Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster is cosponsoring legislation to reduce border zones from 100 to 25 miles from the border, within which U.S. Customs and Border Patrol can set up immigration checkpoints.
Congressman Peter Welch of Vermont is the prime sponsor of the legislation.
Kuster was stopped at one such immigration checkpoint in June of this year. The checkpoint, on I-93 in Woodstock, around 90 miles from the border, resulted in 29 tickets for alleged immigration violations.
"I think it has a chilling effect."
The violations were for legal visitors who did not have appropriate paperwork on them, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
According to a map from CityLabs, the entire state of New Hampshire falls within a border zone (which includes coastal borders).
"I think it has a chilling effect," says Kuster. "It's not the free and open America that we know."
Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy introduced a similar bill to the Senate.
Listen to the full conversation with Congresswoman Kuster on The Exchange.
