Border Patrol takes another $1 million of illicit drugs off the streets

Border Patrol agents at the Interstate 8 checkpoint east of San Diego hauled in more than $1 million in cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, and heroin in separate incidents over the weekend.

Both narcotics busts yielded an estimated street value of $1,085,800.

The first encounter involved a 43-year-old male United States citizen driving a Volvo. The man’s nervous demeanor prompted agents to direct the vehicle to the secondary inspection area.

“A Border Patrol K-9 team performed a cursory inspection of the vehicle resulting in a positive alert to the driver’s side door. Agents searched the vehicle and discovered two non-factory compartments beneath the driver and front passenger seats,” said Scott Simon, Border Patrol San Diego Sector Information and Communication Division. “The hidden compartments contained 22 bundles of crystal methamphetamine that weighed 34 pounds and had an estimated street value of $510,000. Agents also discovered two bundles of heroin that weighed 5.2 pounds and were worth an estimated $67,600.”

The second drug bust involved a 46-year-old male Mexican national driving a Dodge Ram. Again, agents sent the vehicle to the secondary inspection area and requested the Border Patrol K-9 team to inspect the truck for illegal drugs. The K-9’s alerted Border Patrol agents to a positive drug scent behind the truck’s front bumper and detained the driver.

“Agents searched the truck and discovered 22 packages of cocaine in the frame rails with a total weight of 50.82 pounds and an estimated street value of $508,200,” according to Simon.

The suspected drug smugglers and all the narcotics were seized and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for further investigation. Border Patrol impounded both vehicles.

Border Patrol encourages anyone to report suspicious activity to the San Diego Border Patrol Sector at (619) 498-9900.

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© Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Border Patrol snags cocaine and meth worth $1 million

Border Patrol agents detained two suspected drug smugglers in separate stops that netted more than 100 pounds of cocaine and crystal methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $1.13 million.

The first stop involved a 30-year-old female Mexican national sitting in the driver’s seat of a Jeep Cherokee that was parked at a rest area located just north of Oceanside (The rest stop also shares a fence line with Camp Pendleton Marine Base on Interstate 5).

After questioning the woman, Border Patrol agents completed a consensual cursory search by a K-9 team. The Border Patrol K-9 dogs alerted agents to a positive scent in the Jeep. Following a brief search of the engine compartment, agents discovered 16 bundles of crystal meth concealed in the intake manifold. The drugs weighed nearly 11 pounds valued about $215,000.

Less than an hour later Border Patrol agents stopped a 27-year-old U.S. citizen driving to California from Arizona. The female arrived at the checkpoint east of San Diego where agents directed the driver to the secondary inspection area. Again the Border Patrol K-9 team alerted agents to drugs hidden underneath the car’s floorboards.

The U.S. Border Patrol seized both vehicles used in the narcotic smuggling incidents.Once the two aftermarket compartments were discovered, Border Patrol removed 30 bundles of cocaine. “The cocaine weighed 91.5 pounds with an estimated street value of $915,400. The suspected smugglers and narcotics in both incidents were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for further investigation,” according to a CBP statement.

Border Patrol agents encourage anyone who observes suspicious activity in the San Diego Sector to call (619) 498-9900.

© Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

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Multiple law enforcement agencies apprehend heroin smuggler who fled scene

Working with law enforcement officers from Riverside County, Murrieta Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol, Border Patrol agents apprehended a suspected Heroin drug smuggler who fled a BP checkpoint on Interstate 15 yesterday.

“At approximately 10:30 a.m., agents and Murrieta Police officers on patrol attempted to stop a red 2005 Dodge Neon just south of the I-15 checkpoint,” Border Patrol agent Scott Simon said. “The driver of the vehicle, a 28-year-old male United States citizen, failed to yield and threw two bundles of heroin out of his driver’s side window. Next, the suspected smuggler drove onto the center median and sped through the checkpoint.”

Border Patrol quickly notified local law enforcement for assistance and the Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies dispatched air assets to locate the suspect who fled into Temecula.

“Sheriff’s deputies in the air observed the suspect hiding in some brush near the off ramp and directed personnel on the ground to his location,” according to Simon.

Once authorities located and arrested the suspect, officers subsequently turned the man over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for further investigation.

“The suspected smuggler faces federal charges for narcotics smuggling and high speed flight from a checkpoint,” Border Patrol agents said. “The two heroin bundles weighed a total of nearly two pounds and had an estimated street value of $25,740.”

Over the past three days, Border Patrol agents kept busy at San Diego Interstate checkpoints, seizing more than $500,000 worth of cocaine and crystal meth.

“Yesterday, agents assigned to the I-5 checkpoint near San Clemente arrested a 41-year-old male Mexican national after he attempted to smuggle 1.036 pounds of methamphetamine in a silver 2002 Dodge Durango,” Simon explained. It was a Border Patrol K-9 team that alerted agents to a briefcase located on the rear seat of the vehicle. After agents searched the vehicle, they discovered a softball-sized bundle of methamphetamine located in the briefcase with a street value of $20,720.

To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.

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© Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.



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Nervous driver alerts Border Patrol and nets $1 Million in crystal- meth

U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to an interior checkpoint on highway 15 prevented a large illegal drug smuggling attempt that resulted in the seizure of 56 pounds of methamphetamine.

The 56-year-old male Mexican national arrived at the Temecula checkpoint driving a Mercury Cougar when agents observed the man acting suspiciously. Border Patrol noted the nervous driver and directed him to a secondary inspection area.

“A Border Patrol K-9 team performed a cursory inspection of the vehicle resulting in a positive alert to the vehicle’s interior,” according to Scott Simon, Information and communications agent in the San Diego Sector. “Agents searched the vehicle and discovered 24 bundles of methamphetamine concealed inside of the natural voids within the rear quarter panels behind both the driver’s and passenger’s seats.”

Border Patrol said the crystal meth weighed 56 pounds and had an estimated street value of $1,120,000. The suspected drug smuggler and methamphetamine were taken into custody and subsequently handed over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for further investigation and possible felony charges. Border Patrol impounded the blue Mercury Cougar


Border Patrol encourages residents “to say something if they see something” by contacting the San Diego agency at (619) 498-9900.

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© Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.



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Plausible deniability will save AG Holder’s job over Fast & Furious scandal

The controversial “gunwalking” program Fast and Furious that lead to the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in the Arizona desert in December of 2010 was once again subject of a House Oversight Hearing.

After Congressional testimony, whistle-blower statements and investigative reporting by dedicated journalists, an avalanche of facts have been placed front-and-center. The ill-fated Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Project Gunrunner investigation “Fast and Furious” gun trafficking program made the front page of most newspapers and claimed the life of Agent Terry. However, today’s four-hour hearing revealed little new information other than the administration’s reluctance to provide 93,000 requested documents.

Accountability, culpability, and cover-up are words used repeatedly at today’s hearing to describe this disastrous program that will forever be remembered as a black mark in American history.

It’s been nearly 14 months since the former decorated Iraq war veteran Marine-turned -Border Patrol agent lost his life at the hands of drug smuggler/rip crews. Terry was killed by a firearm that was purchased by a “straw buyer” with the approval of ATF supervisors.

Those are the facts.

Agent Terry’s family, who will never hear Brian’s side of the story have sought the truth from ATF/DOJ for the last 14 months, would like to know- who knew what and when. With the government’s code of silence, Terry’s family has no other recourse than to obtain the truth through a $25 million lawsuit recently filed against the government.

During the Fast and Furious hearings, documents have been requested from the Department of Justice, as well as Attorney General Eric Holder, some have been released, but others fail to see the light of day. For those accustomed to DC politics, it is business as usual.

Despite Congressional requests made by House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) to the Department of Justice and Eric Holder, for all agency documents relating to Fast and Furious hearings, few documents have seen the light of day. For those accustomed to DC politics, it is business as usual.

During the Fast and Furious investigation, members of Congress have unleashed a circus-like hearing that makes for compelling political theater, but the American people have seen this movie before and it always ends the same- plausible deniability.

It’s been the contention of law enforcement agencies across the country that the results of Fast and Furious were predictable; it was destined to claim the life of an officer. That’s what happens when law enforcement lets a gun “walk”- into the hands of ruthless cartels- they have the propensity to kill people.

Regrettably, Operation Fast and Furious successfully did exactly what it was designed to do- make headlines. ATF agents have admitted time and time again that supervisors in the Phoenix office wanted to bring down the “bad guys” and make “headlines.” They did.

According to an email exchanged released by the House Committee, the Department of Justice in DC and Arizona officials involved in Fast and Furious expressed concern about the media. How are we going “to mitigate the negative press coverage?” And “how are we going to fix the problem” and “guns were being walked to Mexico” were among the main concerns of the officials in charge.

After interviewing, reading and reviewing all the information in the public arena, as well as some documents not released, the conclusion is quite straightforward- it was a terrible ATF operation, according to rank-and-file ATF agents.

It’s also true that this investigation started under the Bush Administration with “The Southwest Border Initiative” and from that sprung “Operation Wide Receiver” which allowed some guns to walk south of the border only to be suspended. But it’s also true that President Obama entered into office in January 2009 and his Administration began the process of suspending many Bush-era programs. Unfortunately, Fast and Furious would not be one of those programs.

In fact, under the Obama/Holder Administration, Operation Fast and Furious progressed and grew in scope. At least seven wiretap applications were requested from the Washington DC Justice Department. These applications exceeded 50-pages each and involved the international border with Mexico. Sources inside Justice say ultimately a committee would need to approve the applications. The aforementioned Washington DC committee meets to ensure ongoing investigations from other departments like the FBI, CIA, DEA and ATF do not interfere with each other or hinder ongoing operations.

Again, Congressman Patrick Meehan (R-PA) reaffirmed this point at today’s hearing and asked AG Holder if Fast and Furious would need approval from Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDEF); the answer was “yes.”

The logical conclusion to this revelation means AG Holder should have known about Fast and Furious. The fact this operation detailed ATF overseeing the sales of weapons to straw buyers, then transported them to the Mexican border with the intention of arresting drug cartel members once the transaction lifecycle was completed should have bubbled to the desk of the nation’s top law enforcement officer. This assumption did not slip by several Republican lawmakers that sit on the Oversight Committee.

But again, Holder says “no” and he has plausible deniability on his side. The evidence produced thus far cannot place Holder in a room, physically receiving and reading a memo or discussing Operation Fast and Furious on the record. All the communication regarding this case went through a bureaucratic layer meant to protect those at the top. The oversight of Fast and Furious is no different from other, plausible denial programs.

In the end, all the political gamesmanship about who knew what and when will result in a stalemate. Holder will keep his job, even if he is weakened as a leader of Justice.

While logic may be a key factor in the daily life of mortals, plausible deniability rules the day at the Department of Justice. In fact, Holder reminded the committee today that he appointed a Special Prosecutor and Inspector General and once that happened he was out of the so-called loop. Holder says he effectively removed himself from performing a “top-to-bottom investigation.”

Nevertheless, the American people have “lost faith in the system,” said Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) at the conclusion of the hearing. He also referred to words the Attorney General said once he became the nation’s top law enforcer; “It’s about trust…transparency and the rule of law for our administration.”

Yet the self-described most transparent administration in U.S. history finds itself hiding behind plausible deniability time and time again.

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© Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Sophisticated San Diego border tunnel discovered

A sophisticated cross-border tunnel was located Tuesday that connected Tijuana, Mexico to San Diego. Investigators explained the tunnel netted more than 32 tons of marijuana and six arrests.

The 612-yard elaborate passageway consisted of ventilation, electric rail-like cars, electricity, reinforced walls and wooden floors.

The tunnel’s Tijuana entrance was accessed by a hydraulically-controlled steel door and an elevator located beneath the storehouse floor.

The discovery of the drug smuggling tunnel came after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) followed a tractor trailer loaded with drugs to Los Angeles. CBP agents alerted San Diego authorities once the driver and three other Hispanic individuals unloaded the contents into a nondescript warehouse.

Once U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) moved in, they took custody and seized approximately 11 tons of marijuana packed inside the truck's trailer. Federal agents said their actions resulted in the interdiction of more than 32 tons of marijuana with an estimated street value of nearly $65 million.
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The tunnel task force said they were confident the passageway was recently open.

"From the conditions inside the passageway and our ongoing investigation, we're confident we've been able to shut this operation down before the perpetrators were able to use it for smuggling narcotics," said Derek Benner, special agent in charge for ICE HSI in San Diego. "It's clear though, from the level of sophistication involved, that the criminal organization responsible for constructing this tunnel had very ambitious plans."

Staying one-step ahead of the drug-cartels tunneling tactics is the result of the multi-agency task force that focuses solely on drug and human smuggling along the southwest border.

"This is yet again an example of what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies join forces to address a common threat," said San Diego Chief Patrol Agent Paul A. Beeson. "It clearly demonstrates that the hard work of the men and women on this interagency taskforce can and will make a significant impact on the security of our nation."

"The Tunnel Task Force, working together with the Government of Mexico, is putting a stranglehold on the cartels' ability to smuggle drugs into the United States," said William R. Sherman, acting special agent in charge of the DEA in San Diego. "Seizing close to 50 tons of marijuana in one month denies the cartels the financial means to continue their operations."

The San Diego Tunnel Task Force consists of representatives from ICE HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Obama pardons several drug-related criminals

While Border Patrol agents put their lives on the line every day to stop drug smuggling along the nation’s southern border, President Obama announced yesterday he is pardoning several drug-related convicted felons.

The pardons draw attention to the recent conviction of Border Patrol Agent Jesus “Chito” Diaz. He was sentenced to two years in federal prison for allegedly lifting the handcuffs of a known-drug dealer in Texas.

The conviction drew the attention of numerous Congressmen who sent a letter to president Obama asking for the release of Agent Diaz. So far there has been no response from the White House or the Department of Justice who headed the prosecution of the Border Patrol agent.

The following is a list of the Presidential pardons;

PARDONS:

• Lesley Claywood Berry Jr. - Loretto, Ky.
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Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute marijuana, 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846.
Sentence: April 29, 1988; District of Minnesota; three years in prison.

• Dennis George Bulin - Wesley Chapel, Fla.

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute in excess of 1,000 pounds of marijuana, 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846 and 18 U.S.C. § 2.
Sentence: March 10, 1987; Middle District of Alabama; five years of probation and $20,000 fine.

• Ricky Dale Collett - Annville, Ky.

Offense: Aiding and abetting in the manufacture of 61 marijuana plants, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 2.
Sentence: March 7, 2002; Eastern District of Kentucky; one year of probation conditioned on 60 days of home detention.

• Martin Kaprelian - Park Ridge, Ill.

Offense: Conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce, 18 U.S.C. § 371; transporting stolen property in interstate commerce, 18 U.S.C. § 2314; concealing stolen property that was transported in interstate commerce, 18 U.S.C. § 2315.
Sentence: Feb. 1, 1984; Northern District of Illinois; nine years in prison, five years of probation.

• Thomas Paul Ledford - Jonesborough, Tenn.

Offense: Conducting and directing an illegal gambling business, 18 U.S.C. § 1955.
Sentence: June 12, 1995; Eastern District of Tennessee; one year of probation conditioned on performance of 100 hours of community service.

COMMUTATION:

• Eugenia Marie Jennings - Alton, Ill.

Offense: Distribution of cocaine base, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).
Sentence: Feb. 23, 2001; Southern District of Illinois; 262 months in prison, eight years of supervised release, $1,750 fine.
Terms of commutation: Prison sentence to expire on Dec. 21, 2011, leaving intact and in effect the eight-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

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© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

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San Diego Rep. Hunter sends Obama a letter on jailed Border Patrol agent

GOP Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) sent a letter to President Obama, requesting a detailed description of the Department of Justice’s prosecution of Border Patrol Agent Jesus “Chito” Diaz for essentially lifting the handcuffs of a 15-year-old known drug smuggler.

The letter had 36 other Members of Congress signatures looking for answers regarding the harsh two-year federal prison sentence.

It was reported today that the Mexican government requested Agent Diaz’s be prosecuted despite the fact Agent Diaz was previously cleared of any wrongdoing by department investigators.

“In two separate letters, I’ve asked the Attorney General to provide information and take action on what has proven to be a serious miscarriage of justice,” said Rep. Hunter. “The Attorney General has been silent so far, perhaps because he’s busy making excuses on why he should not be held accountable for Operation Fast & Furious.”
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Meanwhile, Agent Diaz’ wife, Diana, must now pay $7,000 in court fines.

Mrs. Diaz is working with Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council (LEOAC), to get her husband, “Chito,” cleared of all charges. Andy Ramirez, LEOAC’s director said; “We will continue to lead this fight and stand by Chito, Diana, and their children until his name is cleared. Having worked on as many cases as we have, this one is, without question, the most atrocious yet. It is clear that our government gave Mexico City the scalp of yet another agent.”

This is a position echoed by Congressman Hunter.

“This prosecution cannot be allowed to stand. Someone—whether the Attorney General or the President—needs to provide answers on why a two-year prison term is justified and what motivated the U.S. Attorney’s Office in West Texas, the same office that prosecuted Ramos and Compean, to go after Agent Diaz.”

Agent Diaz remains behind bars and will miss Christmas with his wife and six children if Attorney General Eric Holder or President Obama do not take up the case.

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© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

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Sixth largest cross border drug tunnel discovered in San Diego

A tunnel found in San Diego was more than four football fields long, 20-feet deep and fully ventilated. The drug-smuggling corridor entrances were located in two warehouses that straddled the U.S./Mexico border.

A multi-agency border tunnel task force discovered the sophisticated passageway yesterday, number 75 in the last four years, when surveillance of the warehouse drew suspicious concerns from law enforcement. Once officials executed a federal search warrant, authorities discovered a 20-foot hole in the warehouse and recovered approximately 6 1/2 additional tons of marijuana. U.S. agents then alerted Mexican officials that the tunnel led to another warehouse in Tijuana, Mexico where they recovered approximately six tons of cannabis.

The tunnel, measuring approximately four feet by three feet, contained structural supports, electricity as well as ventilation. Authorities said evidence inside the tunnel suggested the passageway was only recently completed.

A suspicious cargo truck leaving the border region warehouse prompted California Highway Patrol to pull over the vehicle where they found three tons of marijuana in the trailer. Officers apprehended the driver, Cesar Beltran-Zamoran, and passenger, Ruben Gomez-Hernandez who face federal narcotics smuggling charges, according to officials. Gomez told authorities he would receive $2,000 to smuggle the marijuana into the U.S.
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“The discovery of this tunnel is a tribute not only to the effectiveness of our joint investigative efforts, but also to the significant benefits we're gaining by using new technology to target this kind of smuggling activity,” said Derek Benner, special agent in charge for ICE Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego. “The drug cartels mistakenly believe they can elude detection by taking their contraband underground, but, again and again, we've been able to find these tunnels and shut them down.”

The San Diego tunnel represents the third such passageway detected this year and reveals U.S. officials continue to fight drug smuggling along the southern border.

“The fact that this is the third sophisticated cross border tunnel found within a year's time demonstrates the cartels will stop at nothing to smuggle their drugs into the United States,” said William R. Sherman, acting special agent in charge for the DEA in San Diego. “The seizure of marijuana coupled with the loss of yet another tunnel will deal a heavy blow to those responsible for constructing this tunnel.”

The tunnel is the sixth largest drug smuggling passageway discovered in San Diego since 2006.

The San Diego Tunnel Task Force includes representatives from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.

The multi-agency group uses a variety of techniques to detect cross-border tunnels, from state-of-the-art electronic surveillance to old school detective work. The group also relies on tips from the public to protect the border region from criminal activity.

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© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

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Man toting fake gun shot by CBP agents in San Diego

The nation’s busiest international port of entry in San Diego was shut down last night after a pedestrian unexpectedly waved a fake gun prompting Custom Border Protection (CBP) agents to shoot the man as he fled into the U.S.

The shooting incident happened at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, at the pedestrian crossing area, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency spokeswoman Jackie Wasiluk said.

Wasiluk told reporters that the agency temporarily suspended processing of all northbound pedestrian travelers. Authorities continued to investigate the incident, but have not released the name or the nationality of the man who was shot.

CBP agents did not explain what led to the shooting of the man, but those at the scene described the weapon a starter-type gun (used in track events).

The San Diego Police Department released a statement regarding the event. The unnamed man "approached a pedestrian booth and attempted to walk through without being fully screened" by CBP border agents.
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The man was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to survive.

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© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

More than 11 pounds of black tar heroin seized in SUV engine

Border Patrol agents stationed at the State Route 94 checkpoint east of San Diego snagged 11 pounds of black tar heroin.

Agents stopped a red 1999 Dodge Durango over the weekend driven by a 39-year-old female U.S. citizen as she arrived at the checkpoint. During the inspection process, agents noticed the woman’s nervous demeanor and referred the driver to the secondary inspection area.

Once the Border Patrol K-9 team performed the examination of the vehicle, the K-9 alerted agents to the front of the vehicle where the heroin was discovered. Border Patrol thoroughly searched the Durango and discovered a non-factory compartment inside the vehicle’s intake manifold.

“Inside the compartment, agents discovered four foil-wrapped bundles of black tar heroin with a total weight of 11.1 pounds and an estimated street value of $133,200,” said Scott E. Simon, Border Patrol Agent for the San Diego Sector Information and Communication Division.
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“The suspected smuggler and drugs were taken into custody and subsequently turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration,” Simon reported. “The vehicle was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.”

Since October 1, 2010, San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents have seized more than 68,500 pounds of illicit drugs and taken a number of drug smugglers into custody.

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© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

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Border Patrol foils cocaine and crystal meth smugglers

Border Patrol agents east of San Diego stopped two separate drug smuggling efforts and seized more than $300,000 worth of cocaine and methamphetamine headed for the streets of Southern California.

Yesterday, Border Patrol agents came across a female U.S. citizen driving a Plymouth Neon at the Pine Valley checkpoint. She arrived with a 22-year-old male Mexican national passenger and during the inspection process agents became suspicious of the occupants nervous behavior and directed them to a secondary inspection.

Once the K-9 team inspected the car, agents found illegal drugs in the rear of the car. Further examination lead Border Patrol agents to a non-factory compartment inside the car’s rear bumper.

“Inside the compartment, agents discovered eight bundles of cocaine with a total weight of 22.05 pounds and an estimated street value of $220,500,” according to a Customs and Border Patrol press release. “The suspected smugglers and drugs were taken into custody and subsequently turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.”
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On Sunday agents detained a 19-year-old male United States citizen driving a 1998 Ford Mustang. Agents said the driver appeared nervous and directed him to a secondary inspection. The Border Patrol K-9 team inspected the car and alerted agents to the trunk of the Mustang.

“Agents searched the vehicle and discovered five packages of methamphetamine with a total of 5.38 pounds worth an estimated street value of $107,600. The suspected smuggler and drugs were taken into custody and subsequently turned over to a multi-agency drug taskforce,” CBP said.

Both cars were seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.

The San Diego Border Patrol checkpoints have confiscated more than 65,000 pounds of marijuana, 1,368 pounds of cocaine and 317 pounds of methamphetamine since October 1, 2010.

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© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

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Man dies after rock attack- proving Border Patrol Agents claim that rocks kill

Police reported today that a San Diego man attacked in June with a rock has succumbed to his injuries. Authorities say they are withholding the name of the 31-year-old victim pending family notification.

Joshua Larson, 37, is accused of the crime and was arrested on June 24 for his role in the assault. Prosecutors originally booked him on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder; however, the charges have now been upgraded to murder. The defendant remains in custody with a $1 million bail requirement and could receive life in prison if he is convicted on all charges.

“Larson was arrested on June 24, and is suspected of hitting the victim in the head with a rock,” said SDPD Lt. Ernie Herbert. “The victim walked out of a canyon to Washington Street and flagged down a car.”

Lt. Herbert went on to explain that the victim was only able to tell the driver of a passing car that he had been hit with a rock.

It was only two weeks ago that a San Diego Border Patrol Agent shot and killed a rock thrower along the international border. The Agency came under fire for using excessive force by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other illegal alien sympathizers.

U.S. Border Patrol released this statement; “Our agents face many dangers while protecting our country. It is unacceptable for our agents to come under assault by members of criminal organizations that have no regard for our laws or the well-being of our agents. There is no doubt that large rocks thrown at a person can seriously injure or kill them. Our agents, like all law enforcement officers, are trained to protect themselves and others against serious bodily harm, while performing the duties that they swore an oath to uphold.”

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San Diego Border Patrol shooting death of Mexican national rock thrower (previous story)

The San Diego Police Department has taken over the overnight shooting death investigation, where a Border Patrol Agent shot and killed a Mexican National. The illegal alien allegedly crossed the international border fence one-and-half miles east of the San Ysidro port of entry.

Border Patrol Agents reported that the agent on the scene encountered three illegal border crossers. Once the agent, who has not been identified yet, proceeded to question the suspects, the men fled and threw several large rocks.

The Border Patrol Agent immediately called for back-up, according to the San Diego Police Department. Once the second agent arrived, police say two suspected illegal aliens fled back into Mexico, and a third threw rocks and a large piece of wood with exposed nails.
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A struggled ensued during the apprehension of the third assailant, and the BP Agents were pelted with rocks and wood, according to SDPD homicide Lt. Ernie Herbert.

The Border Patrol Agent, who was first at the scene, fired his gun, killing an illegal border crosser after the agents were under attack. The suspect fell onto the Mexican side of the border where officials say he succumbed to his injuries.

Mexican authorities identified the 40-year-old dead man as, Jose Alfredo Yanez Reyes.

The injured agent was treated for his injures and later released.

Herbert said, one suspect was arrested, but his name has not been released.

Neither Border Patrol Agent has been named, according to the San Diego Police Department who has taken over the investigation.

The American Civil Liberties Union called for the Border Patrol to review its shooting policy regarding rock throwers (on the Mexican side of the fence) and want to make sure agents don't used excessive force.

San Diego Border Patrol is no stranger to the daily barrage of illegal border crossers, in fact, BP Agent Robert Rosas was murdered in July of 2009 by illegal smugglers just yards from the U.S./Mexico fence.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the violence Border Patrol Agents face while securing the nation’s southern border every day.

Continue reading on Examiner.com San Diego Border Patrol Agent kills an illegal border crosser in self-defense - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com

© Copyright 2011Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

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San Diego Border Patrol captures two Americans trying to smuggle dope from Mexico

San Diego Border Patrol agents arrested two American citizens, a 19-year-old male and 18-year-old female, yesterday for trying to smuggle approximately 250 pounds of marijuana inside a boat at Shelter Island.

San Diego’s Shelter Island is owned and controlled by the Port of San Diego and provides police and other services for those who do business on the island.

However, Border Patrol agents spotted the suspicious boat yesterday with two people on board near the island. Once the vessel docked agents quizzed the boaters who displayed a suspicious and nervous demeanor.

“A Border Patrol K-9 team performed a cursory inspection of the vessel resulting in a positive alert to the driver and passenger consoles,” said Jerry Conlin, Supervisory Border Patrol Agent. “Agents searched the vessel and discovered 100 bundles of marijuana inside the consoles with a total weight of 241.2 pounds and an estimated street value of $144,720.”
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The suspected drug smugglers, narcotics and boat were taken into custody, and handed over to Homeland Security Investigations’ Marine Task Force, BP Agents reported.

In an effort to prevent drug smuggling by boat, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) retains an aggressive enforcement stance along the coast to identify and arrest traffickers of humans, drugs and other smuggled goods as a part of the Maritime Unified Command (MUC).

To report suspicious maritime activity, call the Joint Harbor Operations Center at 1-800-854-9834.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

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Fire gate – Hidden camera video shows a link between smugglers and the Arizona wildfires

With close to a million acres scorched in Arizona, lawmakers as well as law enforcement officials are taking heat for stating that the worst wildfires in the state’s history were started by suspected illegal aliens.

Last weekend Senator John McCain (R-AZ) pointed his finger directly at illegal aliens and said they are either getting cold at night or trying to distract law enforcement from other illegal activity- namely drug smuggling.

As a result of this admission, Senator McCain was lambasted by both liberal media and open border activists. However, Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever quickly defended the Senator and said the evidence is overwhelming.

The statement that landed McCain in hot water took a direct shot at illegal border crossers. “There is substantial evidence that some of these fires have been caused by the people who have crossed our border illegally. The answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border,” he said.

Dever confirmed McCain’s theories and told reporters that “When this fire was started, Montezuma National Monument was closed. The forest around it was closed… So, whoever started the fire was there illegally.” He continued to explain that the fire started near the U.S./Mexico border and the only people “traveling in that area were smugglers or illegal aliens.”

The residents, ranchers and Border Patrol Agents this reporter talked to in the field the pass few days, clearly stated illegal aliens/drug smugglers started many if not all of the Arizona wildfires.

One rancher said, “In some cases, these wildfires can be caused by lightning strikes, but we haven’t had rain for weeks.”

Several other agents in the field explained that calls came into the office that illegals in distress started signal fires in more than one instance. “We just got another call today from illegals that started a fire because they were lost. In other cases, illegal aliens create a diversion fire, so drug smugglers can get their dope across the border,” said one agent who didn’t want his name divulged for fear of retaliation.
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Confirming this scenario is raw footage taken from a Secure Border Intelligence (SBI) hidden camera. The new footage was taken in the forest wilderness near Nogales, Arizona that has been closed by officials and it shows suspected smugglers crossing in front of a SBI camera. Shortly thereafter the viewer can see the fire raging pass the camera. (View footage here)

A representative from Secure Border Intel suggests the federal government has not secured the border south of these wilderness areas, putting communities in danger in Arizona.

While media outlets are reluctant to identify illegal aliens as the most likely suspects in these fires, residents, law enforcement and ranchers have all drawn the same conclusion- the fires are started by suspected illegal aliens and drug smugglers.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

To visit Secure Border Intelligence; http://secureborderintel.org/

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San Diego Border Patrol nets $1 million worth of marijuana on a panga boat

Over the weekend, San Diego Border Patrol agents arrested three Mexican nationals in the early morning hours that were smuggling more than 1,500 pounds of marijuana worth about a million dollars inside a panga-style boat.

It was the National Guardsmen, who were posted by the Obama Administration, that spotted the panga boat with three people aboard roaming the California coastline without navigation lights near Camp Pendleton Marine base. With the support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents (CBP), the Guardsmen monitored the panga boat until it came ashore near San Onofre State Beach approximately an hour later.

Agents met the drug-filled panga boat and arrested all three illegal aliens, as they were unloading 21 cellophane-wrapped bundles of marijuana with a total weight of 1,543.04 pounds and an estimated street value of $925,821.60.
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The men, the narcotics and the boat were turned over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who will lead the investigation.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agencies maintain a strong enforcement position along the coastal borders to detect and arrest smugglers of humans, drugs and other contraband and are a member agency of the Maritime Unified Command (MUC). The public is encouraged to report any suspicious maritime activity by calling the Joint Harbor Operations Center at 1-800-854-9834.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

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Maritime illegal alien smuggling ring busted in San Diego

A six-hour large-scale operation that started in San Diego on Friday and ended in Orange County resulted in the capture of four illegal aliens accused of smuggling illegals along the Mexico/California coastline.

According to Border Patrol, “The smuggling investigation leading to the arrests shifted into high gear at around 7 a.m. Friday after the Carlsbad Police Department located an abandoned panga-style boat near Ponto Beach in Carlsbad, Calif. Local authorities alerted federal agents from the Los Angeles Border Enforcement Security Task Force (LA BEST) and U.S. Border Patrol who had been tracking the movements of this smuggling organization for several weeks.”

Authorities reported that they were monitoring a van in a Ranch Palos Verdes neighborhood suspected of being involved with the smuggling ring. But they abandoned the vehicle surveillance at sunrise when nobody showed up.

“Investigators say the Ensenada-based vessel that came ashore in Carlsbad was originally supposed to make landfall farther north. However, the smugglers had to abort the plan after the boat developed engine trouble,” according to San Diego Border Patrol.

However, BP Agents caught a break when the panga-style boat came ashore in Carlsbad and authorities alerted LA BEST and Border Patrol who then resumed their surveillance and tracked a van to an Anaheim apartment complex.

“When investigators entered the (apartment) residence, they encountered nine illegal aliens from Mexico whose clothes were still wet and caked with sand from the morning’s boat landing. Agents also detained four alleged members of the smuggling ring, including one of the organization’s suspected leaders. Those charged in the case are:

Mario Echeverria, 24, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Tijuana, Mexico. Echeverria is suspected of being one of the ringleaders of the maritime smuggling organization; Javier Gomez-Dominguez, 30, of Mexico, the alleged caretaker of the Anaheim drop house; Jose Sevilla, 26, of Mexico, the suspected captain of the smuggling boat; and Fernando Medina-Gonzalez, 43, of Mexico, the alleged smuggling boat navigator and fuel man.”

The men are being charged with conspiring to bring, transport and harbor illegal aliens and face up to 10 years in prison.
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Officials with the Department of Homeland Security say, “Friday’s events offer further evidence that maritime human smuggling has expanded from the San Diego area into Orange and Los Angeles counties. In recent months, suspected human smuggling boats have come ashore as far north as Malibu.”

The U.S. maritime enforcement team has been collaborating with the Mexican government to curtail the illegal smuggling of aliens and drug trafficking along California’s coastline.

“The surge in maritime smuggling here in the Los Angeles area poses a significant security and safety threat, which is why it demands an aggressive response,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for ICE HSI in Los Angeles. “We know these criminal organizations’ clients include previously deported felons and others we don’t want in our communities. Beyond that, there are serious safety issues for the smuggled aliens themselves, who are being transported in overloaded, often unseaworthy boats, risking injury or even death.”

Federal law enforcement agencies point to this case as proof multiple departments can and do work well together.

“The arrests made in Anaheim are the outcome of exceptional collaboration within the federal law enforcement community,” said U.S. Border Patrol San Diego Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Rodney S. Scott. “Our efforts to fuse intelligence and operational planning capabilities have and will continue to produce successful results in deterring illegal maritime border crossings. We will continue to disrupt, dismantle and defeat the transnational criminal organizations operating within the San Diego Sector area of influence whose criminal activities endanger both our citizens as well as those who are smuggled through treacherous ocean waters.”

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

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Southern Exposure documentary “exposes” U.S. border inconsistencies

Two words used most often to describe the U.S. illegal immigration problem are – divisive and political. However a new documentary, Southern Exposure, provides a balanced look at the U.S./Mexican border and sheds light on America’s porous southern borders.

If you want a bird’s eye view of the tale of two countries and their respective border problems this two-hour documentary provides the good, the bad and the ugly issues that ranchers, law enforcement and lawmakers contend with on a daily basis.

The film focuses on four prominent topics; the threat to public health (environmentalists), cartels and terrorists, drug smuggling and finally Aztlan and Reconquista (redeeming parts of the southern U.S. land some Mexicans believe was illegally taken from them).

The filmmakers began their journey with one thing in mind - explore all aspects of the southern border. After three arduous years the balanced documentary was finally released. The footage primarily focuses on the Arizona portion of the border and interviewers manage to get U.S. Border Patrol Agents as well as local law enforcement to describe the sometimes harsh conditions that Americans who reside near the border are face with on a daily basis.

What compelled Stan Wald to take three years of his life to document what some call America’s third war? “Being close to the border, Jerry and I saw what was happening locally, but it was never reported by the main-stream media, so we began our research and discovered many untold stories."

“This out-of-pocket project was our way of saying thanks to those who still believe in the values of this great nation,” Wald explains. “Our hope is that those who watch will become better informed and just as angry as we were after investigating the back stories.”

For those who are curious about the painstaking journey that illegal aliens decide to take for a “better life,” Southern Exposure does not disappoint. The devastation illegal border crossers feel when they are apprehended is captured on film.

The documentary also provides an inside look at Border Patrol Agent’s job to track and arrest those entering the country illegally.

However, along with those “coming for a better life,” immigrants are an increasing number of drug smugglers, terrorists and other hardened criminals. Wald points out that this increasing danger along the border is evident with the recent murders of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and Arizona rancher Robert Krenz.

“Our southern border may be less porous than in past years, however, if it was as secure as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says, Agent Terry and Mr. Krenz might still be alive today,” Wald said.

Combine these murders with the growing drug cartel/gang crime exploding in large and small cities in America and you have a recipe for disaster.

“The degree of increased violence throughout the country by illegal alien cartel members living here and the unstoppable drug trafficking is far greater now than ever. Napolitano and DHS officials have been misleading the American public with the seriousness of the problems,” Wald finishes.
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Perhaps a lesser-known repercussion that illegal immigration brings to the desert is the environmental damage. The coyote (human smuggler) often uses the same path each time they lead a group of illegal aliens deeper into the U.S. and during the desert trek they leave behind an immense amount of litter, old clothes (that would identify them as Mexicans) as well as human feces.

While the environmentalists may not be quick to respond to the desecration of America’s desert region, Arizona lawmakers have been quick to draw up legislation in an effort to curtail the multi-billion dollar industry. Tougher laws, like SB1070, may have sparked a national backlash; it has also put the light a problem that will not go away on its own.

With the help of Wald, Southern Exposure provides lawmakers and the general public with first-hand knowledge of the complex illegal immigration crisis that American’s who live near the border face every day. Many remote desert residents admit that they are afraid to walk alone on their own property due to the increase of heavily-armed drug traffickers.

If there is one thing Wald wants Americans to take away from this documentary it’s the failure of the U.S. government to uphold the laws already on the books and protect the nation’s borders from dangerous criminal elements that not looking for that “better life.”

“The silence from the environmentalist organizations regarding the disease from illegal aliens and the dumping of hazardous waste in wildlife preserves is concerning,” Wald explains. “Also the political push to appease radical Hispanic activist groups for the sake of securing cheap labor and future voting blocs is harmful for Americans. And finally the unwillingness of many illegal aliens to assimilate with Americans” will only continue the border region quagmire.

What's more, at a Senate Homeland Security Committee meeting last week, a Federal Auditor asserted that the Border Patrol was only able to patrol and stop illegal aliens from entering America for approximately 129 -miles of the nearly 2,000-mile border. This well-known fact is not something lost by those who seek illegal entry into the country.

In the past four years there have been more than 35,000 murders related to the drug cartels in Mexico (that’s more than the Afghanistan and Iraq wars combined) and this violence has contributed to many illegals fleeing Mexico’s narco-state. In the end, Southern Exposure’s filmmakers hope their snapshot of border insecurity can assist lawmakers and law enforcement in their quest to protect the country from foreign threats.

To view the documentary trailer; http://www.southernexposuredocumentary.us/

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

BP Agent Terry murdered in shootout, stark reminder of San Diego Agent Rosas

Elite Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was shot and killed during a firefight in southern Arizona about 13 miles north of the Mexico/Nogales border late Tuesday night.

The multiple agent and bandit gun battle erupted after Border Patrol agents spotted known-outlaws who have been targeting unsuspecting illegal immigrants passing through a violent smuggling corridor in Arizona, according to National Border Patrol Council President T.J. Bonner. “Our agent was murdered in cold blood by criminals running around out there without impunity.”

"The border is not secure," Bonner said. "Those who say that it's secure are either misinformed or they're being disingenuous. If you have bandits operating that far north into the United States and there's enough activity to sustain that it tells you there's a lot of traffic getting by the Border Patrol."

The shootout claimed the life of Terry and took place in the Peck Canyon region near quiet Rio Rico, Arizona.

Local law enforcement was called to the scene after the shooting ceased and medical assistance was required.

"A little after 11 p.m., we got a call from Border Patrol headquarters requesting backup and emergency medical service. There had been shots fired, and one of their agents had been shot. We did send our deputies up there. We did contact the ambulance service. They did respond to an area known as Peck Canyon. By the time the ambulance personnel got there, the agent had already passed away," Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada told the Arizona Republic.

The murder comes after a tumultuous year for Arizona. The state was sued by the federal government after state lawmakers passed SB1070, a law that would allow local law enforcement to crack down on the increased violence related to illegal immigration that has plagued the state for years.

This latest murder spotlights the nation’s borders and the inability of Department of Homeland Security to secure the 2,000 miles international border and prevent narco-style violence form creeping into the U.S.

"It is a stark reminder of the very real dangers our men and women on the front lines confront everyday as they protect our communities and the American people," said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Officers on the scene say Terry and the other Border Patrol agents came across a group of five suspected bandits, who didn’t appear to be hauling drugs, but were carrying weapons.

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu points to a December 11 incident in Arizona where “so-called bandits” have been preying on unsuspecting illegal immigrants.

During the investigation, “it was discovered the Crown Victoria had been outfitted to represent a law enforcement vehicle. The vehicle had red and blue strobe lights, orange and white strobe lights, a siren, spotlight and front push bar,” Babeu’s press release said.

“It is believed that based upon the positioning of the vehicles, the fact the rear windows of the Crown Victoria were rolled down, the trunk open with a bail of marijuana in it, a black ski mask and black hoodie sweater found next to the driver's seat, that this was an attempted rip of the marijuana in the Ford Taurus by a ‘rip crew.’ This case shows how those responsible for drug and human trafficking are attempting to conduct their business under the disguise of law enforcement. This tactic not only puts law enforcement at risk but also the citizens of Pinal County.”

Local law enforcement was not alone in its criticism with the continued violence.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said, "Although we needed no reminder of the ever-increasing dangers along our southern border, this tragedy serves as stark notice that the threats facing all who serve in protecting our state and nation are real and are increasing on a daily basis," Brewer said.

This event is just one in a series of events that put residents at risk in their own country. Many of these criminal-illegal aliens partake in shootings, robberies, rape, murder, drug smuggling and dealing on a daily basis costing the taxpayers in Arizona untold sums of money in court and incarceration costs.

Border Patrol Agent Terry has now become the latest sacrifice on the altar of political correctness, according to David J. Stoddard, Chairman, National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers.

“We call for immediate implementation of our Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement proposal. We call for eliminating all restrictions that impede or hinder Border Patrol operations along the U.S./Mexico border on public lands,” Stoddard said.

“We (also) call for the deployment of U.S. military units to help secure the border and thus eliminate the violence generated by drug cartels for control of drug routes into the USA,” he finished.

The murder of Terry, a three-year veteran of the Border Patrol and retired Marine, brings to mind others who have lost their lives to border violence- Arizona rancher Robert Krentz and San Diego Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas, not to mention the hundreds who suffer from crimes committed by illegal immigrants on a daily basis.

Ranking member of Congress and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Elect Lamar Smith, (R-Texas) referred to this murder as unacceptable.

"The murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry is a sad reminder of the real-life dangers that Americans and our law enforcement agents face along the southwest border," Smith said in a statement. "What will it take to make the Obama administration realizes that we must do more to secure our border and keep Americans safe? Earlier this year, a rancher in Arizona was killed on his own property. The suspect is believed to have been an illegal immigrant. Last night, Border Patrol Agent Terry lost his life for simply doing his job. How many more Americans will die before the Obama administration wakes up and starts taking illegal immigration seriously?"

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2010 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

A shift in messaging for Border Patrol stirs border battle debate

The uptick of violence along America’s southern border has brought the U.S. Border Patrol agency under the microscope and has raised several questions leaving many rank-and-file agents concerned as to what their job title really means.

According to the agency’s website the primary concern for those in green along the border is indeed terrorism.

“We are the guardians of our Nation’s borders, we are America’s frontline. We safeguard the American homeland at and beyond our borders. We protect the American public against terrorist and the instruments of terror. We steadfastly enforce the laws of the United States while fostering our Nation’s economic security through lawful international trade and travel. We serve the American public with vigilance, integrity and professionalism,” the Border Patrol website statement reads.

Nowhere has this point been taken to heart more than those directing policy inside Border Patrol’s hierarchy.
While the vast majority of American’s believe that fences make good neighbors, Border Patrol management has subscribed to a very different stance. After 9/11 and under the umbrella of Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol began its process to purge the agency of old school agents and filling those slots with new agents who didn’t ask too many questions.

Border Patrol’s new mission led to statements from sector chiefs along the southwest border that drew ire from residents and congressional members alike.

For example, former Laredo-sector chief Carlos Carrillo was scrutinized for making blanket statements to area residents like, “agents don’t have the responsibility of apprehending illegal immigrants” and “illegal narcotics are not on agent’s priority list.”

Carrillo emphasized that Border Patrol’s responsibility was to keep the country safe from terrorism. He even went as far to say if terrorists came into the country his agents would be ready.

However the House Judiciary Committee sees things a little differently. "Ranking Member Smith is concerned about the apparent lack of focus on illegal immigration, and he plans to write to the Department of Homeland Security demanding answers."

Late last week another insidious incident happened along the Texas/Mexico border- a U.S. Citizen was murdered while jet skiing at Falcon Lake, a waterway shared by both the U.S. as well as Mexico. After the story gained legs, Texas Governor Rick Perry stepped in and added his opinion.

First the governor considers the shooting of a U.S. citizen on Falcon Lake spillover violence from cartels.

Word from the Texas governor's office in Austin, says they are calling on Washington D.C. leaders to send more support along some of the country’s most dangerous borders.

A statement released by Governor Perry’s office shows the urgency Texans are facing everyday the borders remain unsecure.

"Every day drug and human traffickers exploit the southwest border...they are increasingly confrontational... which is illustrated by incidents of spillover violence...the governor has continued to urge this administration to...immediately deploy additional resources to the Texas-Mexico border, including 1,000 title 32 national guardsmen and predator drones."

While the border may have more resources dedicated to securing the southwestern region than ever, the fact remains drugs and illegal aliens continue to head north. In fact the Arizona border has witnessed more than its fair share of trafficked narcotics by heavily armed cartel members who seem to have the first 80 miles inside Arizona under their control.

This is evidenced by the placement of numerous sign by the Federal Bureau of Land Management informing residents to not enter the region due to armed smugglers and the fact law enforcement may not be able to protect U.S. residents from dangerous criminals.

Arizona Sheriff Larry Dever from Cochise County, where rancher Rob Krentz was murdered by an alleged illegal alien, said many portions of the Grand Canyon state are out of control and has repeatedly asked from more support from Phoenix to Washington D.C. Like Texas Governor Perry, Sheriff Dever’s requests have gone unnoticed.

In an effort to warn other American’s about the dangerous border regions, Sheriff Dever traveled to Washington last week to sit on a panel for the Heritage Foundation. The hour and a half seminar focused on border issues and how best to allocate resources to the region.

Dever contends the U.S. Border Patrol has pulled back from parts of Arizona because manning those areas has become too dangerous. “You frankly have Border Patrolmen, and I know this from talking to Border Patrol agents, who will not allow their agents to work on the border because it is too dangerous,” Dever said during a CNSNews.com interview.

The Arizona lawman also says agents in the field are only doing what they are told and infers the agents in his county and beyond are capable to patrolling the border minefield, but management stifles their efforts.

“Then you have middle management and upper management that says, ‘No, it’s too dangerous right there and we’re going to cause an international incident if there’s shooting across the line, back and forth,’” Dever claims.

Dever said one only needs to look at the Bureau of Land Management signs placed in Pinal County, 70 miles north of the border, warning citizens the area was a known drug-smuggling route and they may not be safe, as a sign Americans are not protected inside U.S. boundaries.

Many Border Patrol agents have witnessed the changing of the guard

The U.S. Border Patrol was founded in 1924. Their job was to protect the southwest border and for 80 years Border Patrol’s primary mission was to apprehend illegal aliens and confront smugglers even though they were greatly outmanned.

After Border Patrol’s reorganization under DHS, David Aguilar, who was disliked by the Tucson media as Sector Chief, but was somehow elevated to Chief of the Border Patrol in mid-2004.

“For years, David was seen as a tail-kisser by numerous retirees. In fact his benefactor is his former Chief Silvestre ‘Silver’ Reyes (D-TX) who was elected to Congress from El Paso after retiring in 1996. It should be noted that I’ve long considered El Paso and Tucson Sectors to be the most corrupt in the nation,” says Andy Ramirez, president of Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council.

Evidence of this can be seen by the FBI indictments last week of Nogales, Arizona’s Mayor, Octavio Garcia Von Borstel, 29, for bribery, theft, fraud, and money laundering charges. “These charges are serious violations of the law. Because some charges involve the official actions of an elected official, they violate the public trust,” said Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard about the Democrat Mayor. “Both the mayor and his father will be held accountable and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Over the years Chief Aguilar not only built his power but began to implement the destruction of the patrol in numerous ways. As early as 2004 a number of key policies were changed without any objection by Aguilar who insulated himself by appointing compadres who protected him and watched his back.

Laredo’s former BP Chief Carrillo was on record for supporting “comprehensive immigration reform” aka amnesty for illegal aliens. “Those who would not ‘go along to get along’ were essentially forced into early retirement in 2006-07. Very few of the legacy chiefs remain in management positions today,” Ramirez says.

“Evidence of the policy change is first noted by the elimination of the sector that had the most apprehensions in the nation, that being Livermore BP Sector in Northern California. Their area of responsibility was California’s Central Valley, which was long a thorn of illegal alien supporters including the Mexican Government. That AOR was given to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who became the new premier agency for interior immigration enforcement under DHS, which is something they’ve hardly made a dent in since their inception,” according to Ramirez.

Just as memos have surfaced from ICE and DHS strategizing ways to circumvent Congress and grant amnesty under the Obama Administration, the open border agenda is nothing new.

“On November 16. 2004 a Memo of Understanding (MOU) between Customs and Border Protection (really meaning the Border Patrol) and ICE resulted in the ICE Office of Investigations being given control of key investigative responsibilities (including narcotics) while neutering the Border Patrol by limiting enforcement to cross border traffic in ‘routine areas of patrol’ meaning agents remained on X’s in deterrence duty,” Ramirez said.

This MOU came on the heels of the 2004 sweeps by agents known as the “dirty dozen” who as a result of protests by the Mexican Government and Hispanic Congressmen were transferred to the border from other stations. Ramirez, who has testified numerous times under oath to Congress, says this policy began to change in a previous MOU released earlier in the year.

“Policy after policy was implemented that could only have been drafted and ordered by Mexico considering how every time Mexico screamed about any and everything, a policy change happened as requested. This would include the memo by DHS Secretary Tom Ridge who also banned ‘racial profiling’ by agents during summer 2004,” Ramirez pointed out.

As such, border enforcement and internal moral is non-existent. The fact is that the retired Chief Patrol Agents and retirees don’t even recognize the agency they built should be of concern to Americans. (NAFBPO has released their immigration reform plan to the American public yesterday).

“Their (Border Patrol) motto of ‘Honor First’ was eliminated by David Aguilar and his cabal who have destroyed 80 years of a proud legacy. What Aguilar did to the patrol without so much as a hint of protest is a disgrace and he should have been fired. His team has no operational control and that directly impacts our national security,” Ramirez contends.

This type of action has led to the Border Patrol Union’s vote of “no confidence” for management the past four years. This is the first time that Border Patrol’s union has voted a “no confidence” in management in 80 years.

Ultimately, today’s Border Patrol management should not be considered law enforcement for they are politicians and the bottom line is that BP management supports amnesty at any cost contrary to their long-held mission for 80 years.

Another longtime Washington D.C. think tank the Center for Immigration Studies has closely monitored all the debates regarding immigration policy. A recent posting by Stanley Renshon, in September of this year reveals details that should be included in any immigration reform plan.

“Establish operational control of the border: We must take action to secure our borders, and that action starts with enforcing our laws. We will ensure that the Border Patrol has the tools and authorities to establish operational control at the border and prohibit the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture from interfering with Border Patrol enforcement activities on federal lands,” Renshon says.

“Work with State and Local Officials to Enforce Our Immigration Laws: The problem of illegal immigration and Mexican drug cartels engaged in an increasingly violent conflict means we need all hands on deck to address this challenge. We will reaffirm the authority of state and local law enforcement to assist in the enforcement of all federal immigrations laws,” he says is necessary to satisfy the American public.

Just as with the National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers plan to reform the nation’s broken immigration laws, CIS believes the common denominator is; enforcement. “This is an understandable emphasis given the public's concern with illegal immigration and the method by which the Pledge (to America) was actually developed,” Renshon explains. “The GOP relied heavily on an interactive forum called ‘America Speaking Out’ which received comments from over 100,000 registered users. Clearly ‘control our borders’ and ‘enforce our immigration laws’ captured in a phrase what most of those who responded to the online forum wished to see done, as well as what many other Americans want and what they feel the government has been unable and unwilling to do.”

When the question of border control and immigration tactics was presented to Texas voters and published in five major Texas newspapers including, NBC Texas- “more than half of the registered voters surveyed support legislation similar to a new Arizona law that cracks down on illegal immigrants.”

According to the poll, 53 percent of 1,072 registered Texas voters said they would support the passage of tougher legislation in Texas.

However, pollster Mickey Blum said when he added the question of possible "racial profiling" as a consequence for new legislation he felt was the possible decrease in support from the 60s. "Even having said those words 'racial profiling' in the question, you've got majority support for that type of law," Blum said. Thirty-eight percent of Texans were opposed to the new legislation, and eight percent were undecided.

This recent news must come as some concern for policy makers in Washington D.C. as their elitism ideas are clearly not resonating with the majority of everyday Americans. But the question remains if the balance of power changes in November, will the new policies be put forth and will they echo with ordinary American ideals?


For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/a-serious-10-step-comprehensive-immigration-plan-from-retired-border-patrol-agents