USBP Medics, Desert Duty
John W. Slagle
February 12, 2006
The Arizona Daily Star provides an updated Border death data base which states: “With no official record keeping system, the exact number of illegal immigrants who have died along the Arizona border has never been known”.
In the summer of 2004, the Arizona Daily Star started compiling information to present an accurate tally of the numbers of people who die crossing into the United States illegally through Southern Arizona”.
There are many factions that believe increased law enforcement efforts and additional manpower has pushed Smugglers guiding large groups of foreign nationals into inhospitable desert terrain. The vast Tohono O’odham Indian Nation west of the Baboquivarie Mountain range is as large as some small states on the east coast. The land mass is 2,773, 357 acres. The Organ Pipe Cactus National Park which is considered the most dangerous area in the United States has 330,688.86 acres of wilderness.
The U.S. Border Patrol, Tucson Sector in 2006 has 2,300 Agents and 42 Aircraft. There is also a Special Tracking and Rescue Unit, BORSTAR composed of fully trained and equipped EMTs, Medics. The Border Safety Initiative established in 1998 has saved the lives of over 7500 people.
The desert areas of this nation are beautiful but un-forgiving to the unwary and those who trust human traffickers for their safety.
In 1974, Tucson Station had a total of 7 Border Patrol Agents responsible for the City as well line watch duties from Arivaca to the Tohono Nation. Ajo Arizona Station had a similar manpower situation.
We were not exactly a Force that created “fear of arrest” in smugglers minds, but we tried to make animpact in problem areas. The human traffickers as well as narcotics smugglers preferred desert entry points including the Indian Nation and Organ Pipe.
Bandit activity was also very real and dangerous for 29 El Salvadorian men and women who after paying their way through Mexico encountered human Vultures on the Line. The Smuggler Guides were eager to “walk” the group North many miles to a “pick-up” location in the Organ Pipe where they were assured vehicles would be waiting.
After leading the 29 people into the United States, armed Guides robbed them of all cash, valuables and abandoned the group, without water. No one had desert survival skills and panicked, a worst case scenario.
A U.S. Border Patrol Pilot located the people and directed Agents to the Distress area.
Upon arrival, we found 16 victims with severe heat stoke, requiring immediate hydration, a cool down of the body. Thirteen of the original 29 were already dead. Several surviving women stated they had been raped.
The smuggler bandits were eventually found and prosecuted for felony 8 USC 1324 charges as well as negligent homicide charges.
There have been events involving life and death along our nation’s borders for the past several decades with very few agents on the line or several thousand.
People from all nations will continue to enter this country as long as there is an incentive to enter illegally as opposed to legal methods. Control of the Borders is not “Rocket Science” but as always the Political will to enforce the Immigration laws of this nation.
You cannot have political standards where certain classes of illegal aliens in violation of law are condoned by Washington and some classes are not tolerated. The search for alleged terrorists, criminal aliens is a noble pursuit but ignoring Immigration laws in general in a quest for cheap labor defies basic common sense.
The only people who profit are Criminal Organizations who trade in human flesh and Corporations. Smugglers appreciate stricter law enforcement. It raises the price tag on human cargos. Corporate Industries have never wanted any labor laws, unions or immigration standards for years. It’s a win-win situation for both.
sources personal experience
land mass sources Tohono O’odham Tribal Nation, NPS Organ Pipe
Border Safety Initiative www.cbp.gov/
In the summer of 2004, the Arizona Daily Star started compiling information to present an accurate tally of the numbers of people who die crossing into the United States illegally through Southern Arizona”.
There are many factions that believe increased law enforcement efforts and additional manpower has pushed Smugglers guiding large groups of foreign nationals into inhospitable desert terrain. The vast Tohono O’odham Indian Nation west of the Baboquivarie Mountain range is as large as some small states on the east coast. The land mass is 2,773, 357 acres. The Organ Pipe Cactus National Park which is considered the most dangerous area in the United States has 330,688.86 acres of wilderness.
The U.S. Border Patrol, Tucson Sector in 2006 has 2,300 Agents and 42 Aircraft. There is also a Special Tracking and Rescue Unit, BORSTAR composed of fully trained and equipped EMTs, Medics. The Border Safety Initiative established in 1998 has saved the lives of over 7500 people.
The desert areas of this nation are beautiful but un-forgiving to the unwary and those who trust human traffickers for their safety.
In 1974, Tucson Station had a total of 7 Border Patrol Agents responsible for the City as well line watch duties from Arivaca to the Tohono Nation. Ajo Arizona Station had a similar manpower situation.
We were not exactly a Force that created “fear of arrest” in smugglers minds, but we tried to make animpact in problem areas. The human traffickers as well as narcotics smugglers preferred desert entry points including the Indian Nation and Organ Pipe.
Bandit activity was also very real and dangerous for 29 El Salvadorian men and women who after paying their way through Mexico encountered human Vultures on the Line. The Smuggler Guides were eager to “walk” the group North many miles to a “pick-up” location in the Organ Pipe where they were assured vehicles would be waiting.
After leading the 29 people into the United States, armed Guides robbed them of all cash, valuables and abandoned the group, without water. No one had desert survival skills and panicked, a worst case scenario.
A U.S. Border Patrol Pilot located the people and directed Agents to the Distress area.
Upon arrival, we found 16 victims with severe heat stoke, requiring immediate hydration, a cool down of the body. Thirteen of the original 29 were already dead. Several surviving women stated they had been raped.
The smuggler bandits were eventually found and prosecuted for felony 8 USC 1324 charges as well as negligent homicide charges.
There have been events involving life and death along our nation’s borders for the past several decades with very few agents on the line or several thousand.
People from all nations will continue to enter this country as long as there is an incentive to enter illegally as opposed to legal methods. Control of the Borders is not “Rocket Science” but as always the Political will to enforce the Immigration laws of this nation.
You cannot have political standards where certain classes of illegal aliens in violation of law are condoned by Washington and some classes are not tolerated. The search for alleged terrorists, criminal aliens is a noble pursuit but ignoring Immigration laws in general in a quest for cheap labor defies basic common sense.
The only people who profit are Criminal Organizations who trade in human flesh and Corporations. Smugglers appreciate stricter law enforcement. It raises the price tag on human cargos. Corporate Industries have never wanted any labor laws, unions or immigration standards for years. It’s a win-win situation for both.
sources personal experience
land mass sources Tohono O’odham Tribal Nation, NPS Organ Pipe
Border Safety Initiative www.cbp.gov/
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