Federal officers expanded exit checkpoint operations to the Pacific Highway truck crossing near Blaine as outbound screenings continue along the northern border. (PNW Daily)
BLAINE, Wash. — Federal officers expanded outbound screening operations over the weekend, setting up an additional U.S. exit checkpoint at the Pacific Highway commercial truck crossing.
PNW Daily has observed increased exit checkpoint deployment over the course of February on the northern border, more notably at the Peace Arch crossing multiple days last week.
Sunday, March 1, at the Pacific Highway truck route, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers screened outbound commercial traffic before vehicles reached Canadian inspection booths.
The operation followed similar passenger-vehicle checkpoints documented earlier last year.
Operations expand to truck crossing
Officers positioned vehicles along the U.S. approach to the Pacific Highway crossing, commonly referred to as the truck crossing. Drivers were briefly stopped and questioned while traffic continued moving through the port of entry.
No extended backups were observed during the period PNW Daily monitored the scene.
The Pacific Highway crossing handles a significant portion of cross-border freight traffic between Whatcom County and British Columbia, making outbound inspections there particularly noticeable to the regional supply chain.
Similar exit checkpoints that include more thorough screenings are often deployed only for trucks going through the truck lanes. It is when the screenings are done on regular passenger traffic that locals on both sides on the border notice.
Some were shocked as they saw news of the checkpoints.
“I’ve crossed dozens and dozens of times over the last 45 years at Peace Arch, Pacific Highway, Aldergrove, Sumas, Nighthawk and Osoyoos crossings,” Tam Hagen said. “Not once have I ever been inspected by US Border Patrol before returning home to Canada.”
Others that have lived along the border say it is nothing out of the ordinary.
“Nothing new here,” Debbie Hesse said. “Same thing happened 30 years ago when we entered Canada for a day trip.”
Pattern of intermittent deployment
The weekend checkpoints highlight at least three livestreamed exit-screening operations in recent days:
- A Saturday checkpoint at Peace Arch on Feb. 21
- A Thursday evening checkpoint at Peace Arch on Feb. 26
- A Sunday checkpoint at the Pacific Highway truck crossing on March 1
CBP has previously described exit checkpoints as part of outbound enforcement efforts. Officers may verify travel documents, check for outstanding warrants, identify immigration violations, and disrupt cross-border criminal activity.
The screenings occur on U.S. soil before travelers reach Canadian border officers. Canadian authorities do not participate in the U.S. operations.
New outgoing enforcement efforts
Federal officials have not announced any policy change tied to the recent increase in checkpoint visibility, but deployments increased dramatically last May.
PNW Daily was there for the first new exit checkpoint deployment while livestreaming on May 1, 2025.
Exit checkpoints have alway been conducted under previous administrations, but their increased intermittent use in Whatcom County has drawn attention because of the region’s high volume of daily cross-border travel and freight movement.
CBP cites layered border enforcement approach
PNW Daily requested updated information from CBP regarding the frequency, duration, and operational criteria for exit checkpoint deployments in 2025. CBP officials did not provide specific deployment details and instead pointed to prior statements describing how Border Patrol approaches enforcement between ports of entry.
“The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Border Patrol is responsible for securing the U.S. border between the ports of entry,” CBP said. “To do this, they use a layered approach that includes patrolling the border itself, (including the use of electronic surveillance devices), patrolling nearby areas and neighborhoods where illegal immigrants can quickly fade into the general population, and conducting checkpoints — both stationary and temporary.”
CBP has also cited federal authority for certain immigration enforcement activities within “a reasonable distance” of the U.S. border under the Immigration and Nationality Act and related federal regulations. The regulations define “reasonable distance” as 100 air miles from an external boundary of the United States.
Legal backdrop for checkpoints
Federal courts have upheld the government’s authority to conduct certain immigration checkpoint operations and to ask brief questions related to citizenship and immigration status.
In United States v. Martinez-Fuerte (1976), the U.S. Supreme Court considered the government’s interest in controlling unlawful immigration against Fourth Amendment protections and found that brief stops at reasonably located immigration checkpoints involve only a minimal intrusion on motorists.
What travelers and drivers should expect
Travelers and commercial drivers heading into British Columbia should carry proper identification and expect brief questioning when exit checkpoints are active. Allowing additional time may help reduce delays during busy travel periods.
PNW Daily will continue monitoring checkpoint activity at both Peace Arch and Pacific Highway crossings and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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