I recently spent the better part of a sleep-deprived week in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona. The reduced snooze time was due to teaching a MAG-40 program that went ten to eleven hours of class and range time per day, and another couple hours per with staff prep before and staff debrief afterward. (It’s an immersion course, 40-plus hours in four days, done over a weekend so more people can attend without burning a week of family vacation time.) Then, after class, it was time to drive to area law enforcement agencies and sit down with the cops on the sharp end of this whole Border Situation, and get the straight stuff.
Gunfights in the area between police and lawbreakers are increasing in frequency, cops there agree. It’s largely involving criminals from south of the border. The Sinaloa Cartel and Zeta Cartel are fed up with their drug shipments being confiscated by gringo cops, and some informants say cartel leaders have told the drug mules that if they allow the dope to be snagged by Yank LEOs, they can expect reprisals upon their loved ones and death for themselves. This has upped the likelihood of homicidal armed resistance by drug runners stopped by our police. Cartel-sponsored dopers are also believed to have been behind the recent murder of an Arizona rancher who tipped the local law to one of their drug caches.
In Pinal County, Arizona recently, a deputy sheriff came under heavy weapons fire when he interdicted some drug smugglers. He was severely wounded, but returned a barrage of gunfire that sent his assailants running, one or more of them leaving blood trails. The officer has survived and is expected to recover. No word on his assailants, who may already have given their all to feed desert wildlife on one side or the other of the US/Mexican border.
Border Patrol Agent Matthew Boyd, a firearms instructor for his agency, told me that each agent has an AR-platform rifle and an ample supply of Winchester 62 grain softpoints, and a Remington 870 pump shotgun well supplied with 12-gauge buckshot and slugs, to back up their issue HK P2000 .40 caliber pistols. I saw USBP personnel wearing four spare pistol magazines, two being the mandatory minimum. (I can remember seeing Border Patrolmen carrying .357 Magnum six-shooters with six spare cartridges in belt loops. Those days are over.)
In Huachuca City, Arizona – 16 miles from the border – Chief Dennis Grey, Lt. Jennifer Fuller, and Officer R. Thomas Allen showed me their current inventory of confiscated “human traffic” vehicles, enough to stock a good-sized used car and truck lot. They told me that the self-styled “coyotes” who smuggle their human cargo across the border charge from $1,000 for ordinary Mexican citizens up to $35,000 for members of the Russian Mafia, and the coyotes tend to carry AK47s to keep their “cargo” in line, but are fully prepared to use their weaponry against US police. They’ve stopped Chevy Suburbans and Ford Excursions with 15 or more people packed on board, compact sedans with three people stuffed in the trunk trying to breathe, and sixty illegal immigrants packed like sardines in a relatively small Freightliner. A 15-passenger van carries twice that human payload when smuggling people across the border. It’s about the money.
The coyotes are bringing in people far more dangerous than undocumented fruit-pickers trying to feed their families, and we’ll talk about that here soon.
Officer Allen of Huachuca City PD shows confiscated Freightliner, a vehicle known to pack sixty or more “illegals” packed like sardines standing up…
…with panels torn out of the roof to allow the human cargo to breathe, however uncomfortably, so they don’t die en masse of suffocation, as others have in the past. Just taking the photos gave me the creeps.
Beautiful Mexico, photographed from the US side of the border by Gail Pepin.
Mas,
I am in hopes that as people read your blog that they consider how dangerous it really is on the border. Times have changed, but the politicians and laws have not kept pace with the current situation.
What I fear is that some good honest citizen will defend him or her self against an illegal foriegn invader and be persecuted for it by the current administration. Most folks on the border just want to be left alone to live in peace and relative safety, but that is threatened everytime we allow an “undocumented alien” to venture forth unimpeded. Not to turn this into a political rant, but something needs to be done, and I fear that neither the republicans or the democrats havethe answer to this quagmire.
Biker
It’s such a mess down there. Personally I’d love it if we could get the legitimate fruit pickets out of those vans so as to have clearer targets.
We’re dealing with economic forces here that we can’t contain with better security unless we want to turn the border into a new Berlin wall. We need to kill the drug war so it isn’t worth it to smuggle pot, streamline the guest worker program so it isn’t worth it to smuggle fruit pickers, AND beef up security so the evil guys who still need to sneak in get caught.
The war on drugs was lost long ago. Prolonging it is only going to cost lives.
Mas,
Thank you for the timely post. It is good for people to understand that here in S.E. AZ we carry guns for more than a political statement. They are tools to keep us safe and sound when we are out and about. I am proud of the fact that our sherriff’s Deputies and BP, though well armed are very judicious in their firearm usage and go to arms only as a last resort. I do hope that they remember to shoot first and shoot straight.
Another reason to love living in AZ. Friday past I was sitting in Trapper Jon’s knife store in S.V. Rancher comes in armed, carrying a handful of bowie knives. No panic, no fear, just several requests to see his newest purchases!
Josh & Mike:
I’m glad you guys said what you did: the war on drugs isn’t working. It’s Prohibition all over again. All Prohibition did was generate a rise in blackmarkets and organized crime syndicates, which is what we have today, minus the zoot suits.
The economic incentives must be treated first, then illegal immigrants won’t want to come here in droves. Start by decriminalizing narcotics (not so I can have any, mind you, but so my kids can have a less militarized childhood), then go on to:
– End minimum wage laws that create havens for cheap illegal immigrants
– End free hand-outs and benefits
– Clearly extend castle doctrine to allow citizens on the borders to protect themselves
And our incompetent administration makes things worse. Dispicable bastards.
I was stationed at Fort Huachcua and lived south of post in the 1990’s. Even then, border crossers were a problem. But now I wouldn’t walk around my house without a carry pistol. What a shame. The border needs to be locked down, the drugs need to be legalized so there’s no profit motive to smuggle them, and the companies that employ these people need to be hit hard upside the head to cut that traffic down.
I was one of those IPIs (We called ourselves PIs) carrying not a .357, but a S&W Model 10, Heavy Barrel .38 Spl, called a USBP Special, in Yuma AZ, from 66 to 70. We started out catching 150 to 400 aliens a month, and ended up with over a Thousand in Nov. 1969, as part of Nixon’s War on Drugs. Few aliens carried anything but a “Saca Tripa” in those days, but by the time I transferred to the Bureau of Customs, in 1970, there were beginning to be a lot of drug smugglers, mostly Marijuana, some armed with guns, although I think most of those were afraid of being ripped-off by Mexicans or other dopers? I do not envy any of today’s Law Enforcement people trying to deal with this situation, but, back then, it was sorta like going hunting, every day, and pretty much fun, excluding the 100 plus degree summers, and eating the dust every afternoon while pulling a “Drag” over our sign cutting roads, in preparation for the coming nights chases.
The border is a wild place and the people living there have essentially been abandoned by the US. 5 years ago I was some miles south of there planning a hike up a canyon in the Coronado Forest. I would have involved staying up there overnight for my rock collecting hobby.
Fortunately, I ran into an INS agent coming down the canyon as I headed up. He was obviously under orders not to say what it was like there but through nods and offhand remarks it came through that I could expect to meet drug smugglers with AK’s. I decided my life was worth more than rocks.
I’d love to see some realistic talk from politicians about how to defuse the border.
Steve
First, Latin American drug runners, then Somali jihadists (yes, I said it, John Brennan) and now Russian Mafia? I was skeptical of Jan Brewer at first, but I have to say this is an invasion unlike anything John Milius envisioned. It’s a good thing Texas, Arizona and New Mexico citizens have the right to arm themselves and carry concealed. (I try not to think about California!) Thank you, Mas, for bringing your expertise to LEOs down there. Every citizen should be ready to blow the mountain passes if, God forbid, it come to that.
BlueBarrel,
The problem with blowing the mountain passes is that most of them actually runn kind of east to west. The south to north “passes” are basically wide open valleys (excepting the houses, ranches, schools, army posts etc). Kind of hard to blow those passes. We could blow the bridges over the dry washes (arroyo) on our way out though.
Arizona made a big mistake with their new immigration law despised so much by the liberals and Follywood types. Governor Brewer should have adopted Mexico’s immigration laws for Arizona, since they are much stricter than current American policy and makes more sense. The U.S. Border Patrol needs some .50 BMG guns, either Browning M2s or Barrett M82/M107s to outrange their opponents in the desert. I’m against militarizing our police, but certain agencies at the southern border need more firepower than .223 rifles and 12 gauge shotguns. By the way, four spare magazines is not too much to carry on duty. I used to carry five spares on my belt for my SIG 220 and another attached to my Second Chance vest, plus two S&W J framed .38s and a Speed Strip with department approved ammo. At the time I was employed with them, my department did not allow rifles and only the department issued Remington 870 was approved for use. I wasn’t even allowed to attach a folding stock to mine because according to the sergeant (an Army veteran), it made the shotgun “look like an AK-47”. Talk about political corectness gone amuck! We should employ more UAVs too, preferrably armed, along our border with Mexico and a few up north.
Do not confiscate the drugs burn them on site,, this will really piss off the cartels.
Imagine seeing 5 bonfires a night.
Why isn’t the BP using armored vehicles?
Why can’t the Guard and USAR do active duty training on the border town.
Why can’t our government use retired and or disabled vets to help out.
I dont know one vet that cant use a few extra dollars.
I also think that there isnt enough use of electronic eyes .
The gurnts cant do it by themselves.
God Bless America and pray for our freedom fighters.
The Liberals always learn,always, and always too late.
Could you imagine strict guns laws like in the north east where I live. AZ would be a Spanish speaking state with a Mexican Cartel flag flying
Thank God for Govenor Jan Brewer first! What is the biggest attraction for the ILLEGAL ALIENS?? Other than all the freebies like welfare that the liberals provide them; it’s JOBS! Those that hire the ILLEGAL ALIENS, even if it’s only to mow your lawn, need to be punished; and for repeat offenders they need to be punished severly! I am talking big fines; huge fines and jail time for repeat offenders. ILLEGAL ALIENS are an army of INVADERS; they are the enemy; and those that hire ILLEGAL ALIENS, especially repeat offenders, are GIVING AID AND COMFORT TO THE ENEMY in a time of war. And it is a war against an invading army that is destroying America. Yes we need to finish the wall on the border; yes we need to triple, or even quadruple, those protecting our border; and they need to be very well armed! But as long as the ILLEGAL ALIENS can find jobs here in America they will continue to invade our country by the thousands every month. We must go after those selfish bastards who continue to hire them to the detriment of our country. Those jobs would then go to Americans; and if there are not enough Americans willing to pick fruit and work on the farms, then America can use prisoners to work in the agricuture industry. Sheriff Joe would place many of his prisoners in the fields dressed in pink work clothes; and do it in a heart beat. The money America would save in all the free welfare costs, and free medical costs, now going to ILLEGAL ALIENS would be in the billions!
WE MUST NOT ALLOW AMNESTY FOR THESE CRIMINALS!
Matt,
I was speaking metaphorically! During WW2, the Swiss had their passes rigged to blow and seal off the country should HItler have decided to invade. America’s been so blessed and our open borders have brought us the best, hardest-working, risk-taking people from everywhere — my mom is an immigrant and refugee who fled a Communist takeover. That’s why it pains me to even suggest a siege mentality. But if troublemakers keep crashing my dinner parties, I’m locking the door.
This will not be stopped because it doesn’t affect anyone deemed “important” just the average citizen and so far, it’s localized along the border area and communities and cities nearby. This isn’t rocket science, anyone can see all they need to know on the net.
The media are always on the other side, of the citizen’s interests now and very clearly, support illegal immigration, I think simply for political power. Which they will of course gain, if they do nothing to stop it. But they, are now actively encouraging it!
Sorry but I can’t reset the alarm bells going off in my head. Something else is going on here, and we are in trouble as a nation. Something quite wicked, this way comes.
Arizona really messed up w/ the new law. It should have quoted, word for word, what Mexico has in their immigration law. Then, when that arrogant, confused, idiotic, corrupt Mexican politician opens his mouth, even a progressive/communist can see that he really is a moron.
A reply to Mr. Winston Smith
Drugs have destroyed my family and may others. From my vantage point of 65 years, I will go so far as to say that drugs have destroyed an entire generation of Americans. I will never accept the legalization of drugs and the associated destruction of our children under any circumstances. If you think the legalization of drugs is a good thing, you are high on crack or blind to reality.
Considering the fact that of 4k people have been killed in Ciudad Juarez (across the border from El Paso) in the last two years; a travel warning on Highway 8 to Rocky Point (as of May 28, 2010) has been issued; & the fact the crime has sky rocketed at RP as well; it makes me wonder if the drug cartels could be considered terrorists. Anybody have any ideas?
Just some thoughts….
“We’re dealing with economic forces here that we can’t contain with better security unless we want to turn the border into a new Berlin wall. We need to kill the drug war so it isn’t worth it to smuggle pot, streamline the guest worker program so it isn’t worth it to smuggle fruit pickers, AND beef up security so the evil guys who still need to sneak in get caught.”
WAKE UP. We NEED that “Berlin Wall.” NOTHING will ever make it cost less to employ a guestworker – and pay withholding taxes, unemployment taxes, etc. on him – than to hire an illegal alien “off-the-books” and *not*pay that crap. NOTHING will ever make taxed legal dope cost as little as untaxed illegal dope – or stop the inflow of illegal dope – particularly when so many dope users in America now are far too young to legally buy beer.
Build that “Berlin Wall” – and bring back the Marine snipers from Iraq to back it. After all, HERE – not Iraq – is where the real threat to America is.
Thank you Massad for pointing out what the news media as GLARINGLY ignored: namely the interest that the drug cartels have in keeping our borders as porous as possible. Your blog makes me wonder: how many members of the Sinaloa Cartel and Zeta Cartel are among the ‘human rights’ protesters of the new AZ law?
1SFC, they can’t b/c US Gov won’t provide any.
The Guard is beginning to do active duty training on the border, but still, some restrictions apply.
Gov. Brewer is doing the best she can. Also, the reason the law is not stricter is b/c state law cannot preempt federal law. It is only allowed to mirror federal law at most.
Also, I don’t think Mexico’s immigration law is all that great. It is utterly draconian in certain places and really is much more like Nazi Germany’s “Papeiren, Bitte!”
Organizations like La Raza are actively trying to populate states along the Mexican border and those adjoining them with enough liberal voting Hispanic people to control the governments and eventually secede from the United States and become a part of Mexico. It is basically a non-violent conquest of parts of a sovereign nation. The same thing is happening in Europe with the Muslims slowly and insidiously taking over the continent. This was the reason for the Crusades, which seems to only have delayed the Islamic invasion. Unlike United States citizens of Middle Eastern ancestry who mostly adopted our way of life and in many cases are more ‘American’ than those whose ancestors were here much longer, the Muslims in Europe are more radical and continue to practice the ways of their native countries.
Is the MAG-40 program you mentioned open to the general public?
If so, would you post contact info? If not, what program(s) in the Phoenix, AZ area would you recommend?
2K, the next MAG40 class will be held in Phoenix in Nov. Check massadayoobgroup.com for info.
Considering what I heard today concerning the (good on them) BP shooting a mexican pelting them with heavy rocks from the mexican side, they shoot when an illegal threatens them. Cross over illegally and see the BP, or run but don’t shoot and you don’t get shot. But try and assault our border guards, and I hope that idiot takes a nice permanent dirt nap.
To whoever asking if BP was using armored vehicles, I saw a vid today from a Georgia (looks like GA is just as fed up with illegals as the border states sans Kalifornia are) about BP agents getting attacked with cinder blocks (nearly killing several in the past…. talk about BAD head wounds…), and showing one of the BP vehicles that has solid gates over the windows and front end to protect them from the rock attacks while they check the primary and secondary fences. That’s pretty well armored for the kind of attacks they’re facing as of late.
Though next time the mexican army points guns at us, I say that the National Guard ought to be there, and that as soon as the mexicans’ guns go up (screw it if they’re on their side if they plan on shooting over to our side), the NG opens up.
Mexico (the official sovereign state) has long derided and despised our sovereignty and hold it in high disregard. That includes terrorizing our own law enforcement officials on our side of the border. This has to stop, and I fully think that considering their low opinion of us, nothing less than backing up our diplomacy with the certain use of immediate lethal force to defend our borders and protect our agents will convince them to stop this shadow war of theirs against us. We are NOT the dumping ground of their riff-raff (or so their elites consider the common, poor mexican).
The War on Drugs would not have to be lost. We need to prosecute users. I read lots of ‘theory’ about what to do about drugs in America. but we have an proven example of a WIN against drug use. The US military had a big drug problem in the 70’s. We focused on the users, but dealers were given long prison terms. If convicted users names were published and posted on prominent bill boards along with the punishment. There was no confusion, the punishment was served. Publisized convictions and punishments are a very big deterrent. Yes, there would be a burst in people serving short prison terms, but the numbers will rapidly taper off as the effects of publisizing names has an impact. Arizona has a method for treating convicts, proven legal – the other states could follow suit. Again, I stress – the method was proven successful.