Thread: Glenn Beck with YUMA BP Chief Paul Beeson

BECK: You know, I`m going to be honest with you. One of the reasons that I continually campaign so hard for the imprisoned border agents Ramos and Compean is because I don`t think most people really even understand, especially the politicians, understand how dangerous their jobs as a border patrol agent really, really is.

I mean, these guys are troops just as much as any marine is. Unfortunately, that reality was highlighted Saturday morning when a U.S. border agent who was pursuing a suspected drug smuggler was hit and killed by the fleeing car. The suspects then just went across the border back to Mexico where I`m sure we can count on the authorities down in Mexico to bend over backwards to help us find these bad guys. Paul Beeson is the chief of Border Patrol Yuma sector, he joins me now on the phone. Chief, can you tell me exactly what happened this weekend? Describe the scene.

CHIEF PAUL BEESON, BORDER PATROL (on phone): Well, Glenn, it`s a holiday weekend at the imperial sand dunes recreational area which is just west of Yuma, Arizona, just passed the -- it`s in California. Just passed the state line. The agents were out there working as part of a team performing anti-smuggling duties.

As they were conducting surveillance of the area, they noticed two suspicious vehicles depart the area. The agents moved in to intercept the vehicles and both of the vehicles, of course, noticed that the agents were behind them, turned around and ran south as is their, you know, I mean, that`s typically what they do in that area. Agent Aguilar and his partner were attempting to deploy a spike strip to deflate the tires of one of the vehicles fleeing south. As the vehicle was approaching them, Agent Aguilar`s attention was diverted by some bystanders that were in the area. There were folks out there recreating in the area. And so what he was doing was trying to warn them away from the area so that they would not get struck by this guy as he`s fleeing.

BECK: And he was -- and he was struck and killed. Is there a -- is there a fence there anywhere? Is there any kind of border barrier at all in this area?

BEESON: That area, there is not one up there now. We have been working on installing one in that area. One thing I do want to point out, Glenn, because I want it to be perfectly clear.

BECK: Yeah.

BEESON: That agent -- the vehicle intentionally ran down Agent Aguilar. This was not an accident.

BECK: How do you know that?

BEESON: We`re basing that off of bystanders` statements, witness statements.

BECK: That he swerved into the agent?

BEESON: Exactly.

BECK: I have to tell you, chief, I have to tell you, God bless you and every single border agent that is doing this hard work every day. I think you guys have been sold out down the river from every single agent and I want you to know when I talk to people across the country, they support you. The people are with you. And we think you`re doing a fantastic job. God bless you for getting up every day and doing it.

BEESON: I appreciate that, Glenn. I do want to point out that we are diligently pursuing this. We are not going to rest until we identify .

BECK: Is Mexico helping us at all?

BEESON: As a matter of fact, they are. I believe that the Mexican government realizes the seriousness of this offense. They are -- they have been working with them. I have officers that are in close contact with them. We have been on the phone with Mexico City and they are working with us.

BECK: OK. All right.

BEESON: So we are getting quite a bit of cooperation for them and it`s certainly something we look forward to seeing continue until they`re brought to justice.

BECK: Chief, we`ll be in touch and follow the story. Thank you so much for talking to us.

Now let`s get some perspective on it happens on the border. I want to bring in Jessica Vaughn, a senior policy analyst for the Center for Immigration Studies, former foreign services officer. Jessica, let me ask you a question. Gee, no fence in the area. What a surprise this is going on.

JESSICA VAUGHAN, CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES: Yeah. Well, it`s about time that we gave our border agency what it needs to get this job done and this the special interests who have been holding up the construction of physical barriers along certain areas of the border get out of the way that so that we can get this done to protect our agents and to protect Americans from the criminals who are coming and going at will.

BECK: Jessica, how frustrating is this? Because it seems to me that everybody forgets about, you know, now immigration is -- is it the third most important thing during the election? This is a massive, massive problem. Everybody forgets about it. And yet, we have got border agents in jail. We have border agents that are being killed. I got to believe their morale is awful as a border guard. And assault has gone through the roof against our own border agents.

VAUGHAN: That`s right. Assaults against border patrol agents have gone up 30 percent from 2006 to 2007. There are Border Patrol agents assaulted every day, more than once a day along the border and from what I hear from Border Patrol agents and former Border Patrol agents is that morale doesn`t get lower than it is right now because these agents who go out every day and risk their lives feel as if their work is simply not valued by this administration. And that, you know, as hard as they may try to keep people from illegally entering, there`s nothing they can do if they`re not support .

BECK: Everybody said the morale was bad for armed forces under Clinton. Because they disregarded the armed forces. You know what? George Bush is Bill Clinton to our border agents. Jessica, I thank you very much for your time.

Hey there James, thanks for tracking down this transcript and posting it.

Any chance you have a link to the source - not only due to rules requirements, but I'd be interested in it personally as well... (Thanks).

This is from today's program, yes? (just want to be sure...)

yes this is from Monday evenings shows.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/ ... gb.01.html

Thanks James, much appreciated.