Posted on 03/30/2006 9:40:53 AM PST by NormsRevenge
Former Tucson sector Border Patrol agent Scott James says he caught his fair share of illegal immigrants from countries other than Mexico during his years of service with the agency. Not that it really mattered, he added.
James, who resigned from the Border Patrol two months ago, said his job, like those of his colleagues, was little more than a sham. Enforcing the law was the last thing the Department of Homeland Security wanted, he said.
Some illegal immigrants apprehended on the border are from Pakistan, Iraq, China and other countries considered by the Department of Homeland Security to be "of special interest" - that is, countries with known terrorist ties.
When immigrants from these nations are apprehended by U.S. law enforcement officials, many times they are processed and released within three hours, James said.
In the past six months, 57,312 non-Mexican migrants - commonly referred to as OTMs, for "other than Mexican" - were apprehended by Border Patrol agents in the United States, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Of those, 52,644 were caught along the southern border, said Salvador Zamora, spokesman for the department.
Compared to the six-month period from October 2004 to March 2005 - when 54,207 non-Mexican migrants were arrested, 49,828 of them along the southern border - apprehensions of non-Mexican migrants is up 5.7 percent, Zamora added.
The growing number of illegal immigrants crossing the border has stirred concern among congressional and Senate leaders during the past year. Controversial programs such as the Department of Homeland Security's "catch and release" strategy - in which other-than-Mexican immigrants are released into the U.S. with an order to appear at an immigration hearing later - have long been debated as serious national security flaws.
The majority of those caught do not return for court appearances. Instead, they disappear into the U.S. and become almost impossible to trace, Bonner said.
"We understand the vulnerabilities that exist along the 2,000-mile border with Mexico," Zamora said. "When there's this type of vulnerability, the possibility of ... narcotics, people and terrorists (entering) exists."
Homeland Security Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's promise of ending the "catch and release" practice still hasn't come to fruition. The department contends that there is limited bed space and facilities to hold the non-Mexican migrants who are not able to return to their country of origin.
Many of these migrants enter the country with no documentation at all and officials can't determine where they are from, said TJ Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents about 10,000 Border Patrol agents.
"We are working to see if we can address this (issue of OTMs) through the courts," Chertoff said in March. "We're also working for prospective legislation that would address this issue and allow us to begin the process of expedited removal for all categories of non-Mexicans."
Chertoff added that the department plans to discuss other challenges, such as dealing with migrants from other parts of the world such as Asia.
James, however, questions why the "catch and release" program ever existed.
"The way they're going to end the program is by removing `catch' from the phrase," he said. "Release will be the only option."
According to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, overall apprehensions - of both Mexican and non-Mexican migrants - are up 8.7 percent this year compared to the same time last year.
James said Border Patrol officials keep a tight lid on captures of immigrants from countries with ties to terrorist nations, and that the Department of Homeland Security spins the public's perception of border safety.
"I think the Border Patrol has a vested interest in making anything that reflects on the dangers of the border go away," said James, who left the Border Patrol to pursue a career in law. "What's really disturbing is that you don't know who's getting around you. It's not impossible to think that terrorists have used or will use our borders to get across."
In 2004, 644 migrants from Middle Eastern countries - including Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan - were apprehended at the border, according to Border Patrol data. The number for 2005 was similar: 649.
Since October, 205 people from Middle Eastern nations, some with terrorist ties, have been apprehended, according to the data.
Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center For Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based immigration think tank, said ignoring border security to focus on a guest-worker program may have damaging future consequences.
Current legislation passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee this week to allow nearly 400,000 unskilled guest laborers into the U.S. has angered many law enforcement officials and border patrol agents, James said. He added that dealing with guest labor before national security is a backward policy.
"Immigration control at our border, our airports and elsewhere is far more important than ever before in national security," Krikorian said. "This isn't just an issue of radical Islam, but future conflicts, let's say, with countries like Korea and Colombia. From this point forward, immigration control has to be the center of any national security strategy ... leaving our border open is an invitation to attack."
But Zamora said border agents are ready.
"Border Patrol agents are the front line of defense when it comes to the war on terror," he said. "And border security has been enhanced since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks."
James, however, argued that apathy has set in among many agents.
And the increase in border violence against law enforcement officials is on the rise. In March, Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar testified at congressional hearings that violence against agents is up 108 percent since last year.
Increasing narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and attacks on agents have left many worried that they are fighting a losing battle without support, James said.
"The gung ho spirit I felt when I first entered the patrol disappeared quickly," James said. "There is no sense in stumbling around in the dark and risking your life when you know that this is just a big piece of theater and that the people you work for don't care about your life. And the ones you captured are just going to be released."
How do all the OTMs get into Mexico to begin with?
Can you say, "sleepers?" I wonder what their signal will be?
Thank you El Presidente Jorge!
My tagline says it all (with ongoing thanks to SteveMcKing for letting me snag it).
At least the USD should be our new North American Union currency, and not the Looney or Peso!
Surreal, so-called "Compassionate Conservativism".
And yet anyone in a position to know concedes that at least 2 out of 3 illegal crossers get through. That's not what I'd call effective.
"In the past six months, 57,312 non-Mexican migrants - commonly referred to as OTMs, for "other than Mexican" - were apprehended by Border Patrol agents in the United States, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Of those, 52,644 were caught along the southern border, said Salvador Zamora, spokesman for the department.
Compared to the six-month period from October 2004 to March 2005 - when 54,207 non-Mexican migrants were arrested, 49,828 of them along the southern border - apprehensions of non-Mexican migrants is up 5.7 percent, Zamora added."
What Global freaking War? ???
Don't forget Gracis Senor Presidente Fox, Nuestro Amigo.
Here's one way:
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/000903.php
"Homeland Security Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's promise of ending the "catch and release" practice still hasn't come to fruition. The department contends that there is limited bed space and facilities to hold the non-Mexican migrants who are not able to return to their country of origin."
Chertoff = Arbusto's sock puppet.
I expect that thieving, corrupt, dirtbag (Fox) to behave like that. Had I known about President "Better than Kerry!", I would have gone a different route.
Catch and release?
We have the same rules in PA on some fly-fishing streams.
"We are working to see if we can address this (issue of OTMs) through the courts," Chertoff said in March. "We're also working for prospective legislation that would address this issue and allow us to begin the process of expedited removal for all categories of non-Mexicans."
Considering what past POTUS' have gotten away with during war, this is an absolute non-starter, copout line of bovine scatology.
Some fly in...we've found their airline tickets in dump sites along the trails, mostly from Brazil.
Others sneak across the southern Mexican border, just as they do across the northern Mexican border.
"James said Border Patrol officials keep a tight lid on captures of immigrants from countries with ties to terrorist nations, and that the Department of Homeland Security spins the public's perception of border safety.
"I think the Border Patrol has a vested interest in making anything that reflects on the dangers of the border go away," said James, who left the Border Patrol to pursue a career in law. "What's really disturbing is that you don't know who's getting around you. It's not impossible to think that terrorists have used or will use our borders to get across.""
Wow, ya *think*?!
Scary stuff. More Mexicans converting to Islam? Why?
"Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center For Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based immigration think tank, said ignoring border security to focus on a guest-worker program may have damaging future consequences."
Unfortunately, the Chief Executive and his RINO cohorts in the Senate disagree. To all our peril.
I know. I have a friend who did it, just to prove it could be done. He took a backpack from across the border in Mexico into the Federal Courthouse in Tucson without having it checked.
This guy is a retired soldier, but speaks fluent Korean and Spanish; and looks like he could be Mexican or Arab with his dark skin and beard.
Oh, my. Some dare call what's going on treason.
And why shouldn't they?
Only if the tag is worth money, like when you catch a tagged fish.
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