Border Disorder (Iraq War Hero Charged With Human Smuggling)

newsweek ^ | July 16 Issue | Arian Campo-Flores and Monica Campbell

[RDTF]

Sgt. Julio Cesar Pacheco had just returned from a nighttime mission in Iraq in August 2004 when mortars began raining down on his camp. Worried about his fellow soldiers, most of whom were sleeping, he raced from one trailer to another to rouse them. But a mortar blast hurled him against a barricade, leaving him unconscious for two days. After returning to the United States in 2005, he was awarded a Purple Heart—an event celebrated with great fanfare in his hometown of Laredo, Texas. "You deserve this, son," his father told him. "You're one of Laredo's heroes."

Which makes his current predicament all the more shocking. Pacheco, 25, now sits in a Laredo jail, where he spoke exclusively with a NEWSWEEK reporter. As he tells it, he needed work after returning from Iraq and joined the National Guard. Eventually, he was deployed as part of Operation Jump Start to help Border Patrol agents combat illegal immigration. "I couldn't believe the amount of drugs and illegal aliens people were trying to smuggle through," he says. Yet authorities allege that Pacheco and two of his fellow guardsmen—Sgt. Clarence Hodge, 36, and Pfc. Jose Rodrigo Torres, 26—became part of that very problem, drawn by the allure of some quick cash. Last week all three were indicted on charges of conspiring to smuggle undocumented immigrants across the border. (They are scheduled to be arraigned this week. Pacheco and Hodge plan to plead not guilty, say their lawyers. Torres's lawyer didn't respond to calls for comment.)

[montag813]

"I couldn't believe the amount of drugs and illegal aliens people were trying to smuggle through,"

That must be a lie. President Bush told us illegals bring wondeful values to America, and are just looking for a life of wholesome work, and are instead cast into the shadows by racist gringos.

[kabar]

...of conspiring to smuggle undocumented immigrants

Translation from Orwellian Newspeak: illegal aliens. These "undocumented" immigrants have more documents [false] than most American citizens. The fact that the word undocumented must be used rather than the word illegal is a sure indicator of where the author stands on the issue. Hence, nothing written in the article can be trusted as being factual.

[Earthdweller]

There is that “undocumented immigrants” insult to my intelligence thing again.

[sgtbono2002]

Watch the movie “The Godfather”

Naing a decorated veteran does not mean you are forever an honest, upright ,outstanding citizen.

The same courage and intitiative needed on the battlefield can be used in many dishonest ways.

Thank God ,most of our military heroes turn out to be honest men ,true heroes.

[gubamyster]

ping

[dennisw]

Forget illegals for a moment. It’s criminal the way GW has allowed the border to be an open sieve for Mexican drugs. I blame GW and the hacks that infest Congress. The Mexican border is only good for a laugh from them

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

>>If true, the allegations attest to the border’s formidable ability to corrupt.<<

I remember talking to Mexican ranchers about the corruption in their own government about 20 years ago. One of them said

“Aqui, lo que vale is la mentira. In los Estados Unidos, cuando agarran una mordida, los castigan.”

My translation: Here, lying is most important. In the USA, when they take a bribe, they are punished.

In this case, they were caught, and we have a long way to go before our degree of corruption reaches that of Mexico. And yet, I believe that we have more corruption than before.

It’s sad. And the MSM and others who think enforcement is evil contribute to the problem.

[Travis McGee]

Benedict Arnold was also a bona fide war hero, before he became a traitor.

And Benedict Arnold never swore to uphold this Constitution:

U.S. Constitution, Article 4 Section 4:

"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,

and shall protect each of them against Invasion;"

---

Invasion: \In*va"sion\, n. [L. invasio: cf. F. invasion. See Invade.] [1913 Webster]

1. The act of invading; the act of encroaching upon the rights or possessions of another; encroachment; trespass.

[kiriath_jearim]

Thanks for the pics, etc. Very informative...

[2ndDivisionVet]

Demand a border fence! Build it NOW!! Beef up the border patrol and close our borders!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Toll free to the US Senate:

1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)

Courtesy of a pro-amnesty group, no less!!

Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE Washington, D.C. 20003
phone: 202.863.8500 | fax: 202.863.8820 | e-mail: info@gop.com

Take a look at their hidden agenda: http://www.mexica-movement.org

[Travis McGee]

The story the media "misses" is how integral the Aztlan movement is to the amnesty movement. Look who led San Diego's biggest Mayday 2006 march. They didn't just trail along, the led the march and provided the "security."