In this morning’s news stories about the Pinal County deputy who was shot by drug smugglers, did you notice the location of the episode? it occurred in the same place as the 20-second drug-smuggling video we posted with “The Krentz Bonfire.” The stories say the location was near the intersection of Interstate-8 and State Highway 84, which is the Table Top Wilderness. We know the cartels love wilderness because of the restrictions on law-enforcement access.
This event is especially chilling, and not only for the boldness in trying to kill a cop: The smugglers also shot at search helicopters. We’re running out of words to describe the dangerous situation we have in AZ.
A related note: I got a call Thursday night from a source living near Portal, on the east slope of the Chiricahuas, telling me that someone heaved a rock through a window of his home at 11:30 pm. the night before. His dogs start howling, he jumps from bed, grabs his shotgun, and the game in on. The perp fled, his tracks going south, but the hard wind soon covered them over.
The same source tells me that at a citizens’ meeting last week with Border Patrol, an agent stood and blurted out the truth: “The cartels control these mountains, and there’s nothing we can do about it. We need help.”
This article appears in Apr 29 – May 5, 2010.
Sad but true. I have heard the same comments from other agents concerning the mountains west of Nogales. Things have gotten better with more agents, but the drugs and people just keep streaming across. So what I’m hearing from those in opposition to AZ’s new immigration bill is to just open the borders and let everybody into the US. I guess the Reconquista movement is really true with Mexico wanting to take over the US
what? Please evidence, who have you heard say open the open the border? Who has said the want to retake AZ?
People oppose the bill because it is lousy. It doesn’t address any concerns to protect the border, does not stop drug cartels, does address smuggling people, drugs, weapons etc…
The only thing it says that our current FED hasn’t already made a law about is giving power to peace officers to arrest anyone. How does peace officers being able to arrest anyone they suspect help the border problem? Send some guys back that work in front of home depot back? I guess we got the drug smugglers then. It opens a door for officers not trained or not even close to being professional immigration identifiers to be in control of identifying illegal aliens.
This is sad, but not true. Sadly L. Banks chooses to mix facts about a poor slain human being with personal opinion and agenda. L. Banks does not back up with evidence nor cite where he gathers his stats.
He writes good “opinion” pieces, not news. News is not a higher % of speculation than facts.
Immigration reform is needed, badly. At best the SB 1070 will garner attn to some real action from the FED. To be in support of the bill is misguided, what in there will really help us secure our border? How much will it cost to train officers to be professionals in immigration procedures? How will we pay for this? Higher taxes? How will concentrate on the other violent crimes, where are we going to get the extra resources if not from the FED?
I was a border patrol agent for 10 years, and I never felt hate towards the illegal aliens. I understood that the majority just want to work and make some money. Unfortunately, there remains a large number of illegals that wish to harm Americans. Because of that fact (ask the deputy from last Friday nights shootout), we have to protect ourselves and our country. The days of Ellis Island are long past,, and we can no longer afford the flood of illegals, no matter what country they are from.
If we don’t patrol the entire border, the smugglers will surely and quickly fill the void.
If you really feel sorry for the plight of the poor people of the world, write to their government leaders and tell them to stop being corrupt, give their people an opportunity to make a decent living, and stop using America as an economic vent.
BobbyT7