to commit a crime than a person of another race or ethnicity is illegal.
The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) reviews and investigates civil rights and civil liberties complaints filed by the public regarding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policies and activities, which includes CBP. Persons who wish to file a civil rights or civil liberties complaint with CBP may do so by:
- Submitting a Civil Rights Complaint
- Sending an email message to CRCL@dhs.gov
- Faxing to (202) 401-4708
- Writing to U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Compliance Branch, 245 Murray Lane, SW, Building 410, Mail Stop #0190, Washington, DC 20528.
Additional Help and Resources
It is important you know your rights should an immigration enforcement check occur. The following links may contain useful information. (1) If you have specific concerns about your rights during an immigration enforcement check, you should consult an attorney.
- American Civil Liberties Union – Border Litigation Project Form
- National Immigrant Justice Center – Immigrant Resources
- Immigration Advocates Network – National Immigration Legal Services Directory
- U.S. Department of Justice – List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers
1 C&J Bus Lines does not represent that information on any third-party websites is accurate and nothing contained herein should be construed as legal advice from C&J Bus Lines.