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Open Border
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Sunday, 1/15/06, WorldNetDaily.com
HOMELAND
INSECURITY
Mexican troops defiant: 'Border? What
border?'
Military 'crosses into America 216 times during
past 9 years'
Posted: January 15, 2006
8:39 p.m.
Eastern
The Mexican military has little regard for the
border as troops have entered the United States 216 times over
nine years, according to a Department of Homeland Security
document and a map of incursions.
California's Inland
Valley Daily Bulletin says U.S. officials claim the
border-crossings are designed to help foreign drug and human
smugglers gain safe access into American territory.
While the White House refused comment, a spokeswoman
for the DHS said her department is in ongoing discussions with
the Mexican government about the incursions.
"We – the
Department of Homeland Security and the CBP (U.S. Customs and
Border Protection) – are determined to gain control of the
border and will continue to collaborate with our partners on
the border,'' Kristi Clemens told the paper.
The
document indicates since 1996, Mexican military personnel made
their way into the U.S. at the following Border Patrol
sectors:
· San Diego County, 17 times
· El
Centro, 58
· Yuma, Ariz., 24
· Tucson, Ariz.,
39
· El Paso, Texas, 33
· Marfa, Texas, 8
· Del Rio, Texas, 3
· Laredo, Texas, 6
· Rio Grande Valley, Texas, 28.
"That number
[of 216] is 20 times larger than even the Minuteman project
organizers are aware of,'' said Jim Gilchrist, co-founder of
the Minuteman Project, a civilian group concerned with border
security. "But I'm not surprised at that number. There are
significant drug and human cargo cartels involving Mexican
military threatening Americans at the border. But our Congress
has turned a blind eye to it because what the American people
don't know won't bother them – that's how our representatives
think.''
One border agent speaking on condition of
anonymity told the Bulletin: "We've had armed showdowns with
the Mexican army. ... These aren't just ex-military guys.
These are Mexican army officials assisting drug smugglers.''
Officials with Mexico's government dispute the
findings, claiming not a single crossing has been made by its
troops.
"I strongly deny any incursion by the Mexican
military on United States soil,'' said Rafael Laveaga,
spokesman for the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C. "When it
comes to Mexican military on the southern side, I have no
reports of them crossing into the United States. That would
mean that the patrol got lost or lack of expertise and
orientation. This could be smugglers with fake uniforms as a
tactic to confuse the authorities.''
U.S. Rep. Tom
Tancredo, R-Colo., said the high numbers of incursions show
suggestions for increasing Border Patrol resources or building
a border fence won't be enough to secure the boundary between
the U.S. and Mexico.
"It is a military problem,'' said
Tancredo. "We should commit the military to the border –
tomorrow. I mean, with armor and weapons.''
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