Citizen border videos prompt DHS response
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
By Carl Braun
Examiner.com
Caught on video. Illegal border crossers in AZ.
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For the past year, a local Cochise County AZ resident has been climbing the Huachuca Mountains each week to check on a “wildlife” camera he placed along a smuggling trail not far from the Mexican border. (see latest video)During that time he has filmed thousands of illegal border crossers along with the odd bear, coyote (four legged) and mountain lion. His efforts were featured in an article here entitled: Video proves rumors of amnestia again drives illegal alien traffic north.
Today, the Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol announced a concentrated effort to shut down that traffic by establishing a mountain base for 24/7 field operations. Tucson Sector Chief Robert W Gilbert told the Sierra Vista Herald:
“Having such bases will cut response times when suspicious individuals are seen and reported by citizens and through agencies. Like at military forward operating bases, the agents will sleep, eat and bathe at the sites,” Gilbert said.
The West Huachuca mountains is the location of the second such forward operating outpost and illustrates just how much more effective the Border Patrol can be when they have additional manpower and resources.
“For three fiscal years — 2006, 2007 and 2008 — the sector has apprehended more illegal immigrants than any other sector along the Mexican border from California through Texas.” Gilbert added.??
The numbers bear this out. According to national Border Patrol figures, the sector apprehended nearly 400,000 in 2006, 370,000 in 2007 and about 325,000 in 2008. In contrast the San Diego Sector apprehended approximately 150,000, 160,000 and 170,000 for the same period. Traffic however is down once again and Gilbert predicts about 260,000 in fiscal year 2009 or a 22% decrease.
Citizens have been pointing out the traffic along these trails for years but response by BP has been problematic given the location and lack of available manpower. If you pull agents from other known smuggling routes with easier access to interdict traffic on the more remote ones, the net effect is still the same. Now with more field agents, a bigger budget and better equipment, BP no longer has to make that decision.
The videos have definitely captured the attention of DHS leadership even though the Borderinvasionpics.com website housing them has been banned by the agency. Privately, one agent told me that viewing streaming videos on government computers is prohibited. Something I know to be an absolute fact. Another insisted the videos are fake. If so, it would take a cast of characters thousands strong and resources far beyond the normal citizen to pull off this kind of fabrication. The owner of the website and hidden camera vigorously denies and wrongdoing or video trickery. Though hurt by the accusation, the owner takes some refuge in the thought that despite the governments unwillingness to publicly acknowledge the truth, these efforts have prompted a greater focus on illegal human and drug traffic in this remote area.
According to the Border Patrol, the “citizen” is the number one source of intelligence used to interdict illegal traffic. Since 2005, the citizen has taken a more active role in observing and reporting along the 1,960 mile frontier with Mexico. The attention brought on by this activity has forced the government to increase Border Patrol manpower (72%)and budget (88%) in the last four years in addition to installing or improving 815 miles of fence. Northbound illegal traffic is down significantly and along with it so are arrests. Increased enforcement and a faltering economy are the main reasons.
Carl Braun is an analyst for the Homeland Security Policy Institute Group and he's logged 5,000-plus hours on the border. He has written several books including his most recent on Border Insecurity, “Above All Else”
. Contact Carl at Carl.Braun@BPAUX.org.
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