argued february decided june fourth amendment held allow roving patrol border patrol stop vehicle near mexican border question occupants citizenship immigration status ground suspicion occupants appear mexican ancestry except border functional equivalents patrolling officers may stop vehicles aware specific articulable facts together rational inferences therefrom reasonably warranting suspicion vehicles contain aliens may illegally country pp important governmental interest preventing illegal entry aliens border minimal intrusion brief stop absence practical alternatives policing border officer whose observations lead reasonably suspect particular vehicle may contain aliens illegally country may stop car briefly question driver passengers citizenship immigration status ask explain suspicious circumstances detention search must based consent probable cause pp allow roving patrols broad unlimited discretion urged government stop vehicles border area without reason suspect violated law reasonable fourth amendment pp assuming congress power admit aliens condition submit reasonable questioning right country power diminish fourth amendment rights citizens may mistaken aliens fourth amendment therefore forbids stopping persons questioning citizenship less reasonable suspicion may aliens pp powell delivered opinion brennan stewart marshall rehnquist joined rehnquist filed concurring opinion post burger filed opinion concurring judgment blackmun joined post douglas filed opinion concurring judgment post white filed opinion concurring judgment blackmun joined post deputy solicitor general frey argued cause briefs solicitor general bork assistant attorney general petersen acting assistant attorney general keeney mark evans peter shannon jerome feit john cleary appointment argued cause respondent brief charles sevilla sanford jay rosen filed brief mexican american legal defense educational fund amicus curiae urging affirmance justice powell delivered opinion case raises questions border patrol authority stop automobiles areas near mexican border differs decision border patrol claim authority search cars question occupants citizenship immigration status part regular operations southern california border patrol operates fixed checkpoint interstate highway south san clemente evening march checkpoint closed inclement weather two officers observing northbound traffic patrol car parked side highway road dark using patrol car headlights illuminate passing cars pursued respondent car stopped saying later reason three occupants appeared mexican descent officers questioned respondent two passengers citizenship learned passengers aliens entered country illegally three arrested respondent charged two counts knowingly transporting illegal immigrants violation immigration nationality act stat trial respondent moved suppress testimony two passengers claiming evidence fruit illegal seizure trial denied motion aliens testified trial respondent convicted counts respondent appeal pending appeals ninth circuit announced decision supra holding fourth amendment prohibits use roving patrols search vehicles without warrant probable cause points removed border functional equivalents appeals sitting en banc held stop case closely resembled stop stop traffic checkpoint applied principles held fourth amendment interpreted forbids stopping vehicle even limited purpose questioning occupants unless officers founded suspicion occupants aliens illegally country refused find mexican ancestry alone supported founded suspicion held respondent motion suppress granted granted certiorari set case oral argument ortiz post bowen post government challenge appeals factual conclusion stop respondent car stop rather checkpoint stop brief challenge retroactive application supra brief contend san clemente checkpoint functional equivalent border issue presented decision whether roving patrol may stop vehicle area near border question occupants ground suspicion occupants appear mexican ancestry reasons follow affirm decision appeals ii government claims two sources statutory authority stopping cars without warrants border areas section immigration nationality act authorizes officer employee immigration naturalization service ins without warrant interrogate alien person believed alien right remain geographical limitation authority government contends least areas adjacent mexican border person apparent mexican ancestry alone justifies belief alien satisfies requirement statute section act authorizes agents without warrant within reasonable distance external boundary board search aliens vessel within territorial waters railway car aircraft conveyance vehicle iii fourth amendment applies seizures person including seizures involve brief detention short traditional arrest davis mississippi terry ohio henever police officer accosts individual restrains freedom walk away seized person fourth amendment requires seizure reasonable categories police action subject fourth amendment constraints reasonableness seizures depends balance public interest individual right personal security free arbitrary interference law officers camara municipal government makes convincing demonstration public interest demands effective measures prevent illegal entry aliens mexican border estimates number illegal immigrants vary widely conservative estimate produced figure one million ins suggests may many million aliens illegally country whatever number aliens create significant economic social problems competing citizens legal resident aliens jobs generating extra demand social services aliens vulnerable exploitation complain substandard working conditions without risking deportation see generally hearings illegal aliens subcommittee house committee judiciary ser pts government estimated aliens illegally country mexico baca supp sd cal mexican border almost miles long even vastly reinforced border patrol find impossible prevent illegal border crossings many aliens cross mexican border foot miles away patrolled areas purchase transportation border area inland cities find jobs elude immigration authorities others gain entry valid temporary permits violate conditions entry aliens leave border area private vehicles often assisted professional alien smugglers border patrol operations designed prevent inland movement succeed apprehending illegal entrants smugglers deter movement others threatening apprehension increasing cost illegal transportation valid public interest must weigh interference individual liberty results officer stops automobile questions occupants intrusion modest government tells us stop roving patrol usually consumes minute brief search vehicle occupants visual inspection limited parts vehicle seen anyone standing alongside according government required vehicle occupants response brief question two possibly production document evidencing right ibid limited nature intrusion stops sort may justified facts amount probable cause required arrest terry ohio supra declined expressly decide whether facts amounting probable cause justify investigative seizure short arrest approved limited search weapons protection officer investigating suspicious behavior persons reasonably believed armed dangerous approved search facts constitute probable cause believe suspects guilty crime requiring police officer able point specific articulable facts taken together rational inferences facts reasonably warrant belief safety others danger see elaborated terry adams williams holding policeman justified approaching respondent investigate tip carrying narcotics gun fourth amendment require policeman lacks precise level information necessary probable cause arrest simply shrug shoulders allow crime occur criminal escape contrary terry recognizes may essence good police work adopt intermediate response brief stop suspicious individual order determine identity maintain status quo momentarily obtaining information may reasonable light facts known officer time unwilling let border patrol dispense entirely requirement officers must reasonable suspicion justify stops context border area stops reasonableness requirement fourth amendment demands something broad unlimited discretion sought government roads near border carry aliens seeking enter country illegally large volume legitimate traffic well san diego metropolitan population million located border texas two fairly large metropolitan areas directly border el paso population area combined population confident substantially traffic cities lawful relatively residents connection illegal entry transportation aliens approve stops vehicles border area without suspicion particular vehicle carrying illegal immigrants subject residents areas potentially unlimited interference use highways solely discretion border patrol officers formal limitation discretion appears administrative regulation defining term reasonable distance mean within air miles border cfr thus approved government position case border patrol officers stop motorists random questioning day night anywhere within air miles border city street busy highway desert road without reason suspect violated law convinced legitimate needs law enforcement require degree interference lawful traffic discuss part iv infra nature illegal alien traffic characteristics smuggling operations tend generate articulable grounds identifying violators consequently requirement reasonable suspicion stops allows government adequate means guarding public interest also protects residents border areas indiscriminate official interference circumstances even though intrusion incident stop modest conclude reasonable fourth amendment make stops random basis government also contends public interest enforcing conditions legal alien entry justifies stopping persons may aliens questioning citizenship immigration status although may assume purposes case broad congressional power immigration see kleindienst mandel authorizes congress admit aliens condition submit reasonable questioning right remain country power diminish fourth amendment rights citizens may mistaken aliens reasons fourth amendment forbids stopping vehicles random inquire carrying aliens illegally country also forbids stopping detaining persons questioning citizenship less reasonable suspicion may aliens iv effect decision limit exercise authority granted except border functional equivalents officers roving patrol may stop vehicles aware specific articulable facts together rational inferences facts reasonably warrant suspicion vehicles contain aliens may illegally country number factors may taken account deciding whether reasonable suspicion stop car border area officers may consider characteristics area encounter vehicle proximity border usual patterns traffic particular road previous experience alien traffic relevant see carroll cert denied also may consider information recent illegal border crossings area driver behavior may relevant erratic driving obvious attempts evade officers support reasonable suspicion see duprez aspects vehicle may justify suspicion instance officers say certain station wagons large compartments seats spare tires frequently used transporting concealed aliens see cert denied wright vehicle may appear heavily loaded may extraordinary number passengers officers may observe persons trying hide see supra government also points trained officers recognize characteristic appearance persons live mexico relying factors mode dress haircut reply brief ortiz post situations officer entitled assess facts light experience detecting illegal entry smuggling terry ohio case officers relied single factor justify stopping respondent car apparent mexican ancestry occupants conclude furnished reasonable grounds believe three occupants aliens best officers fleeting glimpse persons moving car illuminated headlights even saw enough think occupants mexican descent factor alone justify neither reasonable belief aliens reasonable belief car concealed aliens illegally country large numbers naturalized citizens physical characteristics identified mexican ancestry even border area relatively small proportion aliens likelihood given person mexican ancestry alien high enough make mexican appearance relevant factor standing alone justify stopping ask aliens judgment appeals affirmed opinion justice white concurring judgment see post footnotes may room question whether voluntary testimony witness trial opposed government agent testimony objects seized statements overheard subject suppression fruit illegal search seizure see cert dismissed improvidently granted since question raised petition certiorari address accept respondent contention even though mention probable cause legislative history establishes congress meant condition immigration officers authority board search vehicles probable cause believe contained aliens legislative history simply support contention estimate one million produced commissioner ins immigration nationality subcommittee house judiciary committee hearings illegal aliens subcommittee house committee judiciary ser pt pp higher estimate appears ins ann iii estimate tends confirmed consistently high proportion mexican nationals number deportable aliens arrested year example deportable aliens arrested mexico see ins ann figure ins ann case officers search respondent car found incriminating evidence validity search issue changed border patrol practice searching cars routine stops government informs us roving patrols search vehicles probable cause believe find illegally present aliens contraband brief stop case made without warrant officers made effort obtain one occasion decide whether warrant issued stop cars designated area basis conditions area whole absence reason suspect particular car carrying aliens see powell concurring camara municipal decision case takes account special function border patrol importance governmental interests policing border area character stops availability alternatives random stops unsupported reasonable suspicion border patrol agents part enforcing laws regulate highway use activities nothing inquiry whether motorists vehicles entitled virtue compliance laws governing highway usage upon public highways decision thus imply state local enforcement agencies without power conduct limited stops necessary enforce laws regarding drivers licenses vehicle registration truck weights similar matters noted reserve question whether border patrol officers also may stop persons reasonably believed aliens reason believe illegally country see cheung tin wong ins app au yi lau ins app cert denied facts case require decision point courts appeals decisions cited throughout part merely illustrative citation imply view merits particular decisions case must turn totality particular circumstances government also argues location stop considered deciding whether officers adequate reason stop respondent car appears however justification trial officers gave reason stop except apparent mexican ancestry car occupants even clear government presented broader justification appeals therefore decline stage case give weight location stop census ins figures alien registration provide following information population border persons mexican origin texas registered aliens mexico new mexico persons mexican origin registered aliens arizona persons mexican origin registered aliens california persons mexican origin registered aliens bureau census subject report pc persons spanish origin ins ann figures course present entire picture number registered aliens mexico increased since ins ann assume illegal immigrants appear registration figures hand many persons spanish origin living border see bureau census supra may physical appearance similar persons mexican origin justice rehnquist concurring join opinion think quite important point however opinion joined somewhat different majority comprised terms reasoning concerned type stop involved case think travelers entering country may stopped searched without probable cause without founded suspicion national self protection reasonably requiring one entering country identify entitled come belongings effects may lawfully brought carroll strong case may made charged enforcement laws conditioning right vehicular use highway likewise stop motorists using highways order determine whether met qualifications prescribed applicable law use see cady dombrowski biswell regard similar situations agricultural inspections highway roadblocks apprehend known fugitives way constitutionally suspect reason today decision justice douglas concurring judgment join affirmance judgment stopping respondent automobile solely occupants appeared mexican ancestry patent violation fourth amendment agree however standard adopts measure lawfulness officers action extends suspicion test terry ohio stop moving automobile dissented adoption suspicion test terry believing unjustified weakening fourth amendment protection citizens arbitrary interference police remarked infringement personal liberty seizure person reasonable fourth amendment require police possess probable cause seize line draws meaningful distinction officer mere inkling presence facts within officer personal knowledge convince reasonable man person seized committed committing commit particular crime police power exercised without probable cause arbitrary say police may accost citizens whim may detain upon reasonable suspicion say reality police may accost detain citizens whim amsterdam perspectives fourth amendment rev sure disclaim approval particular decisions cites applying suspicion test specifying factors considered without attempting explain combination necessary satisfy test may actually induce police push language beyond intended limits advance justification enumerated factors even probative significance negligible ultimately degree suspicion test actually restrains police depend upon henceforth upon says today brethren mean give suspicion test new bite applaud intention view developments since test launched terry optimistic first decision invalidate stop basis suspicion standard fact since terry granted review case applying test adams williams found standard satisfied tip informant whose credibility established whose information shown based upon personal knowledge future suspicion test provide meaningful restraint police force must come vigorous review applications alone qualifying language today opinion remain unconvinced suspicion test offers significant protection comprehensive right personal liberty face governmental intrusion lopez dissenting opinion embodied fourth amendment see lafave street encounters constitution rev