Border Patrol Caught on Video

Border Patrol is responsible for ultimately keeping the border safe, but they have also been the center of illegal activity.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, a former U.S. Border Patrol Agent was found guilty of stealing approximately 23 pounds of marijuana during a routine traffic stop. The Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the traffic stop and was able to arrest the untrustworthy Border Agent.

Michael Carlos Gonzalez, 34, was found guilty of possession and also charged with the intent to distribute the marijuana. According to the Jesus Rodriquez, spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol Tuscon sector, said Gonzalez resigned from the agency after being arrested.

The incident originally started in December of 2005, when a pickup truck was stopped on Arizona 83. The two men in the truck were pulled over, but immediately ran into the desert. The men left pounds of marijuana hidden in the bed of the truck.

Gonzalez took the call, arrived at the scene in his Border Patrol uniform, and took the responsibility of watching the marijuana, to ensure no one would tamper with evidence.

A camera in the back of the officer's patrol car clearly showed Gonzalez backing his car to the front of the pickup truck. He is shown opening the tailgate of the truck and taking a bundle of marijuana. Border Patrol did not realize Gonzalez had committed any crime until the videotape was released. According to reports, the missing bundle of marijuana was never recovered.

The U.S. Border Patrol needs to realize they are representing the United States on a global scale. We need to take pride in protecting our borders and ensuring our government does not have corrupted or deceiving employees. There is no possible way of successfully managing the border when our own agents are taking part in drug distribution. Border residents look to Border Agents for protection, and yet some of them have entirely different agendas.

Without the videotape, Gonzalez would be a free man who had used the governmental system to pleasure his own lifestyle. In the future, consequences for this type of internal crime must be elevated. The United States government needs to send a message showing that we will not tolerate criminal behavior, especially when it involves one of our own.

Sources:

Arizona Daily Star (http://www.azstarnet.com/)

SXC (http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml)

Proposition 300

Proposition 300 is a controversial referendum that was passed in November of last year, and many local citizens feel the proposition is just and fair.

In a nutshell, the proposition says that university students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, or who do not have legal immigration paperwork, are not eligible for in-state tuition or financial aid.

According to the University of Arizona's website, If you do not receive in-state tuition status, and do not receive financial aid funded by the state of Arizona, then you are not affected by the proposition. If you receive in-state tuition status, or receive financial aid supported by the state of Arizona, then you are affected by proposition 300.

There are primary forms of documentation that the University of Arizona will accept as evidence of citizenship and permanent residency. Documents include Arizona driver's license (issued after 1996), U.S. passport (current or expired), birth certificate, or military I.D. Secondary forms of documentation include social security card, selective service card, credit card, or bank card.

Many people oppose the proposition because they feel it is preventing immigration reform. People want to see the entire immigration situation improved, and preventing students from learning seems like were taking steps backwards. Also, some argue that we are not finding unique academic potential, by denying kids the opportunity to learn in the United States. In other words, kids that are considered illegal, may have potential that will remain unrecognized.

The entire proposition appears mean spirited, but maybe it will create an environment in which obtaining proper documentation is the number one priority.

Sources:

Arizona Daily Star (http://www.azstarnet.com/)

University of Arizona (http://www.arizona.edu/)

SXC (http://www.sxc.hu/home)

Increase in Special Training May Be Necessary

With the increasing amount of drug busts taking place along the border by authorities, an overall increase in special training enforcement may be necessary.

For example, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano has recently decided to send some Department of Public Safety Officers to special training classes, in an effort to strictly enforce immigration laws and make the border safer.

According to The Arizona Daily Star, there will be approximately 100 people out of 1,200 receiving the special training.

The special training class lasts five weeks and is primarily teaches officers to immediately recognize is someone is violating an immigration law. If the officers manage to arrest any illegal immigrants, they have the power to deport them, according to the Arizona Daily Star.

The Governor wanted to make it clear that this special training is not, in any way, intended to scare or intimidate any immigrants thinking about coming to the United States. We welcome any individual who is seeking employment and has legal documentation.

The officers who pass the five week class will be immediately working on cases dealing with illegal immigration. According to the Arizona Daily Star, the officers will be targeting smuggling rings, money laundering and gang-related activity.

Officers already has the authority of enforcing immigration law, these special classes gives them the right to arrest if they come across illegal activity along the border. This plan will hopefully implement a structured environment in a chaotic setting.

It's important to make the border a place of salvation and re-birth, rather than a haven for violence and continual crime.

Sources:

*Arizona Daily Star (http://www.azstarnet.com/)

*SXC (http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml)

Raising Awareness

In an effort to raise communal awareness, Border Action Network, a local organization dedicated to protecting human and civil rights along the Arizona/Mexico border, is planning a trip to Washington, D.C., to present their ideas, demands, proposals, and also concerns to members of Congress.

According to Border Action Network's website, hundreds of immigrants from border region, along with several interior communities will meet in Washington. One of the primary concerns is the immediacy to establish a legalized program with access to permanent residency for immigrant workers and families already in the United States. They also want Congress to strongly consider implementing a new program that allows immigrant workers to come to the U.S. legally, and without violence.

In order for massive immigration reform, we need to fully develop programs that allow immigrants to participate in the social and political life of the U.S. It is important that immigrants feel welcome, and is it the responsibility of Congress to ensure they remain fearless when crossing the border.

Another issue is to protect the labor rights of immigrant workers. Many illegal immigrants are able to find work, but because they are not considered legal workers, their labor rights are frequently stripped from them. They have no other source of income, and therefore money remains the objective, no matter the harsh or violent treatment.

Border Action Network would generally like to see an entire revision of current border policies. According to Border Action Network, the policies should be designed to protect the rights of immigrants, and not strictly for enforcement purposes.

In an effort to raise money for the Washington D.C. trip, Border Action Network members are currently working diligently by organizing car washes, selling local concert tickets, and taking orders for home-made tamales. Let's hope they can raise enough money, and take their localized opinions to Congress.

*Border Action Network: http://www.borderaction.org/index.php

*Pictures taken from: http://www.sxc.hu/home

Border Unsafe for Children

With more and more people attempting to cross the Arizona/Mexico border, the lives of children are put at risk on a daily basis. Smuggling drugs and illegal immigrants are common along the border and can spark violence that is absolutely inappropriate for young children.

On Thursday, a man was stopped and arrested at the Nogales port of entry for attempting to bring 2,700 pounds of marijuana into the United States, according to the Arizona Daily Star. This type of incident happens daily, if not hourly along the border, and therefore we must implement a plan to protect the lives of small children traveling with their families. Often, kids become involuntarily become part of the violence. For example, smugglers often kidnap children, in an effort to either regain their lost drugs, or trade for something else.

Recently, President George Bush and Homeland Security have established rules which allow children to be excluded from the new passport regulations. Children ages 15 or younger, with parent consent, will be allowed to enter the United States with copies of their birth certificates. This is a well-organized plan, because or government is thinking about the futures of these children.

Children will simply be able to cross the border with less risk, and will eventually perceive the border has a place for protection, not exploitation. The rule was originally proposed to help sports teams cross the border. In the past, teams were missing games because of the lengthy document checks at the border.

This is an important step for Homeland Security because it shows that children, for once, are the number one priority at this point. Kids often become victims of dehydration and starvation, which are clear signs of the border being a dangerous area.

To eliminate or reduce the number of child deaths, we need to make sure the border is recognized as area of refuge, not a place for exploitation. The futures of these children are extremely critical, because they are the ones who will have a lasting effect on modern society. It is our duty as a government to ensure that every child is given the appropriate opportunity to learn and succeed. The border should not blur academic aspiration, it is what our constitution is structured around.

All information taken from:

*http://www.sxc.hu/home (photos)

*http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/170543.php (statistics)

Mexican Drug Gangs

Even though authorities have heavily cracked down on drug trafficking along the border, Mexican drug gangs have still remained prevalent and an ongoing problem for federal troops. It is extremely difficult to eliminate all of the gangs in some areas, because drug dealers have gradually replaced local government authority.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, President Felipe Calderon has sent 24,000 troops and federal police into Mexico. They are focusing primarily on Tijuana and Acapulco, in an effort to impede some of the success these drug cartels have had. Drug trafficking was responsible for more than 2,000 killings along the border last year, according to the statistics in the Arizona Daily Star.

In an article published by the Associated Press, Campa said, "The first objective of the military operations is to regain national territory." Campa also stressed the immediate importance of working together with federal, state and local officials.

Later this year, federal officials are planning to create a vehicle registration program that would place Mexican cars with computer chips that can be scanned and located. The chips would also provide valuable information, such as the vehicle's history and also previous owners. The system is primarily targeted at the increasing number of auto-thefts along the border.

This computer chip plan seems like a good idea, but the technology can be easily forged or manipulated. In other words, gangs will most likely catch on, figure out a way to get passed the chips, and continue to move illegal drugs.

This crackdown on Mexican gangs will greatly benefit everyone, and hopefully make the border a safer place. Mexico's lack of control and well-known corruption will slowly become a major problem for the United States. More importantly, our own counties in southern Tucson would feel unsafe because of the proximity to the border.

It is dangerous to send troops to the border, but at this point, the sooner the better these Mexican gangs are put in jail. Hopefully, with time, the lives of these people living on the border will drastically improve because authorities will regain control of the border.

All information taken from:

*http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/169489.php

*http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml

Crack Down on Immigration Crimes

According to the Arizona Daily Star, the Arizona Department of Public Safety has recently formed a new task force to help law enforcement agencies along the border. The task force will primarily focus on dismantling organized gang activity and also the smuggling of illegal narcotics. The project is called the "Arizona Border Strike Force," and Governor Janet Napolitano plans to put the project into action immediately.

This special task force has most recently become a popular topic because of the consistent crimes surrounding the border. For example, on February 7, U.S. Border Patrol agents seized 2,500 pounds of Marijuana in the Sierra Vista area. Agents were able to follow a 2006 Ford F-250 into the town of Whetstone, where the driver, a Mexican illegal immigrant, left the truck and tried to escape. The man was eventually caught and police found 1,374 pounds of marijuana in the Ford pick-up truck.

The second arrest occurred when Border Patrol agents spotted a 2005 Dodge Ram in Sierra Vista. The driver of the Dodge fled from Border Patrol but was later caught with the help of a Customs and Border Protection helicopter (http://www.cbp.gov/). Agents were able to recover 1,099 pounds of marijuana, and the drugs were later turned over the Drug Enforcement Agency (http://www.dea.gov/).

Another incident occurred on February 8, when three drug smugglers attempted to transport their drug loads past Border Patrol agents. The unique part about this particular bust, is the fact that the smugglers were all on horseback. According to reports, around 5:45 a.m., 10 miles east of Nogales, a camera spotted three horses, strapped with what appeared to be luggage. The men on horseback fled back into Mexico, and therefore none of the riders were arrested. But, agents recovered 529 pounds of marijuana. Smuggling drugs on horseback isn't new to the Border Patrol.

Horses are often used because they are faster than humans, make less noise, and also have the ability to cross rough terrain, such a desert plain or a range of mountains. According to the Arizona Daily Star, "From Oct. 1 through Jan. 31, agents seized 299,154 pounds of marijuana, more than 2,400 pounds a day. The totals represent a 31 percent increase from the same period in fiscal year 2006, when the amount of marijuana seized shattered previous records."

All information taken from:

*http://www.azstarnet.com/

*http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml