An Act Of War

Agent Held at Gunpoint by Mexican Military

8-3-08 A Tucson Sector Border Patrol agent was held at gunpoint by the Mexican military last night south of Ajo. Mexican military personnel crossed over the border and pointed rifles at him. Backup units arrived from the Ajo Border Patrol station, and the Mexican military personnel eventually returned to Mexico. Unfortunately, this sort of behavior by Mexican military personnel has been going on for years. They are never held accountable, and the United States government will undoubtedly brush this off as another case of "Oh well, they didn't know they were in the United States." A few years ago the Mexican military went a step further and put a .50 calibre rifle round through the rear window of a Border Patrol agent's patrol vehicle south of Ajo. Nothing was ever done. Nobody was ever held accountable. Particularly galling is the fact that the Mexican military often pulls these stunts in Humvees donated to them by the American taxpayers (although they were apparently on foot this time). We note that Border Patrol agents have historically driven worn-out, junk vehicles.

We will withhold further comment on this incident until we see how our leaders handle it. We don't have much confidence in most of them.

It is fortunate that this incident didn't end in a very ugly gunfight.

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For more Border Patrol news go here: http://www.local2544.us/

This is not the first time (see next news item below).

...and where is our President upholding the Constitution?

Border Incursion In Hudspeth County

For the second time in two weeks, American law enforcement officers say men carrying high powered automatic weapons and who appeared to be Mexican soldiers violated the international boundary and crossed into the United States in Hudspeth County, East of El Paso. In the past the Mexican Consulate in El Paso had stated that their Government policy is that no armed Mexican soldiers are allowed closer than three miles to the U.S. border.

The latest incident happened just before sunset on Tuesday night, as a KFOX crew was on the scene. As a Hudspeth County sheriff's deputy was describing what happened during a reported incursion last week - suddenly one 'soldier' emerged from the brush on the Mexican side of the border and darted back under cover. Moments later though, two other men who appeared to be soldiers marched across a clearing, in plan view. Shortly after that, the Deputy spotted soldiers who were well hidden and out of camera range crossing into the United States - attempting to flank the Deputy and the news crew.

According to the Deputy "They are doing the classic thing, flanking around each side of us and actually coming up into the U.S. and trying to figure out what we are doing, they are looking at us very heavily."

Reporter Ben Swann replied, "So I guess it's time to go." The Deputy responded "Yeah, it would definitely be time to get out of here."

Just a week ago a caravan of three vehicles were spotted on I-10 by Hudspeth Deputies and chased to the same area of the border. One vehicle was captured, a second made it across the Rio Grande safely and a third vehicle became stuck in the river. As deputies converged on the scene, they say a Humvee approached from the Mexican side, and heavily armed men in military clothing crossed into the United States to rescue the smugglers. The vehicle was burned on the Mexican side of the river bank.

After this latest incident on Tuesday night, the U.S. Border Patrol reports that they were contacted by Mexican authorities who admitted the men were Mexican soldiers. Border Patrol Assistant Chief Robert Boatright told KFOX "Mexican officials got in touch with our Mexican liaison unit to advise us that they had requested the assistance of the Mexican military and that they were down in Hudspeth County." But he tells us this contact only occurred after the Mexican soldiers had been spotted by the Sheriff's Deputy.

Wednesday afternoon, the Mexican Consulate released a statement saying the heavily armed men were not Mexican Soldiers, but were State Police, investigating last week's smuggling incident. Consulate officials say the men will be in the area for the next several days.

Local law officers say as word of the latest incident spread on Wednesday morning, they were told that Texas Governor Rick Perry was releasing nearly $4 million dollars in additional funding for Operation Linebacker, to assist in their efforts to secure the border. Meanwhile, a delegation of local law enforcement officers will be discussing their concerns with members of Congress and the Department of Homeland Security - first in Houston this week, then in Washington, D.C. next week.

But in the meantime, this latest incident only heightens concern among law officers, and those who live along the U.S. side of the border. The Deputy involved in Tuesday's incident told KFOX, "If it's going to take a bunch of us getting killed down here on the river to show everybody that this is a problem, then its going to happen, one of these days it will happen."

Related Stories:

February 4, 2006: Border Law Enforcement Certain Of Incursions

February 4, 2006: Mexico ID's Four In Previous Incursion

February 4, 2006: Border Security Conference

February 3, 2006: "They Can Do Whatever They Want To"

February 3, 2006: Mexican Consulate Response

Nor the 2nd time...

DISORDER AT THE BORDER

By Michelle Malkin • November 21, 2005 07:06 AM

Haven’t seen much coverage of the standoff over the weekend between US Border Patrol agents and armed Mexican bandits. The El Paso Times reports:

A marijuana-laden dump truck got stuck in the Rio Grande on Thursday evening in Hudspeth County, leading to a standoff between U.S. law enforcement and what appeared to be the Mexican military, sheriff officials said.

“It’s a very serious incident,” Hudspeth County Chief Deputy Mike Doyal said.

“We are very fortunate (Thursday) night no one got hurt,” Doyal said. “Everyone had the presence of mind not to cause an international incident, or start shooting.”

The incident began when Border Patrol agents tried to stop the dump truck on Interstate 10, sheriff’s officials said. The truck fled to Mexico in the Neely’s Crossing area.

The truck got stuck in the riverbed, and the driver took off running. Agents “started to retrieve the bundles (of marijuana) when the armed subjects appeared,” said Agent Ramiro Cordero, a Border Patrol spokesman.

The Border Patrol called Hudspeth County sheriff’s deputies and Texas state troopers for backup, both agencies confirmed.

Doyal said the truck driver returned with the armed men, including men who arrived in official-looking vehicles with overhead lights and what appeared to be Mexican soldiers in uniform and with military-style rifles.

KRGV-TV and WND have additional details. Rep. Tom Tancredo has been reporting on armed Mexican military incursions into the US. See here and here.

So, what’s Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff doing? Hyping the Bush amnesty plan and telling reporters about his promises to the Border Patrol to “equip them with whatever they need to make sure they are adequately protected and they can respond and defend themselves.”

More border/enforcement blogging over at The Immigration Blog.