Texas Officers Involved in Standoff at Border: Involved Men in Mexican Army Uniforms

FOX News ^ | 1-24-2006 | AP

[Main Street]

Texas — Men dressed as Mexican Army soldiers, apparent drug suspects and Texas law enforcement officers faced off on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande...

...Texas Department of Public Safety troopers chased three SUVs, believing they were carrying drugs, to the banks of the Rio Grande during Monday's incident.

Men dressed in Mexican military uniforms or camouflage were on the U.S. side of the border in Texas...

...included an armed standoff involving the Mexican military, suspected drug smugglers and nearly 30 U.S. law enforcement officers. ...Mexican military Humvees were towing what appeared to be thousands of pounds of marijuana across the border into the United States.

...in the Bulletin on Jan. 15 that said the Mexican military had crossed into the United States more than 200 times since 1996.

...Border Patrol agents called for backup and were joined by Hudspeth County deputies and DPS troopers. Mexican army personnel had several mounted machine guns on the ground more than 200 yards inside the U.S. border...

...deputies captured a Cadillac Escalade that had been reported stolen from El Paso, and found 1,477 pounds of marijuana inside. He said Mexican soldiers set fire to one of the Humvees stuck in the river.

"It's been so bred into everyone not to start an international incident with Mexico that it's been going on for years,"..."When you're up against mounted machine guns, what can you do? Who wants to pull the trigger first? Certainly not us."

After the...reported on Mexican military crossings, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the report was overblown and most of the incursions were just mistakes.

In November,...Border Patrol agents...called for help after confronting more than six men dressed in Mexican military uniforms. The men allegedly were trying to bring more than three tons of marijuana across the Rio Grande...

[Personal Responsibility]

most of the incursions were just mistakes.

Yeah, the fact that they came into US Territory with 1500 pounds of pot was a mistake. Give me a break.

[jeremiah]

Ummmmmmmm call in air support, is the short answer.

[blackdiamondracer]

They can do this every day of the week. What does a BP Agent have in his SUV that can take on crew served weapons?

Guys in mexican uniforms setting up fighting positions on US land...sounds like a valid military target.

[Realism]

So what does the Department of Homeland Security actually do anyway. I'm thinking that a quick reaction force of Apache helicopters should be on 24hr. standby along the border to backup up these border patrol guys.

[mnehring]

One more reason to support Perry. He actually is trying to use the Guard on the border.

Vehicles in the Texas Army National Guard's inventory include M1-A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, M-2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, M-109A5 Self-Propelled Howitzers, HEMT Refuelers, HMMWVs, 5-ton trucks and more.

Texas Army National Guard aircraft include UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters, OH-58C Kiowa helicopters, CH-47D Chinook helicopters, AH-64 Apaches, AH-1 Cobras, C-23B+ Sherpas and a C-12 Huron.

Texas Air National Guard aircraft include C-130Hs, F-16Cs and F-16Ds.

[One Proud Dad]

If the Governor was to do this PDQ he would win re-election in a landslideov er one tought old woman and force action by the Feds simply out of embarrassment.

[edgrimly78]

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the report was overblown and most of the incursions were just mistakes.


How can it be overblown when this is obviously one of the main suppliers of the drug problem. What is the deal here. How can a blind eye be turned in this matter. Who is pulling Chertoff's strings...

[mnehring]

There are a lot of feds putting up roadblocks afraid of an incident.. In this case, I believe Perry has the legal authority on this one.

[One Proud Dad]

Let the Mexican argue international incident when we destroy their assets on our side of the river. Just do not cross in pursuit nor shoot over the river as some persons have done before.

[Americanexpat]

There you have it, the BP had admitted they cannot protect the borders. The Governor needs to use the National Guard and send a bill to Bush.

[mnehring]

:->
I'm sure the roadblocks are State Department folks with no spine..

[JMS]

The Governor should be calling out the Guard right now with heavy weapons.

[mnehring]

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=703C3936-C4F1-4C3F-8EE2-A59F56A921C4

[N3WBI3]

After the...reported on Mexican military crossings, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the report was overblown and most of the incursions were just mistakes.

How do you mistakingly cross a border *WHEN THERE IS A RIVER THERE TO TELL YOU EXACLY WHERE THE BORDER IS*.

[WestCoastGal]

Yes he's a wimp.

BTW, where is the Governor?

[JMS]

I understand Perry wants to put them on the border, I meant for this situation.

[WestCoastGal]

The Governor is running for office again, so he's in Iraq on a trip with the news cameras.

[spectre]

I feel like I'm living in the twilight zone. What is going on here?

I could just scream...

sw

[N3WBI3]

Well if incursion was a big mistake maybe we need a fence along the whole border just to make things easier for the Mexican military..

[Travis McGee]