Immigration from a Border Patrolman's Holster - Part I

By Frosty Wooldridge

March 29, 2004

Most Americans have no idea how fast an invasion of illegal aliens advances across our borders daily. They read about California's crisis, but it's so far away, they can't be bothered. Nonetheless, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, illegal immigration dribbles into our country at a rate of two people per minute. it's slithering into Florida like a water snake. It's raiding Texas like a raccoon hitting garbage cans. It's infesting the deserts of New Mexico with tons of trash and human waste. it's overwhelming Arizona like desert rats. How do you think 13 million illegal aliens arrived? On Carnival Cruise Lines?

Below is the beginning of a three part series with a veteran Border Patrol officer with over 25 years on the force. John W. Slagle, Special Agent, U.S.B.P (retired), offers an up close and ugly view of this silent invasion. Sometimes, as with firefights, not so silent! As an American who cares about his country, he.s still patrolling the desert.

"John," I said. "Give readers an idea of the magnitude of this crisis."

"On 3/16/2004, I met with video photographer Joseph Mathew from New York City at the Diamond Bell Ranch near Three Points, Arizona," Slagle said. "On 3/14/2004, Mr. Mathew had videotaped over 120 illegal aliens that had crossed the U.S. Border east of Sasabe in the Fresnal Canyons. The line of travel would have taken the group to many load-up areas at Arivaca, a remote town 12 miles north of the international boundary. Narcotics as well as human trafficking organizations freely use the territory surrounding Arivaca as natural staging sites."

"What kind of numbers are we talking about?" I asked. "How fast are they coming into our country illegally? It's been said the Border Patrol catches only one in five."

"The U.S. Border Patrol made 8,041 apprehensions in Arivaca and Amado and seized 14,854 pounds of marijuana from January 1 to February 23, 2004," Slagle said. "Armed encounters with narcotics smugglers have been an on-going law enforcement problem since 1989 when traffic briefly ceased with military support on the Borders. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act provided both ground troops and air support for the U.S. Border Patrol at that time period. National Guard Helicopters were able to quickly locate smuggler's vehicles crossing into the United States with Forward Looking Infrared Radar and military technology which was very effective. A lone Border Patrol Agent that had an armed squad of U.S. Marines as a back up in Arivaca and Fresnal Canyon made national headlines. Armed mounted horsemen with a pack train carrying 600 pounds of narcotics fired at our Agent after being challenged to stop. The U.S. Marines returned fire, which ended the situation quickly. The word was passed in Mexico that the U.S. Military was defending the Borders and armed smugglers who fired at Agents would face lethal rules of engagement. There was peace for a short time."

"So why does this incursion keep happening?" I asked.

"Through the years, the Border Patrol and Pima County Deputies have tried to control the area and have seized tons of narcotics, arrested many armed smugglers and have been shot at and assaulted," Slagle said. "In 2004, little has changed in Arivaca or the rugged terrain of the remote canyons. Radio communication without an aircraft to relay is strictly line of sight operations. A lone agent can be assaulted or killed by smugglers and response time to try and locate a missing officer can take many hours. Gunny McCann, who accompanied the video photographer in Fresnal Canyon almost died in the same area a few years prior to retirement. No radio communication, out of water, eight miles in a desert canyon on foot and injured is a situation that is critical. The former Marine Gunnery Sergeant owes his life to a partner, Chevon, who would not give up the search and called for a helicopter. The Gunny used a signal mirror and whistle to alert the Border Patrol chopper. A large stash of narcotics and several loaded rifles and shotguns were recovered."

"What makes this area so vulnerable for smuggling drugs and human cargo?" I asked.

"Smuggling and the remote canyons which are hard to control is a problem for all border enforcement officers and the rural residents who live there," Slagle said. "Smugglers tear down fences to transport narcotics across their property, and the amount of trash left by both Human Trafficking Cadres and Horse Trains is similar to a trash dump, which stretches for miles."

"What are some of the problems American citizens in the area suffer?" I asked.

"Citizens traveling in vehicles are often "run" off the road at any hour of the night by smugglers with cargoes of illegal aliens or contraband drugs," Slagle said. "The U.S. Border Patrol regularly patrols the area with agents using night-vision scopes at notorious crossing points." "How well prepared are coyotes and drug smugglers?" I asked.

"The problem lies with the fact that narcotics smugglers also have state-of-the-art night vision devices and satellite communications," Slagle said. "They also have enough people as scouts on remote canyon peaks to establish intelligence from the Border to pickup areas. They track the movements of law enforcement in vehicles and in the brush. The amount of money narcotics organizations can spend for manpower and equipment does not rely on handouts and budget cuts from Congress. If weapons, radio equipment or vehicles are seized, they pay cash for replacements. The same situation exists with human trafficking organizations. When vehicles are seized, drug organizations buy more for transportation and the money made is equal to narcotics with less risk of long prison sentences if apprehended."

The sobering reality of Part I of this series is: Border Patrol agents are so under-funded and out gunned--they catch only one in five illegal aliens. Even more sobering is the fact that your tax dollars exceed $80 billion annually for the 'War On Drugs'. But as quickly as a drug smuggling ring is busted or a smuggler killed, he is replaced within hours. Your kids can buy drugs on the streets as easily today as buying a candy bar at the local 7-11.

What is driving this people invasion? As to the illegal aliens pouring across our borders, major corporations and other companies offer illegal aliens jobs. Those corporations break every law in the books including RICO, USC 8: 1325, as well as IRS laws. For every illegal alien employed, you pay for their kids in your schools, loss of tax base dollars, loss of jobs, suppression of wages, medical care, welfare, exposure to diseases and language classes.

From the narcotics standpoint, this nation's voracious appetite for drugs knows no end. Estimates exceed over $110 billion in hard currency fly out of our country to pay for drugs annually. As long as dealers can make a buck on our kids or addicts, the 'War On Drugs' is a public relations poster with little relevance.

From this interview, it is apparent that troops on the border effectively stopped illegal drugs and people smuggling in 1989. Is anyone wondering why we haven't re-implemented troops on the Mexican border? Why not? When? What are we waiting for?

For Americans who want to read how desperate the Border Patrol is and how much it is failing, I recommend reading John W. Slagle's book, ILLEGAL ENTRIES. It is better that you know how severe this crisis is than continuing blissfully along in dangerous ignorance.

Part II: A Quagmire of Filth Across the Desert.

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