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It is in the breaking news sidebar!
Posted on 04/10/2003 8:29:30 PM PDT by JackelopeBreeder
Arizona law enforcement agencies Thursday vowed to crack down on smugglers who lead border crossers to their deaths in the state's deserts.
U.S. Attorney Paul K. Charlton announced the formation of "Operation Desert Risk," a joint local, tribal, federal, and state effort to reduce deaths and cut crimes associated with smuggling.
"Our message to those who would smuggle individuals across our Arizona deserts is that you will go to prison," Charlton said. "Our message to those who would be led through the deserts by these smugglers who care nothing for anything but money is to stay home and stay safe."
A series of new public-service announcements, in both English and Spanish, is intended to help convey that message. Charlton today released those messages, which will be broadcast from American radio and television stations near the border.
Authorities will focus the anti-smuggling on the vast and sparsely populated region in the southwestern corner of the state. It includes the west desert, where 95 border crossers died between Oct. 1, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2002.
It's about time!
MEGA- 
Stay Strong
Fuzzy
Wouldn't it be easier to just seal the border?
It seems it would be mostly drug smugglers and other criminals coming through that way in the first place because it's easy enough for others to get a shopping pass or temporary visa, or fake papers, come across the official ports of entry and then just stay.
Ah, well. Not enough information here. This appears to be a response to Raooooool Grijalva's first official piece of business as a US Senator. That was his submission of a Border Action Network report on the civlian patrols to Paul Charlton along with a request that they be investigated. Hmmm.
Hate or Heroism: Vigilantes on the Arizona BorderNote: In a recent report by the usual suspects above to Terry Goddard, AZ AG, asking him to investigate our civilian patrols, this group's name has now morphed again into "The Border ALLIANCE Network".Hate or Herosim
Vigilantes on the Airzona-Mexico Border
Credits:
Written by Zoe Hammer-Tomizuka and Jennifer Allen
Edited by Sahee Kil, Patrisia Macias Rojas, Bryn Jones Layout by Michelle Davis
Translation by Gustavo Lozano, Nancy Hand, Miguel Guzman, Ceridwen Koski
Research by Piper Weinburg, Randall Smith, Melynda Barnhart, Luis Herrera, Dan Krehbiel, Martin Taylor, Amy Hagemeier, Amy Patze, and the Center for New Community.
Thanks to all the residents of Cochise County who "speak out" in different ways and speak up for the dignity, equality and rights of border communities and immigrants.
Additional thanks to all Border Action Network volunteers and to Theresa Thomas, Dan Krehbiel, Chris Ford, Dan Kehbeil, Political Research Associates, Salomon Baldenegro, and Lupe Castillo for the suggestions, work and insights.
(snip)
Charlton said the task force aims ‘‘to reduce the number of deaths in our Arizona deserts, to better secure our borders and to reduce collateral crime associated with smuggling operations.''
‘‘This is a very serious problem,'' said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who hopes the task force will provide his office with new information to help solve nine execution-style murders over several months. ‘‘Coordination is important, exchange of information is important,'' Arpaio said. ‘‘We still have the big problem — the drugs are still coming through, illegals are still coming through.''
Charlton said Mexican law enforcement help will be a critical part of a successful operation.
Oscar Lujan, acting attache for the new Department of Homeland Security-Immigration at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, praised Mexico's efforts. ‘‘They're taking a very aggressive and assertive position on alien-smuggling,'' Lujan said.
The Border Patrol's Tucson sector chief, David Aguilar, said the task force will dovetail perfectly with his agency's efforts. ‘‘It enhances the broad spectrum of enforcement capacities in the west desert area,'' he said.
The task force's message, Charlton said, is simple: For the next six months the agencies will work together to focus on immigrant-smuggling and on related crimes — such as rape, robbery, murder, vehicle thefts and environmental impact and degradation to lands and natural resources.
‘‘Operation Desert Risk is not a request to have state and local law enforcement agencies become involved in immigration law enforcement,'' Charlton said. ‘‘It is instead an invitation for all law enforcement agencies to work together to affect and lower these collateral crimes as well as improve border security and lower the number of desert deaths.''
The agencies will work to dismantle and disrupt smuggling operations by sending smugglers to prison, he said.
Jennifer Allen, director of the Border Action Network, a Tucson-based border watchdog group, applauded the new law enforcement effort. But Allen said illegal border crossers are dying because a buildup of border enforcement near urban areas is forcing them into the desert.
Poor Jennifer...she reminds me of a radio talk show I heard from Seattle, where the Iraqi caller told the 'little girl' that she just hasn't grown up yet, and joined the adult world.
The illegals are dying because they won't wait to become legal immigrants. And that's just too bloody bad...but make no mistake about it, it is not the fault of American Border Patrol agents, or American employers, or American isolationists, or any other American you want to pick on. It is just that simple...it is their own choice to take that risk, and it is a shame that they sometimes lose the gamble.
No such thing when it relates to illegal immigration.
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