2006
Border Sheriffs Seek Reinforcements To Protect From Illegal Incursions
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The problem of heavily armed military-clad personal crossing the border from Mexico has come to the attention of the U.S Congress. The Mexican publication, Vanguardia, reports:
Texas border sheriffs pleaded Tuesday for more federal help to confront Mexican drug trafficking cartels that are arming themselves with more powerful weaponry and deploying tactics that pose an ever-greater danger to U.S. law enforcement.
Appearing before a congressional panel examining border incursions allegedly by Mexican soldiers protecting drug shipments, the sheriffs of El Paso and Hudspeth counties detailed deteriorating conditions in a region where rival cartels are locked in deadly competition.
Just a week after federal authorities confiscated caches of explosives and high-powered weapons in Laredo, Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West predicted that cartels will soon rig their drug loads to detonate if seized by law enforcement.
Already there has been loss of life through these encounters and the influx of terrorist crossing the open border is feared.
"Our national security is only as good as the weakest link, and in my opinion, the U.S.-Mexico border is the weakest link," Sheriff Samaniego said, noting that terrorists could exploit the same routes used by traffickers to smuggle drugs and illegal immigrants.
The concern is not an idle one, Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar acknowledged.
"Do we have information that al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations have looked at that possibility? Yes," he said.
The recent confrontations has brought on concerns that Mexican military may be involved although Mexico has denied the allegations.
Though the Border Patrol has documented more than 200 incursions over the last decade, the issue gained new urgency after a Jan. 23 armed showdown in Hudspeth County near the Rio Grande between Texas law enforcement and men suspected of belonging to the Mexican military.
Sheriff West on Tuesday repeated his belief that it was Mexican soldiers, in a heavily armed military-style Humvee, who went in aid of a convoy of drug-laden sport utility vehicles being chased by Texas law officers. The subcommittee played footage of the high-speed chase filmed by state troopers.
What ever the case is, there is a very deadly potential situation at our southern border that needs to be corrected before more innocent victims are killed.
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