Posted on 02/01/2007 7:41:05 PM PST by woofie
WASHINGTON - U.S. Border Patrol officials say there has been a 13 percent surge in the number of illegal immigrants caught in the New Mexico-El Paso Sector in the past 10 months, even though arrests are down overall in the four Southwest border states.
The arrests are up now because New Mexico was shortchanged in the past, Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar said Tuesday at a briefing on the Southwest border.
"One area that we had not - and I repeat - we had not been able to do a very good job . . . was in the area of New Mexico: Deming, Lordsburg, that area. We just didn't have the resources," Aguilar said.
Spurred by complaints from New Mexico politicians, the Border Patrol last year added 305 agents to the El Paso Sector, which includes the two westernmost counties of Texas.
There are 1,642 Border Patrol agents assigned to the sector with plans to raise that number to 1,900 by the end of the year, said Doug Mosier, a spokesman for the El Paso Sector.
New Mexico also has 692 of the 4,500 National Guardsmen that President Bush ordered deployed to the Southwest border.
Guardsmen from Arkansas, Georgia, Montana, New Jersey, Oklahoma and South Dakota are assisting identification teams, manning observation posts, building vehicle barriers and roads and flying observation planes and helicopters, said New Mexico National Guard spokesman Tom Koch.
When border coverage increases, Aguilar said, "you see an uptick in apprehensions, because the flow doesn't know that you're there. Once you get that increase in apprehensions, you should have a down trend on it shortly thereafter."
From the start of the federal fiscal year Oct. 1 through Sunday, 110,217 illegal immigrants were caught in the El Paso Sector compared with 97,194 over the same time in fiscal year 2005.
Overall, arrests dropped 2 percent along the U.S.-Mexico border, from 957,297 to 938,833, in the same time period.
The El Paso Sector accounts for 12 percent of all apprehensions, compared with 10 percent in fiscal year 2005.
For New Mexico's political leaders, Aguilar's comments were confirmation of their complaints.
"For the last several years, I have been urging the administration to deploy more agents and direct more resources to our state's border, but I was told repeatedly that everything was under control," said U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, Silver City Democrat.
"I'm glad that the White House has finally recognized that things have, in fact, not been under control and has begun to take the problem seriously."
U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, an Albuquerque Republican, said he isn't surprised that arrests are up, "because at long last, we have finally gotten serious about controlling the border."
U.S/. Rep. Steve Pearce, a Hobbs Republican who represents the border counties, said there has been "a dramatic change" in the sector since August, when "high-ranking officials in El Paso seemed unaware and unconcerned about the problem - and unwilling to make significant changes."
Average detention time between capture and extradition has decreased from 60 days to 15, and drug seizures are up significantly, Pearce said.
Jon Goldstein, spokesman for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, said the increase in arrests shows why the governor had to declare a border emergency last year and why he freed up $1.75 million for border county law enforcement agencies.
"The National Guard deployment is a helpful stopgap, but the governor still believes that what are needed are additional, permanent Border Patrol agents along the New Mexico border. These latest figures support that position," Goldstein said.
Aguilar said the National Guard deployment is working to deter illegal immigrants.
In the 69 days since Bush announced the Guard's deployment, apprehensions are down 45 percent, Aguilar said.
Normally, there is a summertime drop as fewer immigrants dare challenge the heat, but last year the drop was just 25 percent, Aguilar said.
The chief of the National Guard Bureau, Gen. Steven Blum, said the Guardsmen are just assisting the Border Patrol, "not defending the United States from an invasion of Mexico" or closing or "militarizing our border."
He said the reason the National Guard was selected for the mission is that the New Mexico National Guard and the other Southwest border state guard units have a history of cooperation with the Mexican armed forces.
"For example, New Mexico last year hosted a parachute competition between the Mexican Army and some paratroopers, U.S. Army airborne-qualified soldiers," Blum said.
I realize for some of you good news on this subject may be shocking ,but try to handle it
Just drove across Southern NM today. I can tell you there were Border Patrol Agents all over the place. Was quite impressive to see. Same for West Texas.
LBT
-=-=-
I remember visiting Columbus, NM about four years ago. Seemed like the end of the world, and VERY easy to cross back and forth across the border.
I get sick of hearing that nothing is being done ....people here like this? they should let their legislators know
Yeah I can understand that. Kind of hard for folks to understand if they can't see it up close and personal I guess...like I did.
I stopped for gas and chatted with a couple agents who were filling up their Jeep. They were really good guys. I give them credit for doing an incredibly hard job.
LBT
-=-=-
New Mexico should change their state's name, maybe to Adams IMO.
Ping!
It does seem like the end of the world. It's really is surreal in many ways. What became pretty evident today is that there are a lot of place they will simply not get across...at least not in massive numbers. I can see a fence and the level of enforcement focus I observed having a big impact.
LBT
-=-=-
and this is good???? They can change that by hitting a few chicken plants in the AM.
ping
I live with this mess, I am weary of seeing that what is being done is mostly smoke, and mirrors, which only deflects the flow of illegals to other areas.
they should let their legislators know
I've stood face to face with both of my Senators, and let them know, one listened, the other, (McCain) turned red, and bristled up. I won't waste my time with my Representative, he represents Mexico, in the U.S. House, since I am a gringo Republican, he won't give me the time of day.
If 13% more are being arrested, how many more are not being caught by the "surge" in ILLRGALS coming in and expecting amnesty by this President and congress?
This would have been good news six years ago. Now it's just what it is - pandering by Bush. Once he gets his amnesty plan they will all be coming. Only from mexico and south of the border, though.
No doubt they're good folks.
It's sad that Bush and the feds, set them up for failure, with too few resources and their leadership would actually prefer that the illegals succeed.
I read this: "...even though arrests are down overall in the four Southwest border states.
So overall they're doing less, but that's good news?
What they are saying is that because of the difficulty in getting across fewer peole are trying to cross the border
from another article:
"Francisco Loureiro, who runs a migrant shelter in Nogales, Mexico, across the border from Arizona, said migrants are afraid of the U.S. troops after hearing reports of abuse in Iraq.
Others have been discouraged by smugglers' fees that have nearly doubled to more than $3,000."
The coyote fees tell a lot
It is good news
A zillion years ago I went on a field trip to Columbus (for a college class on Zapata). We strolled across the border into the little town there (I forget the name) and had a beer (because we were under age in the US). I don't recall any kind of anything to stop us, altho my memory may be fuzzy. I also remember it seemed like the end of the world, even to a New Mexico girl!
susie
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.