Border Patrol agents finding more resistance
Published: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 6:26 PM MST


Green Valley News

Border Patrol Division Chief John Fitzpatrick said Tuesday that 93 Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents have been assaulted this year, and attacks on agents have increased by 323 percent since last fiscal year, which ended on Sept. 30.

Fitzpatrick said in the past week, in incidents near Sierra Vista and Casa Grande, one agent was attacked by a half-dozen suspected illegal immigrants before other agents responded and subdued the men, and another agent was attacked by a man he was walking to a vehicle.

Also Friday northeast of Sasabe, a suspected immigrant being held kicked an agent before being subdued.

A Border Patrol spokesman said that on Saturday in Douglas two vehicles crossed the border illegally and one rammed a Border Patrol vehicle as a group of about 20 people south of the border lobbed rocks at Border Patrol agents. Both vehicles were captured, along with numerous bundles of marijuana. No agents were injured.

He said the attacks seem to indicate a sense of frustration on the part of smugglers and that indicates his agency is gaining the upper hand in the struggle for control of the border, though he acknowledged that it is difficult to measure.

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