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ACLU calls on Greyhound to stop allowing border patrol searches without warrants

SEATTLE — The American Civil Liberties Union is calling on Greyhound to stop letting border agents question bus passengers without warrants.

The civil liberties group says agents from Customs and Border Protection are regularly boarding buses on domestic routes in Eastern Washington, especially at the Greyhound station in Spokane.

A bus passenger in Florida recently captured cellphone video of CBP agents removing a woman from a Greyhound bus.

"They are routinely going on Greyhound buses and asking people for their immigration status and citizenship and Greyhound has been allowing them to do it," said Enoka Herat of the ACLU of Washington.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesman did not detail how often buses are boarded, but says the agency has the authority to "search for aliens" within 100 air miles of the border.

Seattle and Spokane are both just within that zone.

"It's 97 air miles away from the border, not anywhere close to a border crossing, so we see the government over-reaching and being aggressive and questioning people," Herat said.

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A Greyhound spokeswoman responded to an interview request with a statement.

"Greyhound is required to comply with the law," the statement read. It also said, "Greyhound has opened a dialogue with the Border Patrol to see if there is anything that can be done to balance the enforcement of federal law with the dignity and privacy of our valued customers."

The ACLU says the bus company can simply require that agents obtain a warrant before they board a bus.

On Wednesday, ACLU volunteers handed out information to bus passengers in Spokane so they can know their rights.

"People should know they don't have to respond to CBP when they're questioned about their status," Herat said.