The $15 million dollar border failure

Marine Inspector ^ | 02/11/2005 | Marine Inspector

[Marine Inspector]

Last year, the Department of Homeland Security began testing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles along the Arizona / Mexico border as part of its $15 million dollar Arizona Border Control Initiative.

From June through September, The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection began testing 2 Israeli made Hermes 450 UAV’s, which cost 2 million dollars each.

During this 4-month evaluation, the UAV’s helped the Border Patrol apprehend 965 illegal entrants and about 850 pounds of marijuana.

During that same 4-month period, June, July, August and September, the Border Patrol apprehended approximately 360,000 illegal entrants.

The Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol apprehends approximately 43% of the total southwest border apprehensions . This would equate to approximately 154,800 illegal entrants apprehended by the Tucson Sector during the 4-month UAV testing period.

Hence, the 4 million dollar UAV’s accounted for less then 1% of the Sectors total apprehensions. I’m not expert, but that does not sound cost effective.

But wait, it gets worse.

According to Paul Olski, director of aviation joint planning and development in the Department of Homeland Security, the Hermes spotted 853,000 people crossing the border during the evaluation period.

Now let’s connect these dots and put this information into perspective.

The UAV’s spotted 853,000 illegal entrants in the Tucson Sector, yet the Tucson Sector Border Patrol Agents only apprehended 154,800 of those illegal entrants.

Where did the other 698,200 illegal entrants go?

In a 4-month period, 698,200 illegal aliens made it into the United States, through Arizona alone and no one knows who they are, where they are or why they are here.

How many made it through the other 8 to 9 months? If the numbers stay the same, almost 2 million illegal aliens slipped through the Arizona / Mexico border

How many made it through California, New Mexico and Texas? No were talking another million or so. This is not fantasy; this is reality. This is what the Federal Government does not want you to know.

Some people want you to believe that no terrorists have crossed over the border with Mexico. How can anyone believe this? Does the Federal Government really expect me to believe an unskilled worker from Mexico or points south can sneak in undetected, but not a trained terrorist?

Simply incredible!

[Marine Inspector]

Ping

[ConservativeMind]

A good post.

[Leatherneck_MT]

It's time WE did something. It's obvious that the Feds aren't going to do anything.

[Marine Inspector]

Thank you.

[Marine Inspector]

I agree, but what are we going to do?

The President does not care, the Senate does not care, the majority of the House does not care and the courts don't care.

[NewRomeTacitus]

But some here want you, border agent man, to do the ostrich and "leave things be". We have every right to know the truth while shouldering our obligation as citizens to protect and preserve our country and culture. Doing anything less (and there's no shortage of citizens doing less) means selling out the efforts of everyone who came before us.

More importantly - allowing the creeping corruption to continue unchecked robs our progeny of the future that would have been their birthright: a nation where they had a fair chance for success as equals under the law.

Today I see our formerly free market warped by artificial distortions designed to enrich a Mexican-style elitist class on the backs of a neo-slave caste of hopeless drones. The apologists cite the neccessity of retooling ourselves to compete in a world market while history has seen us constantly throw the baby out with the bathwater in the name of short-term profit (robotics to Japan, manufacturing to China, etc.). The well of our resources and ingenuity can only be milked so long before lack of reinvestment (in ourselves through education and local development) reaches the inevetible conclusion - Third World status, beholden to those who considered us the role-model to live up to.

I don't want to be alive to endure that, but if I have to I'd much rather say I did my best to stop it.

[junta]

bump

[FITZ]

There is just so much incentive for them to come here --- free health care which they don't have in Mexico, schools with free books, computers, breakfasts and lunches. WIC, housing assistance and they'll soon be put on the fast track to citizenship ---- while those who obey the laws have a long wait. Employers are getting by with breaking all kinds of wage, labor, and tax laws.

There is no incentive to improve their own country when they're being enticed to come here.

[Leatherneck_MT]

One of our fellow freepers posted a link to a website sometime yesterday called minutemen.com or something of that nature.

There is a gathering starting April 1st in Arizona (Tombstone). They will be gathering to form a border watch in conjunction with the USBP.

Granted this is a token action because volunteers cannot sit on the border 24 and 7. But this maybe the start of something bigger if more people will go there and sign up and then actually GO.

[spectre]

If you think people don't care, just ask your friends and neighbors what they think about the illegal immigrant issue. They care very much.

The stats in this article are shocking and overwhelming. If we don't stop this mass exodus from Mexico to the U.S, we might just as well illiminate the Border, which is where we are heading, God help us all.

sw

[DoughtyOne]

I had thought the Time Magazine article was a bit zealous with it's projection that three million were crossing the border per year now. The stats you address here make it clear, that three million is a rather accurate figure.

This means that the equivalent of sixty new Joplin Missouris, thirty new Burbank Californias or 15 new Glendale Californias cross our border with Mexico each year.

Assimilation is impossible at this rate.

Terrorism will result, and of all things, "CONSERVATISM" will take the big hit for this happening. It will be a leftist's holiday when this comes down.

As a nation, we the people every right to demand this be corrected. Our federal officials are in violation of their oaths of office. They are failing to protect the states from invasion. They are derelict in their duty to prevent terrorists from crossing the border.

[FBD]

good Post M.I.
Thanks

[usurper]

I agree with your assessment of the UVA program.

UVA were designed to be operated in extremely high threat areas over the battlefield. Last time I checked, alien and dope smugglers were not using SAMs to down our Border Patrol aircraft.

It takes something like 10 people to operate a UAV, operator and support personnel. A helicopter only takes one, and 1 full time mechanic for every three birds. I have not seen a cost comparison but I am sure UAVs have a significantly higher hourly operational cost.

Additionally a manned aircraft has multiple capabilities and flexibilities that a UAV does not. You can’t yank and back a UAV and get down in the weeds. The only advantage I am aware of is that UAVs have an advantage in linger time over the operational area. Hence they can stay aloft 2 to 3 times longer that a manned aircraft without refueling.

[hedgetrimmer]

Bump

[LNewman]

Thanks! Printed this thread out in case it does the el disappearo thingo. ;)

[Spiff]

I haven't seen a retraction yet, but my gut feeling is that the 853,000 figure in Aviation Today was an error. It could be right, but it is unfathomable that the UAV saw that many people going through my backyard in such a short amount of time. Or is it?

[Marine Inspector]

Yes, I've read and heared about the MMP.

If it were not for my job, I would go join them.

[Marine Inspector]

If you think people don't care, just ask your friends and neighbors what they think about the illegal immigrant issue.

I know the people care, it's the Government that does not care and unfortunately, the people that care keep reelection the politicians that don't care.