You are here

Distilling The Facts About Securing The Southwestern Border With Mexico Can Be Tricky

Share

What is the truth about the ongoing battles over securing the Southwestern border against drug runners and illegal aliens?

There is no doubt that there are serious issues along the U.S. border with Mexico. A ranger at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Kris Eggle, was shot and killed in August 2002 by members of a Mexian drug cartel, and a prominent Arizona rancher was killed in March 2010, possibly by an illegal immigrant. 

But gauging the success, or lack thereof, that the U.S. Border Patrol is having can be difficult depending on who is talking.

U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop's continued targeting of environmental laws -- the Endangered Species Act, the Wilderness Act, the National Environmental Policy Act -- he maintains are preventing the Border Patrol from securing the Southwestern border raise conflicting accounts and even accusations that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sees the issue as a "cash cow" not to be corralled.

Most recently, the Utah Republican solicited testimony from individuals who claim the Department of Homeland Security has no interest in securing the border because it would greatly diminish its budget.

Contrasting those positions offered at an April 15 hearing chaired by Rep. Bishop were officials from the Border Patrol, Interior Department, and U.S. Government Accountability Office who not only said environmental laws are not impeding efforts, but that success is being met in stemming both the flow of illegals and the environmental degredation they've caused.

Coming away from that hearing, Rep. Bishop in his public statements dismissed the viewpoints of the Border Patrol, Interior Department, and Government Accountability Office.

It is exceptionally clear after hearing today’s testimony that significant limitations continue to be placed on the U.S. Border Patrol’s access to some of the most highly trafficked areas along the border," he said. "Environmental policies cannot take precedent over the safety and security of all Americans and that is exactly what is occurring today. In order for the Border Patrol to be as effective as possible in deterring and apprehending criminals they need to have routine access to our federal lands. The reality is that many parts of the U.S. along the southern border region are too dangerous for Americans to enter because they are overrun with drug traffickers and human smugglers. This is unacceptable and I plan to ensure that law enforcement is no longer hindered from doing their jobs to keep Americans safe.”

Whether Congressman Bishop is foremost concerned with border security, or sees the issue as a tool to undo some of the country's key environmental laws, is debateable. But the wide range of opinions over the security of the border can at times make it seem as if two different situations are being discussed.

"It would have been impossible to win World War II if the military had been forced to comply with current laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act and dozens of other laws enacted by Congress after World War II," testified James Chilton, Jr., an Arizona rancher whose land runs along the border. "The construction of thousands of military bases, airfields, port facilities, training facilities and ammunition storage areas inside the United States would have been delayed for years. There is no way the war would have been won if the military had been obliged to complete endless Environmental Impact Statements, fund or carry out mitigation projects and suffer through years of radical environmental corporations’ lawsuits and appeals. We must not tie up our national defense at the border with red tape.

"National Security demands that drug traffickers, terrorists and undocumented aliens be prevented from entering the United States at the border. Currently, on our ranch these people often travel 10 to 20 miles inside our country before the Border Patrol attempts to apprehend them," he continued. "We have heard that, a few years ago, the Border Patrol found seven backpacks near our ranch which contained Yemeni passports. Were the owners of the backpacks tourists or terrorists? We understand that significant numbers of persons apprehended--the ones who are caught--are not just Mexican citizens looking for work. The entrants include others with various motives. We strongly believe the Border Patrol must CONTROL THE BORDER AT THE BORDER."

From the viewpoint of George Zachary Taylor, who helped found the National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers, government agencies have no deep interest in winning the battle because they'd lose funding.

"From a strictly political and agency management point of view, why would (U.S. Commissioner of Customs and Border ProtectionCommissioner Alan) Bersin or (DHS) Secretary (Janet) Napolitano want to solve the illegal immigration situation in the United States and jeopardize a significant part of their budget, especially when they see the escalating situation as an opportunity to justify increased funding?" Mr. Taylor asked in his testimony. "Managerially speaking, to DHS, isn't illegal immigration a 'cash cow'? Without illegal immigration, how large would the DHS budget be?"

Against those sentiments, Rep. Bishop and others on his subcommittee heard testimony from agency officials who said environmental laws are not impeding them and that successes are being counted.

"While there is still work to be done, every key measure shows we are making significant progress along the Southwest border. Border Patrol apprehensions have decreased 36 percent in the past two years, and are less than a third of what they were at their peak," testified Ronald Vitiello, deputy chief of the Border Patrol. "We have matched these decreases in apprehensions with increases in seizures of cash, drugs, and weapons. These numbers demonstrate the effectiveness of our layered approach to security. Violent crime in border communities has remained flat or fallen in the past decade, and some of the safest communities in America are at the border."

Anu K. Mittal, the director for Natural Resources and Environment at the Government Accountability Office, testified that a 2006 memorandum of understanding between the various agencies -- Border Patrol, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and Interior Department -- has greatly helped improve Border Patrol access to federal lands along the border.

"For example, Border Patrol and land managers in Arizona used the 2006 memorandum of understanding to set the terms for reporting Border Patrol off-road vehicle incursions in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, as well as for developing strategies for interdicting undocumented aliens closer to the border in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and facilitating Border Patrol access in the San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge," the GAO official testified. "In addition, we found that guidance provided by the 2006 memorandum of understanding has facilitated local agreements between the Border Patrol and land management agencies. For example, for the Coronado National Forest in Arizona, Border Patrol and the Forest Service developed a coordinated strategic plan that sets forth conditions for improving and maintaining roads and locating helicopter landing zones in wilderness areas, among other issues."

The hearing was just the latest effort by the Utah Republican to raise congressional opposition to the ESA, the Wilderness Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act when it comes to securing the Southwestern border.

The congressman's claims about the barriers environmental regulations have in the Border Patrol's activities, however, have been largely dismissed in the past in two GAO studies. In one, which the Republican specifically requested, the GAO found that while these regulations at times led to delays and restrictions for Border Patrol agents in accessing federal lands, "22 of the 26 Border Patrol stations reported that the border security status of their area of operation has not been affected by land management laws."

A far greater problem, the agents-in-charge told the GAO investigators, is the lay of the land in the Southwest. And while "four patrol agents-in-charge reported that delays and restrictions negatively affected their ability to achieve or maintain operational control, they have either not requested resources to facilitate increased or timelier access or have had their requests denied by senior Border Patrol officials, who said that other needs were greater priorities for the station or sector."

While the second GAO report, issued in November, pointed to a continued lack of coordination among the various agencies tasked with securing the border, in mid-January a multi-agency endeavor, Operation Trident Surge, seemed to show those problems were, if not in the past, being addressed.

“Operation Trident Surge was a 60-day joint patrol operation between Border Patrol and the DOI, and that just wrapped up on March 1," John Wessels, director of the Park Service's Intermountain Region, told the Traveler on Friday. "That was a significant demonstration of what a unified command approach to Southwest border operations looks like. We had Park Service law enforcement officers engaged in that.”

During that two-month operation agents apprehended drug runners and human smugglers, heightened law-enforcement visibility on the landscape, and flew aerial reconnaissance and patrol missions, among other tasks, according to Park Service officials.

Mr. Wessels said the operation "was a genuine, positive success in terms of that ability to pull together in a unifed way law enforcement rangers, Border Patrol agents, and others to work toward common purposes, whether it’s securing the border for employee visitor safety or resource protection.”

At the same time, the regional director acknowledged that 55 percent of the 330,688.86 acres that lie within Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument currently remain closed to the public due to safety issues.

"That’s the only park that has that kind of closure," he noted. "I’ll tell you, our law enforcement staff there, working in collaboration with Border Patrol, are reclaiming the backcountry and making it safe for visitors and staff. So I think that’s something that we’re focusing on and making decent progress on, because of the collaboration with Border Patrol.”

Are things perfect along the border? No, said Mr. Wessels. But to suggest that the government agencies are prolonging the effort simply to keep the money flowing is " a cynical approach to the whole Southwst Border issue," he said.

"I think the bottom line is all of us would like to have a secure border, and all of us would like to have (natural) resources that are preserved and protected into perpetuity," the Park Service official said.

“One other point," he added. "The bottom line is that our law enforcement rangers throughout the border parks, and I think all of our staff who work down there, for those folks who are in harm’s way, are commiting themselves to resource protection, sometimes at personal risk. And I think that perspective that this is just something that we’re doing to keep the money coming in is tremendously disrespectful to the people who are committing their lives to preserving and protecting the national parks."

Featured Article

Comments

Deceptive agenda? Doesn't that define the Iraq War?

That aside, many politicians in recent history seem to bend events to suit their purposes.


About Iraq, Kurt, when you look into who benefits by "Bush lied about Iraq" it was those politicians and their party that switched their positions afterwards.  Almost everyone thought there WERE weapons of mass destruction, including the present Secretary of State.  I don't think Bush is that good at lying, to his credit, lol!  He'd look as guilty as Nixon did when he actually DID lie.   Okay, following that logic, who would stand to benefit from lax border security in a deeper (and cynical) foray into the issue?  Follow the money and votes.  It certainly is a valid possibility for someone who is constantly in campaign mode.  Haven't heard anything recently about the Black Panther Voter Intimidation Case.  It's a very dark world out there:).  You have a very good site here, Kurt.  I appreciate the opportunity to discuss these issues.


"I could be wrong but I can't remember Bush ever blaming anyone to give
cover to a deceptive agenda or impotence despite what the media and
political operatives offered."

You are absolutely correct - that you could be wrong. What you say you can't remember is in fact 1000% definitive of the Bush both personality and administration. This is widely agreed upon except by partisans and ostriches.

To get back on topic - obviously Bishop has a preconceived agenda and he doesn't let expert testimony and facts get in the way of his opinions.


Well Rick, we could go back and forth in debate mode but there is a reality here, lol.   This arena that many of these politicians live in is all about controlling the message and winning the big con job.  I lived (married) with a very liberal, Democratic Student Union President AND champion debater.  When I realized the discussions (lol), were more about winning the argument whether there was any truth to it or not was depressing:).  In the world of reality and what WORKS is quite different than what the left demonizes routinely.  Look at the world as it IS now and connect the progressive movement that has grown "coincidentally."  It's not conservatism but that's what's needed to give grounding to the mess.  It's a correction that everyone faces either early on or hopefully at some point in the growth process in at least enough numbers that give conservatives a majority (I didn't say Republicans) to enable AT LEAST the economic side of things to prosper.  Used to be just getting older after years in the real world would do the trick like Churchill spoke of.  Sure, there always needs to be checks and balances when temptations overwhelm either Liberals or Conservatives (human).  The social and character issues that have so changed since, I'm thinking, the 60's have put us on this path for a correction.  How severe is whether or not we heed the signs of the downward spiral.  It could be very significant if ....it already is but it can get unthinkably worse, I believe.  These are my thoughts and I remain positive that things CAN be turned around with a national epiphany of sorts.  Thanks for the conversation, Rick.


THE
LIES ABOUT IMMIGRATION
ENFORCEMENT

Since
the 1986 Immigration Control
and Reform Act, who has ever been in power has lied to the US people? 
Just  enough laws have been passed, to make it seem that 
President  Obama, George Bush back to Ronald Reagan, has promised to
secure fully the border, to enforce immigration laws, but truthfully
nothing
serious as ever been done? All the laws enacted, were made to be
broken,
underfunded still leaving access to cheap labor for Republicans and
more votes
for liberals and Democrats; legal or illegal. E-Verify was nearly
killed by
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and the true 2006 Secure Fence Act, less than a
6 months
later Texas Republican Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn
pushed for
"flexibility to choose other options instead of fencing, if needed."
Politicians adamantly vowed to keep America safe. The law
specifically called
for "at least 2 layers of reinforced fencing, topped with concertina
barbed razor wire with the installation of additional physical
barriers, patrol
roads, lighting, cameras and sensors" at five exact regions of border
totaling approximately 700 miles.

Six months after passage of the Secure Fence Act, the border fence
initially planned to be 700 miles, had shrunk to around 370 miles. The
so-called Border fence shows utter incompetence or very strong
reluctance to keep the border—CLOSED—no matter the consequences to the
people? The illegal alien invasion could be cut to a trickle, by
constructing the double layer border fences as originally commissioned.
Then adding 5000 military of either National Guardsman or US Army along
the along the fence perimeter, saving billions of dollars in the
interior of America.

RINO SENATOR'S HUTCHISON, CORYN AND OTHER
PRO ILLEGAL ALIEN LIARS HAD DESIGNS TO GUT, UNDER FUND THE SECURE FENCE
ACT BEFORE IT EVEN PASSED!! IT WAS ALL A PROVEN LIE TO PLACATE VOTERS
BEFORE THE 2006 MID TERM ELECTIONS. THE BORDER FENCE IS ONE OF THE
BIGGEST LIES PLAYED UPON THE GULLIBLE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

Nothing
has changed, just the majority of the people overseeing the border. But
we have a choice now. The usual Rino's and the Arch Liberals, hiding
beneath the cloak of Democrats, are not fully in charge anymore. It's
impossible to count the millions of Americans who have turned to the
National and local TEA PARTY, hoping to save America from the greed and
political power brokers. The criminals are still crossing the border,
where there are hundreds of miles of no fence. Open areas of land, where
the US Border Patrol are not allowed to enter, without permission from
the US government. Packing AK 47, ordinary illegal peons are forced a
gunpoint to carry drugs for the Cartels, or are engineering new routes
for illegal immigrants to enter our country. Even some of the regions
inside America are prohibited land, because of the dangers of
confrontation with criminal aliens.

The interior of our nation has
become an infestation of foreign nationals, stealing jobs, stealing
education from our own children, stealing Medicaid from our own
impoverished people. They are stealing hundreds of billions of dollars
annually in public entitlements, in unemployment benefits in some
states, in workers compensation. They come here ready to conceive their
foothold babies, so they can take advantage of citizen subsidies. They
cross the border or fly in to take advantage of our mandated health care
system. Then we wonder while our national debt of 14.5 trillion dollars
is still mounting? Continually--each day we hear of illegal aliens
drunk, mowing down pedestrians, homicides, kidnappings, home invasions,
assaults, child molestations and other heinous criminal acts. Our jails
and prisons are overflowing, because the Dems and Republicans are
refusing to seal the border tight and therefore they are to blame for
the daily acts of terror happening across America.

THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE MUST DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES, IF THEY BELIEVE IN THE SHADOW
ADMINISTRATION IN THE US GOVERNMENT, THE LIBERALS PROGRESSIVES AND
EXTREMISTS IN ACADEMIA OR THE GROWING MOVEMENT OF THE NATIONAL TEA PARTY
AND HUNDREDS OF GRASS ROOT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PRO-SOVEREIGNTY AND
THE ENFORCEMENT TO THE "RULE OF LAW."

We need a uniform plan to
hire the highest skilled, that are not available in this nation’s
workforce. These will be skilled newcomers who will not fall upon the US
taxpayer, to pay their way. With the terrible gloomy picture of a 14
Trillion deficit bearing down on US taxpayers, with an unceasing
movement of economic illegal aliens slipping past our borders, we are in
a very poor State of affairs. Foothold families with 14th Amendment
citizenship for their children are one of the most expenditure befalling
this nation. No real dollar numbers really exist, except for the
statement of Los Angeles City manager, Michael Antonovich “Illegal
immigration continues to have a catastrophic impact on Los Angeles
County taxpayers,”. “The total cost for illegal immigrants to County
taxpayers exceeds $1 billion a year – not including the millions of
dollars for education.” Any form of Amnesty in no matter what form it
comes in, is an automatic magnet for the indigent of foreign countries
and this must desist. The TEA PARTY will oppose or rescind any laws,
contrary to the "Rule of Law", which includes Volume Immigration reform,
Sanctuary states, Dream Acts and Chain Migration. ITS EASY TO FIND THE
NEAREST TEA PARTY WERE YOU RESIDE BY GOING TO
www.freedomconnector.org/

STATES THAT PANDER TO THE
ILLEGAL ALIEN OCCUPATION WILL LEARN THE HARD WAY; JUST AS THE STATES OF
CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA HAVE BEEN BRANDED SANCTUARIES. UTAH WILL BE THE
THIRD STATE TO GET THIS UNSAVORY LABEL IN THE SOUTHWEST, IF THE DOJ ERIC
HOLDER’S IN WASHINGTON REMAIN IN A STARK SILENCE TO UTAH ENACTING AN
UNCONSTITUTIONAL GUEST WORKER PROGRAM.

Under Obama's
presidency and his Leftist henchman or the upper echelon of Republican
leadership, the push for mass amnesty will continue. Every American who
sees this as a threat to over population, absolute insane expenditures,
overcrowded schools, health care any number of major problems foreseen
in our future should join the TEA PARTY. The TEA PARTY numbers now are
in the tens of millions and still climbing. People are seeing this
political party as the only possible release from the grip of the
Liberals and Rino's. Its truthful challenge is Limited Federal
Government, Our Individual Freedoms, Our Personal Responsibility,
Markets that are free, but fair and Returning Political Power to the
States and the People.

Attn: Whether in fact billionaire Donald Trump is running, he is
bring up some major points of interest to the American people, that
other candidates stay clear off? Trump is a bit of an egotist, but he
loves his country and owes no favors to lobbyists or criminal money
brokers. That if this country, has more oil and natural gas than
anywhere on Mother Earth, why are we paying $4.00 or perhaps $6.00
dollars in our near future. Oil--we aided Saudi Arabia when Iraq
attacked the country during the GULF WAR--what do we have to show for
it, dead girl and boy GI's,  and now they are disrupting America, but
cutting back on supplies. Drill in Anwar Alaska, The Gulf and wherever
it is available. To--HXXX with the environmentalists! Why are we
subservient to the environmentalists, which are upset because of the
partial border fence that is disrupting wild life, but concealing the
hills of debris and filth left behind by decades of illegal aliens
crossing onto our soil? This year from our growing massive deficit, we
owe China $300 billion dollars in just interest, when once they were
the lender? This country must close of the purse to the Lefts Obama
administration, no matter how painful as we are currently carrying the
financial burden of foreign governments and their people.

NAFTA and CAFTA have been
poorly negotiated, just as if our trade representatives instead of
working for America were secretly in the employ of China, Mexico, and
India and others. Currently we are cutting our own throat by buying
cheap inferior products and killing our own industries. Thousands of
American companies have moved across the border or abroad and we are
buying the tax free goods, with no penalties. In many cases our
government has given American firms incentives to move overseas, while
companies around the country have closed down, with the loss of millions
of jobs. Have you even noticed, it’s almost impossible to buy something
Made in the USA? Listen to Donald Trump, because out of the bunch of
potential candidates, he is the only one that is telling us the raw
truth.


Dear White People,
Don't you just hate immigrants?
Sincerely,
Native Americans


Brittanicus--You should immediately move to Arizona and get yourself elected to the state legislature.   They sure need more members who think like you do.


I hear you Random Walker, lol!
If you want to continue the trend we're ALL screwed in more ways than we can imagine!


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.