Posted on 09/13/2005 7:52:18 AM PDT by Ajnin
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol agents said apprehensions of illegal immigrants have been on a decline in the El Centro Sector compared to last year due to an increase in Border Patrol specialty units.
Border Patrol senior agents and public information officers Lloyd Frers and Enrique Lozano said they keep detailed records of all apprehensions through their fiscal year, which begins in October.
Frers said the numbers should be accurate because the fiscal year is coming to an end.
Frers added in fiscal 2004 apprehensions were at 72,000 by the end of September.
"This year we have 51,000 apprehensions thus far," he said.
Frers said a number of different things could have contributed to the decline in apprehensions, including a shoring up of the sector's infrastructure.
"We have been putting up more barriers and we have more agents working the line," he said.
He added the Border Patrol has been patching a number of holes in fences along the U.S.-Mexico border.
"We made them taller and stronger," he said.
Specialty units, such as the Border Patrol all-terrain vehicle units, have shut down many illegal immigrant foot traffic areas in the east and west ends of the desert, said Frers.
When it comes to drug trafficking, the Border Patrol sees more than people think. Agents deal mostly with loads of marijuana going through the desert but have also dealt with loads of cocaine, but not many, Frers said.
Lozano said the oldest and most effective method agents use to detect and apprehend illegal immigrants is when agents use old tires to drag and smooth the sand of the desert floors in order to pick up footprints of illegal immigrants that lead into the United States.
Lozano added many new and updated systems also are in place such as video surveillance cameras, helicopters, airplanes and sensors along the border.
Some illegal immigrants found dead in the desert due to heat exposure or dehydration are not because of systems failing, he said.
Lozano said the reason is because some smugglers cross illegal immigrants after they have been waiting in the sun for several hours without food or water and die some 20 feet from the border.
Border Patrol agents sometimes find body parts out in the desert and must handle it as if it were an entire body that was found.
In 2004 Border Patrol agents found 35 dead bodies or remains. So far in 2005 there has been a slight decrease with 26 bodies found, said Lozano.
Several rescue towers are positioned along the desert for illegal immigrants. The towers have signs in English and Spanish explaining what to do to get help, Lozano said.
The towers also have pictures showing how to push the help button for those who don't understand or cannot read the signs, Lozano added.
"Those towers are positioned strategically in certain areas to save lives," he said.
The towers are more of a life-saving device than an apprehension device, he added.
Every Border Patrol agent is trained as a first responder and is equipped with basic medical supplies to possibly save a life when needed or to keep someone alive until emergency medical personnel arrive, Lozano said.
Frers added agents conduct water rescues as well when illegal immigrants attempt to cross local canals to get into the U.S.
There were three water rescues in 2004 and there have been eight in 2005. A rescue consists of someone drowning and not just someone swimming inside the canal, he said.Frers said given the circumstance, smugglers who cross illegal immigrants will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
"But we take special interest of those who endanger people's lives," he added.
Frers encourages anyone who knows of someone smuggling or hiding illegal immigrants inside their homes to contact the U.S. Border Patrol at (800) 901-2003.
When asked about their thoughts of the Friends of the Border Patrol coming to the Valley, Lozano and Frers said they have not given it much thought.
"It will be business as usual," Frers said.
You are absolutely right about the smugglers. Once Tuscon and Yuma Sectors are shored up with manpower and equipment, I'm afraid we are going to see a lot more violence on the border.
Probably because they're making less effort to apprehend them. Shouldn't more agents equal MORE detentiions?
There's room for improvement, however illegal crossings have gone down. Of course this is just one sector. All those that couldn't get across in El Centro Sector are now making it across in Yuma and Tuscon Sectors.
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