Border Patrol Locked out of Indian Reservation Known for Mexican Drug Trafficking

Judicial Watch ^ | May 24, 2016

[jazusamo]

An Indian reservation along the Mexican border is prohibiting the Border Patrol from entering its land, which is a notorious smuggling corridor determined by the U.S. government to be a “High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).” Homeland Security sources tell Judicial Watch that the road in the southeast corner of the reservation has been cordoned off by a barbed wired gate to keep officers out. A hand-written cardboard sign reading “Closed, Do Not Open” has been posted on the fence. “This is the location used most for trafficking drugs into the country,” a Border Patrol source told JW, adding that agents assigned to the area are “livid.”

The tribe, Tohono O’odham, created the barricade a few weeks ago, Border Patrol sources tell JW, specifically to keep agents out of the reservation which is located in the south central Arizona Sonoran Desert and shares about 75 miles of border with Mexico. The reservation terrain consists largely of mountains and desert making it difficult to patrol. For years it has appeared on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) HIDTA list because it’s a significant center of illegal drug production, manufacturing, importation and distribution. The reservation is a primary transshipment zone for methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and marijuana destined for the United States, a DEA official revealed in congressional testimony a few years ago. In 2015 Arizona led all four Border Patrol sectors in drug seizures with 928,858 pounds of drugs confiscated, according to agency figures.

The relationship between the Border Patrol and the tribe has been stormy over the years, with accusations of human rights violations by federal agents and allegations that the agents’ presence has implemented a police state. Though only 75 miles runs along the Mexican border, the reservation is about 2.8 million acres or roughly the size of Connecticut and has about 30,000 members. The tribe’s official website says that nine of its communities are located in Mexico and they are separated by the United States/Mexico border. “In fact, the U.S.-Mexico border has become an artificial barrier to the freedom of the Tohono O’odham,” the tribe claims. “On countless occasions, the U.S. Border Patrol has detained and deported members of the Tohono O’odham Nation who were simply traveling through their own traditional lands, practicing migratory traditions essential to their religion, economy and culture. Similarly, on many occasions U.S. Customs have prevented Tohono O’odham from transporting raw materials and goods essential for their spirituality, economy and traditional culture. Border officials are also reported to have confiscated cultural and religious items, such as feathers of common birds, pine leaves or sweet grass.”

A New York Times story published years ago explained that tightening of border security to the east and west after the 9/11 terrorist attacks funneled more drug traffic through the Tohono O’odham reservation. This created a need for more Border Patrol officers to be deployed to the crime-infested area. The article also revealed that tribe members are complicit in the trafficking business. “Hundreds of tribal members have been prosecuted in federal, state or tribal courts for smuggling drugs or humans, taking offers that reach $5,000 for storing marijuana or transporting it across the reservation,” the article states. “In a few families, both parents have been sent to prison, leaving grandparents to raise the children.” The drug smugglers work mainly for the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, the piece revealed.

Nevertheless, federal officers have been told by Homeland Security superiors that they can’t cut the new wire fence obstacle to access the reservation even though it sits in the Border Patrol’s busiest drug sector. Perhaps the U.S. government can use money to force compliance. The Tohono O’odham recently got a huge chunk of change from Uncle Sam, $2.75 million, to build single-family homes for its largely poor tribe members. Maybe the feds can withhold future allocations for the tribe’s various projects until it allows Border Patrol officers to do their job. In the meantime, a veteran Arizona law enforcement officer who’s worked in the region for decades says “a little wire and a small gate can cause huge security problems.”

[xrmusn]

..but it would take over 2000 years at a dollar a week.
= = = = = = = = = =

Better than what we have going on now....<: <: <:

And at least a TAXPAYING, WORKING citizen would benefit

Of course leaving it in the hands of the Government would cause it to fail big time and if they ‘outsource’ it, the corruption begins....

Oh well....

[MeganC]

We don’t have a lease, we have our own land.

[MeganC]

Here’s what the NPS considers to be Yellowstone.

We’re in the ‘peninsula’ of private land on the south east and the NPS is lobbying to take it.

https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/images/688_Land-use-2010_ey_from2011NRVS.png

[Stingray51]

Complete bs. Send in the Army.

[Hulka]

You replied to my post by starting with “so said” thus, to the casual observer, accusing me or the BP of endorsing tsa practices,

There are many credible places to find that video. Info wars is not a reasonable or credible source. Of course, opinions may differ,

Megan, have a nice day as I am departing the thread as nothing more of any significance can come from further exchanges.

How about we let it go?

Cheers,

[brucedavis]

All things considered, I suspect the Trump Wall will need to allow access with the reservation. I would imagine that pulling an “Imminent Domain” card won’t fly in this case. It’s disheartening to read some of the comments here using words like druggies and other nonsense. The war on drugs is an imaginary slight invented by those in power. The Native American Church using various medicines during prayer does not equate to the crack whores down the street of the slums where you live robbing passerbys.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

National security should be able to preempt Tribal Sovereignty esp if Tribal Sovereignty is used to cover up illegal, federal crimes being committee with the tribe’s knowledge on their territory, and they are incapable of doing anything about it.

Also, since it involves the transportation of drugs and weapons from another foreign country across our country’s borders, it is wholly a federal jurisdiction issue.

No cooperation with the feds equals no federal money, health care, schools, roads, sanitation, no nothing, unless Obama/Lynch like what is going on and intend to keep it that way.

[MeganC]

“National security should be able to preempt Tribal Sovereignty...”

And public safety and national security should be able to preempt the Bill of Rights. Isn’t that what we keep hearing from the statists?

I’d be more inclined to agree with all of this except for the fact that this administration doesn’t give a damn about securing the border.

So since we can agree that this little melodrama isn’t about securing the border (insert laugh track here) then the question begs to be asked what is on the tribal land that the Federal government wants to control?

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Damned little on those Indian lands EXCEPT MINERALS/RIGHTS, maybe oil, but they are also bound by both Indian Tribal Rights in contracts with the Dept. of Interior, National Parks and Forest Service, Agriculture, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, DOJ, Nuclear Regulatory Commission/Agency, etc.

Believe me, I know. Just finished over a year’s legal research/cases on mineral rights issues.

One problem is how much power the State has regarding security problems on the Indian lands. Basically very little so you are right that the US Govt should be in charge. And you are right that Comrade Obama and his criminal gang don’t give a damn about stopping the drug trade.

Checkmate right now until Trump gets in.

[Tammy8]

Name the ranchers you say are dirty. Come on name them- you are so sure you know. What charges have been brought against them?

It is not a game when BP leaves gates open, goes 4 wheeling in pastures tearing up the land and are caught in the act.

Not a game when they run over livestock and deny, as do their supervisors until cattle hair and blood are found in the grill of their vehicle. Not a game when they deny any of them hit our livestock and the vehicle is seen being taken out by a tow truck after a supervisor tells us none of them have been in an accident.

The BP plays it like a game until they are locked out of several places with their vehicles. Then people are willing to talk, BP is willing to talk and teach their new agents some manners. Things get worked out, gates are unlocked. This is what I have seen happen and it happens time and again with new agents. They need more training before coming out here. I have personally caught BP leaving our gates open, excuses: gate too hard to shut or didn’t see any livestock in the pasture. Well I am an old woman and I can shut the gates in question. Also when in a pasture that is hundreds or thousands of acres just because you don’t see livestock standing there it doesn’t mean they are not there and won’t get out on the highway while you are driving around.

Dirty ranchers, likely a few but do you want to talk about dirty BP? Fairly often dirty BP are charged and convicted, it is in the news. Point to the last time a rancher was convicted of assisting smuggling here in the bootheel?

Most BP are good hard working people trying to do their jobs as best they can. Most ranchers are good hard working people who don’t want their livestock getting mixed up with the neighbors or out on the highway to get ran over. Most of the time ranchers and BP get along but if a rancher locks BP out it sure doesn’t mean the rancher is dirty, it means people have to respect gates and livestock.