A woman traveling from California to Nevada came face-to-face with border patrol agents and won.
Tiana Smalls was not the one. In a June 7 Facebook post, Smalls wrote about her confrontation with border officials who stopped her Greyhound bus while en route to Las Vegas from Bakersfield on June 6.
The bus driver told passengers to be calm as border agents came on board to "inspect" the bus for illegal immigrants, she wrote.
“We are being boarded by Border Patrol," the driver announced. "Please be prepared to show your documentation upon request.”
Smalls wrote that she realized agents were not allowed to check vehicles unless it was 100 miles near the international border. In this case, they weren't. The act of showing identification, according to her, was a clear violation of the 4th Amendment. She wrote that she stood up and reassured the other passengers — many of which didn’t speak English — they were not going anywhere.
“I’m not showing you sh*t! I’m not driving this bus, so you have no right to ask me for anything! And the rest of you guys don’t have to show them anything, either! This is harassment and racial profiling! Don’t show them a goddamn thing! We are not within 100 miles of a border so they have no legal right or jurisdiction here! Google it,” she wrote of what she told the bus passengers and agents.
Agents grew irritated but she didn't back down, Smalls wrote. Border patrol insulted her stating they knew she was a citizen because of her "foul mouth." They gave up, told the driver to go ahead and they got off the bus.
Sometimes the right thing to do is to “act a whole donkey.” Favorite story of the day. Brava, #TianaSmalls. https://t.co/vSmwfOu0DV
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) June 9, 2018
Her act of bravery has garnered her media requests and instant internet fame. She only asks people to do the same for someone else.
“I didn’t do what I did, or share it for accolades or thanks. I appreciate the support, but I’m just little old me. All I wanted to do was let people know that that can and should speak up," she wrote. "Even if that means risking being arrested.” She also added, “If you want to thank me, speak up the next time you see someone being discriminated against, just speak up. That’s all I want. I appreciate the love , but please, just pay it forward.”
