Mexican-Americans held by U.S. Border agent for speaking Spanish
- 6 years ago
HAVRE, MONTANA — A Montana border guard is at the center of social media outrage after he held two U.S. citizens because he heard them talking en español.
According to the Washington Post, Ana Suda and Mimi Hernandez — both Mexican-Americans — were at a gas station in Havre, Montana and were speaking Spanish.
That's when border patrol Agent O'Neal heard their non-English lingo, he deemed that suspicious and asked them for ID.
The Post reported that Suda asked if he racially profiled them. O'Neal denied this, saying he's questioning them cuz they were speaking Spanish in an area where it's not commonly spoken.
The New York Post reports they were held for 40 minutes before being let go. Under U.S. law border guards' jurisdiction fall within 100 miles from the U.S. border.
According to the Washington Post, Ana Suda and Mimi Hernandez — both Mexican-Americans — were at a gas station in Havre, Montana and were speaking Spanish.
That's when border patrol Agent O'Neal heard their non-English lingo, he deemed that suspicious and asked them for ID.
The Post reported that Suda asked if he racially profiled them. O'Neal denied this, saying he's questioning them cuz they were speaking Spanish in an area where it's not commonly spoken.
The New York Post reports they were held for 40 minutes before being let go. Under U.S. law border guards' jurisdiction fall within 100 miles from the U.S. border.