Slipping through: Jon Dougherty visits America's porous borderlands

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Friday, February 7, 2003 | Jon Dougherty

[JohnHuang2]

WHETSTONE, Ariz. – Little more than a small oasis in Arizona surrounded by mesquite desert that alternates with rolling mountains stretching upward to clear, blue skies, Whetstone, to the naked eye, is the picture of quiet rustic serenity. It has the appearance of modernity – convenience stores and smooth paved four-lane highways – mixed with a persona that has defined real and imagined impressions of the Old West for generations.

But unlike similar communities around the U.S., Whetstone is near the epicenter of an invasion of contraband and humanity that is unrivaled throughout the western world. As the only remaining global superpower, one would think America had technology and manpower to spare when it came to guarding, sealing and protecting its own borders. Yet, one day's trek around this bucolic haven proves otherwise. And it provides an enlightening, if unwanted, education for even the most ardent immigration supporter.

Trails like these crisscross private and public lands throughout the southwest, leading into the U.S. from Mexico. Photo: Jon Dougherty/WND

Homes are sparse, but maintained dirt roads connect them. Along those roads are literally hundreds of "runs" – trails worn into the earth by tens of thousands of human travelers. At what are no doubt predetermined locations, along those trails are tire impressions of pick-up vehicles driven by coyotes – what men and women who smuggle illegal immigrants are called – who sit and wait for groups of illegals to take them to other predetermined locations further inland. Trails and pick-up points sometimes change daily.

The trails crisscross private lands, and when landowner fences become obstacles, they are either cut by illegal aliens and their smugglers, or bent over and torn down completely. Trash is evident along the runs, but it is heaviest at "rally points" – places where large groups of illegals meet before they make their way to the coyote pick-ups.

Heaps of trash – sometimes two feet deep – litter private property for miles near the border in Arizona. Photo: Jon Dougherty/WND

In some places the discarded water jugs and bottles, underwear, panties, toothbrushes, diapers, toilet paper, backpacks, food and snack containers, plastic shopping bags, cosmetics, shaving cream, razors, shoes and clothing is a few feet deep. In many others, it is, quite literally, strewn as far as the eye can see. Blankets found rolled up one day are found laid out the next, obviously slept on overnight by someone. The smell in many areas is overwhelming, especially in the heat of the summer. The amount of refuse is astounding – much more than could be left by a few dozen or even a few hundred people.

Local property owner John Petrello III stands in a trail beaten down by illegal alien traffic near his home in Whetstone. Photo: Jon Dougherty/WND

At several rally points, aliens have constructed "nests" – tent-like dwellings made with scrub brush and the branches of trees – which are not visible from nearby paved roads. At another, out of view of the highway and behind a railroad revetment, is a trail of trash that runs for several hundred yards along a culvert and back into the desert.

So heavy is the illegal smuggling traffic in some parts of Whetstone's "suburbs" that local residents have constructed roadblocks made of scrub brush and branches. When asked why they are not removed or why "outsiders" shouldn't drive around them, the image of dodging gunfire is evoked.

Other "enforcement" efforts include regular, if sparse, Border Patrol deployment and, increasingly, citizens themselves who are patrolling the border. Don't blame the BP, though – blame Washington.

While experts say the illegal alien traffic is worse here in Arizona, without question the illegals are trying to get in anywhere they can, all along the border - even to the point of building makeshift ladders to scale fences and walls near San Diego, one of the best guarded areas of the border. Some have compared the border to a leaky dam; when one drip is plugged, another gets stronger.

Just how many, though, is still a matter of educated speculation. As a new Immigration and Naturalization Service report notes, the number – 7 million residing in the U.S. in 2000 – is astronomical and climbing. By 1999 nearly 1 million a year were entering; less than half were discovered and deported, said a separate independent analysis.

What is obvious, though, as Whetstone demonstrates, is the fact that Americans are losing pieces of this country to this invasion. Indeed, portions are already gone. That leads one to a simple question: Is ours a nation still worth defending? Most folks around these parts think so, and I agree.

[JohnHuang2]

Friday, February 7, 2003

Quote of the Day by OldFriend

[Free the USA]

fyi

[Mears]

We're losing the battle and the vote seeking politicians are to blame.

[joesnuffy]

Both parties see the emerging Hispanic population as keeping them in power...
and that is what they care about...(of course they rationlize by believing they will be the best for the nation)
Problem is that America will no longer exist...except for a handfull of the elite...
and of course that is the bottom line for these bottom feeders we elected imo

[junta]

You got it our elite could care less about the nation-state called America, visions of unending economic bonanzas are clouding their judgments and we pay the price. Well one day all this smoke and mirrors will end and when America has the culture and mores of a third world country all those visions of empire will be for naught, our military will look like Russia's and our economy will resemble Zimbabwe's.

[madfly]

ping

[SAMWolf]

Bump

[HiJinx]

Looks like you got the text without images, JH2. They make so much more impact than the captions alone. I wish more people could come down here and see what is really going on. Whetstone is a small (Pop. 3,500?) unincorporated community at the northern end of the population corridor surrounding Ft. Huachuca. It sits north of the intersection of Arizona State Highways 90 and 82. What the pictures show in Whetstone is also evident on both sides of Douglas, Bisbee, Tombstone, Pomerene, Hereford, Sierra Vista, and Ft. Huachuca. For anyone to say this isn't an invasion of epic proportions is to evidence their blind ignorance. There's no other way to put it.

Trails like these crisscross private and public lands throughout the southwest, leading into the U.S. from Mexico. Photo: Jon Dougherty/WND

Heaps of trash – sometimes two feet deep – litter private property for miles near the border in Arizona. Photo: Jon Dougherty/WND

Local property owner John Petrello III stands in a trail beaten down by illegal alien traffic near his home in Whetstone. Photo: Jon Dougherty/WND

[TruthNtegrity]

We need to vote OUT the Congress Critters who have an abominable record on immigration.

Afterall, Abraham is at Energy because a bunch of us worked to get him out (not knowing that it would ultimately cost us the balance of power in the Senate) but his scorecard was something like an F - for being against Americans, no border control, and voting consistently to increase the H1-B technical guest worker Visa.

We need to make more of Congress unemployed for their lousy records.

Polls show, over and over again, that 85% of Americans want more immigration control, more border control.

But, when you poll Capitol Hill, only 15% of them think that it is important. This disconnect is incredibly significant. Our Forefathers would wonder what is happening that elections so consistently put guys in office who aren't doing what we want. Obviously we have some voting corrections to make in 2004.

[madfly]

Thanks for the telling photos, HiJinx. I was attempting to post them and just gave up, lol. Nice job.

This is so wrong. These people have been forgotten.

[norton]

Not quite, the real danger and the real arrogance behind their actions lies in the elite's belief that they will still be able to control whatever comes to be following the shift to third world populations.
Those in power cannot imagine that the new peons will be any more difficult to control than the old ones.
Fatal error.

[janetgreen]

If John McCain is such a hot shot, why isn't he speaking up for his constituents? This is sickening. Politicians are whores.

[janetgreen]

I just sent the article to McCain, for what good that will do.

[Ben Ficklin]

Please expand on the efforts that you and your group undertook to get Abraham replaced by Stabenow.

[HiJinx]

Oops...Pomerene should be Palominas

Pomerene sits north of Benson and I-10, it probably gets zero traffic from illegals. Palominas straddles AZ90 and the San Pedro River about 3-4 miles north of the US/Mexico Border. Palominas is a major corridor for foot traffic from the south.

[HiJinx]

If that's what it's going to take, maybe someone I know should go out armed with a digital camera...

[JackelopeBreeder]

Maybe someone will.

[HiJinx]

Once I break free of these 'extra hours' I'm getting to work, I will. You too?

[RnMomof7]

I met the father of a BP agent in Texas the other day..he said the only think they watch for is drugs..the government has little interst in the other illegals..that was what it was like in Cal too..

That is the policy..open the gates and let them in..all of them

[TexasRepublic]

The war on terror is a farce if our borders remain unprotected. We should shoot anything that sneaks across our border. Period.