Months ago, independent undercover investigative journalist James O’Keefe crossed the U.S./Mexico border wearing an Osama bin Laden mask. The resultant video was referenced by John McCain in a Senate hearing with Department of Homeland Security officials.
The last six times he re-entered the United States, he’s been detained and questioned by CBP officials. The last two times, he recorded his interactions with Customs and Border Patrol.
His border videos likely embarrassed DHS officials. Some questions asked by CBP are valid — he does have a history of entering the United States without inspection after all. Detention and secondary inspection aren’t entirely unwarranted given the circumstance, but some of the questions tossed at O’Keefe are simply bizarre.
“Who do you think is going to win the Republican primary?” “Would you really support Trump as a nominee?” How are these questions congruent with CBP’s task of securing our borders?
O’Keefe was able to peek at the CBP officer’s screen during his last attempt to enter the United States. He learned he’d been flagged as an, “amateur reporter engaged in publicity stunts.”
It’s one thing to ask questions about intent and how an individual’s activities might be detrimental to the homeland. It’s quite another to detain a private citizen with the sole goal of avoiding federal agency embarrassment.
Follow Kemberlee Kaye on Twitter @kemberleekaye
Author’s Note: The Author worked with James O’Keefe and Project Veritas as an Investigator and Project Manager in years past.
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