Thread: TX - Thermal Video Captures 17 Crossing Border

Video at the source link.
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Monday, November 4 2013, 09:18 PM CST
By: Grace White
foxsanantonio.com

They wear uniforms, carry guns and use code names, but they're not law enforcement.

"It's physically demanding, it's dangerous," said a man who goes by the name "Reefer9."

They're private citizens patrolling the South Texas border.

"We were formed in 2006 as an off-shoot of the minute men organization," said a man who goes by the name "Warthog."

When they go out on patrol, the Texas Border Volunteers never know exactly how long the wait will be before they see something like this.

"We sat there for 45 minutes, it didn't take very long," said a man who goes by the name "Bad Whiskey."

In this exclusive thermal video, a coyote leads a group of undocumented immigrants through ranches in Brooks County to avoid border patrol's checkpoint in Falfurrias.

"The leader was shouting some kind of instructions... they went east for a little bit and hid for several minutes... and then came in through the fence and walked right by me," said "Bad Whiskey."

The group of immigrants had no idea volunteers were filming them and reporting their location to border patrol.

"In that group there were 2 women that were abandoned... and they have since called on 911 asking to be found," said a man who goes by the name "Rocky."

All 17, including the two women, were captured.

In the last year, the number of people picked up by the border patrol in the Rio Grande Valley rose by more than 60 %.

"A lot of people ask how do you live out here? How do people live in New York City, you just do," said Linda Vickers, a rancher.

Vickers says government cutbacks like sequestration have made the job these volunteers do more important.

"We are the eyes and ears of border patrol. Especially now when they've been cut back on fuel and man hours, they depend on ranchers and on groups like the Texas Border Volunteers to call in groups," said Vickers.

The groups of immigrants seem to be getting bigger.

"We are getting to a point now where 17 is kind of a small group now," said "Bad Whiskey."

In March, volunteers captured video of a group of around 60 immigrants crossing near the same checkpoint.

"I think we maybe inspire people that they can do something, they can get off their couch and do something more than just go to the ballot box," said "Reefer9."

As volunteers, their resources are limited and they're not on the border every night.

But if they are seeing this much activity, they wonder what happens when they're gone.

We asked border patrol what they think of these volunteers.

They told us they have a good relationship and they welcome help from groups like them.

http://www.foxsanantonio.com/newsroo...id_18011.shtml

General Dynamics to supply thermal imaging cameras to Border Patrol to spot ultra-light aircraft

Tue, 2013-11-05 03:15 PMBy: Jacob Goodwin

Z-500 thermal camera from General Dynamics

CBP has awarded a contract worth more than $67,000 to General Dynamics Global Imaging Technologies, Inc. to supply its Z-500 long-range thermal imaging cameras for the U.S. Border Patrol to use at its Calexico Station in California to spot criminal organizations crossing the border in ultra-light aircraft.

“The Calexico Station currently lacks the capability to efficiently monitor the criminal organizations and terrorists engaging in or planning illicit activities along the U.S. border,” says a CBP award notice posted on November 4.

“Current Thermal Cameras are insufficient, outdated, and often fail; land units are unable to exploit the use of new camera technology due to there being none. As a result, Calexico Station requests to modernize and reinforce its current capabilities based on the criminal organizations methods being used to evade Border Patrol enforcement.”

The Z-500 is the only camera thermal imaging system that is compatible with the Remote Video Surveillance System (RVSS), which is also being used at the Calexico Station.

“With outstanding long-range target detection and recognition, the Z-500 continuous zoom long-range thermal imager is the camera of choice for force protection and surveillance,” says General Dynamics on its own Web site.

“User-defined preset field-of-view options offer the user unprecedented mission flexibility. The camera is easily integrated into any command and control system and provides easy-to-use push button interaction. With its ruggedized design and cooled infrared detector technology, this camera allows for maximum threat detection with lower total cost of ownership.”

The contract for $67,450 was awarded on September 26 to the unit of General Dynamics based in Nashua, NH.

“Purchase and subsequent use of this equipment will benefit all of the Calexico Station's assets as well as intelligence agents, and ultimately the Sector as information is analyzed, linked and pushed out once such traffic is recorded on camera,” explains the CBP notice.

Further information about this contract award is available from Jeankite Joseph, a contract specialist, at 202-325-4114 orJEANKITE.JOSEPH@cbp.dhs.gov.

https://www.google.com/url?q=http://...By4mEXKQrF8x5Q