Immigrants shot while crossing to U.S.; Congressman pushing to militarize border
BY LUKE TURF
Jun 15, 2002
http://www.yumasun.com/artman/publish/story_330.shtml
At least six illegal immigrants were wounded when their vehicle was blasted with gunfire Friday morning as it illegally crossed the U.S. border near Calexico, Calif.
The six immigrants were hospitalized in El Centro and San Diego, two of whom were in critical but stable condition later Friday, said Manuel Garcia, spokesman for the Imperial County Sheriff's office.
An investigation was being conducted by officers from both the sheriff's office and FBI agents, said Manny Figueroa, spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol's El Centro sector. The Associated Press said that at least one of the victims reported the vehicle in which the shooters were traveling belonged to the Mexican military, but Garcia said no military units or law enforcement agency from Mexico is suspected of the shooting.
Twenty-one illegal immigrants were packed into the Chevrolet Suburban, Figueroa said.
The incident occurred as a Colorado congressman is pushing to militarize the Mexican border.
Border Patrol agents may have a lot to worry about when dealing with illegal Mexican crossers and dope smugglers, but they also consider Mexican law enforcement a threat when their vehicles are illegally on this side of the border, said U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.
Mexican federales illegally crossed the border near Yuma five times in the fiscal year 2001. And there was one incursion, or illegal entry, by the federal officers this fiscal year, said Mike McGlasson, spokesman for the patrol's Yuma sector.
McGlasson said the Mexican officers fled back south of the border in every instance before Border Patrol agents could apprehend them. But agents know Mexican officers are armed and are advised to call for backup in such circumstances, McGlasson said.
Over in the Tucson sector, not all Mexican officers are heading back over the border just at the sight of U.S. officers. It's believed a U.S. Border Patrol agent was shot at by a Mexican military unit south of Ajo May 17, though the investigation is still pending.
This is one reason Tancredo said he considers Mexican law enforcement officials coming into the United States a threat to Border Patrol agents and the anti-drug security they provide the United States.
Tancredo said he considers shots fired at U.S. law enforcement agents, on their own soil, an act of war. So he's pushing the president to station the military along the U.S. border. He said he thinks there's corruption of Mexican agents along the border because they can make money providing security to dope smugglers or by distracting Border Patrol agents by making their own incursions.
According to Tancredo, 118 Mexican incursions have been confirmed since 1997.
"There are many more that occur that don't achieve the level of confirmed," he said.
And it should be of grave concern to Arizonans, Tancredo said, since most of the 23 incursions in 2001 took place in the Tucson area.
"If it were widely known, there would be a lot of people who would demand some more border security," Tancredo said. He said he's worried a U.S. agent is going to get killed the next time a Mexican agent opens fire.
Nonetheless, Tancredo says his proposal to tighten up the border will be met with opposition from both parties. He said U.S. officials also don't want to tighten border security because they're looking out for their own agendas.
Tancredo said his fellow Republicans don't want to lose the cheap source of labor illegal immigrants provide. And as for his Democrat counterparts, Tancredo said they're interested in the votes illegal immigrants will eventually provide them.
"If we were to actually try and control our borders down there, we would impede the flow of illegal immigrants," Tancredo said.
Tancredo also sent a letter to Mexican President Vincente Fox. He said he doesn't think Fox is corrupt, but he's seeking an explanation of the incursions and any disciplinary action against the illegal crossings.