At a gas station in Havre, Montana, a Border Patrol agent approached two women having a casual conversation in Spanish. Though both women are citizens who were born in this country, the agent detained them for about 40 minutes to verify that they weren't in the country illegally.
People are allowed to speak any language they want in this country. This agent should not have arrested these women and doing so sets a dangerous precident that will make others fear for their safety.
Sign the petition if you think this agent should be fired for his bad judgment.
One of the women recorded the incident, and by the agent's own admission, the reason he was suspicious was because they used Spanish, which was not something he heard often in Montana. In no way, however, should that be sufficient reason to decide that the women aren't citizens. The agent was demonstrating a bias when he thought he had the authority to badger them simply because they're bilingual.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is currently reviewing the incident, but we'd like to encourage them to do the right thing and fire the agent for his improper approach to his duties.
Please send an example to other agents that people cannot be harassed simply because they look or sound differently than others in their communities.
