...Chief David Aguilar"
Posted on 08/31/2004 6:41:01 PM PDT by txdoda
LAREDO, Texas — The new chief of the U.S. Border Patrol said Tuesday the nation's southwest border is secure, even as hundreds of thousands continue to cross illegally and the Sept. 11 commission cautioned terrorists could be among them.
"We have implements ... to ensure that even if they get past the border, they're going to be caught up in that net of enforcement," said Chief David Aguilar.
The Border Patrol has cameras, agents and other resources to catch illegal immigrants at and beyond the border, Aguilar said during a stop in Laredo to publicize the next phase of an ad campaign to discourage would-be migrants.
Using television, radio, newspaper and bus station ads in their hometowns throughout Mexico and Central America, the ads tell would-be illegal immigrants: "No mas cruces en la frontera." The slogan translates to "No more crossing the border" but in this case, the word "cruces" also means "No more (cemetery) crosses at the border."
The campaign is meant to stress the dangers of trekking through deserts, swimming the unpredictable Rio Grande, or crowding into trucks or train cars. It is also meant to inform migrants of the continuing buildup of equipment and personnel to catch them.
Aguilar told a news conference with mostly Spanish-language media that 275 migrants have died since October along the southwest border, an improvement by 20 percent from last year.
In recent months, the Border Patrol has come under scrutiny as the agency responsible for stemming economic migration, but also preventing terrorists from infiltrating the U.S. homeland.
That challenge was made clear by the Sept. 11 commission's findings that terrorists might slip through the Mexican border and what Department of Homeland Security Commissioner Robert Bonner this month said was a "period of increased risk" before the presidential election.
"There's a tremendous recognition on the part of our agents out there that the job they do today is tremendously different, the responsibility is tremendously different than prior to 9-11," he said. "As we speak to agents today, it is no longer the Border Patrol controlling the border, it is the Border Patrol protecting America."
Fears escalated in July with the apprehension of a woman who apparently waded through the Rio Grande before being caught at an airport last month with a tattered South African passport.
Her apprehension came as South African officials were reporting stolen passports in the hands of people suspected of al-Qaida terrorist connections.
According to initial reports, a Border Patrol agent checked several law enforcement watch lists and then found her name. To some, the agent's need to check several lists highlighted the Sept. 11 commission's concern Homeland Security agents were not well linked with military intelligence.
Aguilar said the agent showed the motivation within the ranks.
"It was that desire to go beyond what would have typically been a couple of record checks that got him to where we now ended up with an indictment, we've ended up with what we feel is a very important apprehension out there," he said. "Post Sept. 11, we are at war. We are protecting our nation from those that would come to this country to do us harm."
Mexico is a key ally in this war, he said, thanks to Border Patrol outreaches to share intelligence, training, and equipment.
"The communication is in fact constant," he said. "I feel very comfortable that if a Mexican law officer had a need to communicate with us not only would they do it they would do it and have a means to so anytime, day or night."
So far, there has not been an upsurge in apprehensions of people from "special interest" nations crossing illegally, he said.
"Has there been a tremendous increase by the part of the Border Patrol, no, but each and every person that we apprehend is of course now scrutinized at a level much, much higher than it ever was before."
___
August 31, 2004 - 3:26 p.m. PDT
...Chief David Aguilar"
Is this an early April fool's joke, no one's going to believe that.
SECURE??? This "new chief" made a fool out of himself with this ridiculous announcement.
He's just conforming to what the chiefs want....the party platform wants to inundate us with illegal aliens....and call it 'moderate' conservatism
Kinda like peeing in your drinking water and calling it 'moderate' purity...
imo
OK, who thinks they can get up in front of the press and say the borders are safe with a straight face?
Aguilar! good man. You're the new BP chief, congratulations son.
"peace in our time". "a relgion of peace" " the southern border is secure" HAHAHA
Yep, that must be his pic.
Someone needs to check & see how much taxpayers are *forced* to pay this idiot.
Step AWAY from the bong, Chief Aguilar!
Apparently our *new chief* believes it....he said it.
David Aguilar - AKA - Baghdad Bob
He's also convinced *himself* we have a "net of enforcement", to catch the ones missed at the border.
Last I heard, our "net of enforcement" still hadn't found most of the 450K absconders already running loose in the US (300K plus, since *before* 9-11)
THe moon is made out o fcheese you know.
Now it can be reported by the administration, that the border is secure.
Another accomplishment for the bush team!
Bringing truth and integrity back to the white house?
Mexico sided with France & Germany when we needed their Iraq vote. Mexico supports Palestinians terorists and even equates some of it's own citizens in the USA as the occupied, not the occupiers.
Yeah, Mexico is a real ally.
LOL Good picture.
The question is not who hired him, the question is who promoted him, he was promoted from Chief of the Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol. I think Tom Ridge is ultimately responsible.
SSDD.
Politics as usual.
Tell the lie, tell it often enough . . . . .
Meanwhile, Mexico's population is down to 3 people - including Vicente Fox.
(American)Ranchers Say Sector Chief Targets Them
"We're the bad guys so if they have anything to prosecute us....they want to prosecute us..so David Aguilar... this is his way to find out if they can prosecute us."
http://www.americanpatrol.com/FEATURES/021029-FEDS-MAD-AT-BARNETT/Feature021029.html
LOL! I'm not even sure about him, I thought I saw him working behind the counter at McDonald's.
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.