Thread: Gunmen kill two migrants on U.S.-Mexico border

Published: 03.30.2007
Dupnik: Feds not doing enough to stem border crime
CLAUDINE LoMONACO
Tucson Citizen
Violence associated with human and drug smuggling along the border has reached "epidemic proportions," Pima County Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik said today.
He sharply criticized the federal government for misdirecting Homeland Security funds and not sufficiently supporting local law enforcement agencies, which are overwhelmed.
Dupnik made the statements at a press conference today about a fatal ambush west of Green Valley of a pickup truck packed with at least 23 illegal immigrants, including three small children. Two immigrants were killed by gunfire and at least one other was injured. It was the second such incident in the past two months.
"The violence associated with the problem of migration and narcotics and other contraband going both north and south has reached epidemic proportions," Dupnik said, "and the safety of everyone in this state, if not in this country, is in someway affected by what's occurring."
The resources of the U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Attorney's Office, state and local law enforcement have been "taxed to their maximum," Dupnik said. "We are literally overwhelmed by the problem."
Local law enforcement agents don't have enough agents to cover existing crimes, let alone divert resources to cover border issues, he said.
He criticized the distribution of Homeland Security funds, which he said were largely going for what he called "reactionary" purposes, such as costly training exercises during mock disasters.
"If we had the money for the kinds of resources we need, we could make a huge impact on the border violence and crime," he said.
Dupnik also criticized a new federal policy to prosecute only those cases of marijuana smuggling involving 500 or more pounds.
"So what do you think has happened since that policy was instituted a year ago?" Dupnik said. "Many loads are coming across that are less than 500 pounds. In some cases, they are 499 pounds."
Local prosecutors have had to handle those cases.
Authorities believe the assailants in today's attack may have been after marijuana, Dupnik said, as one of the witnesses reported hearing the smuggler driving shout to the assailants that he was carrying people, not drugs.
Dupnik suggested the increased violence along the border may be linked to escalating violence in Sonora, where several Mexican law enforcement officers have recently been killed in what appears to be drug-related shootings.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/46647.php

The tragedy is a symptom of a failed immigration system that forces people coming to work into the desert and into the hands of smuggling rings that control the routes, said Kat Rodriguez, coordinating organizer for Coalición de Derechos Humanos, a Tucson-based immigrants' rights group. Increased enforcement has forced human smugglers into drug smuggling routes, which has caused the in-fighting, she said.

NO.......the tragedy is that YOU don't FIX YOUR OWN COUNTRY so that YOUR PEOPLE can sustain themselves.

Instead, it's easier for you come to America to steal that which is NOT yours and that which you have not earned.

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

The tragedy is a symptom of a failed immigration system that forces people coming to work into the desert and into the hands of smuggling rings that control the routes, said Kat Rodriguez, coordinating organizer for Coalición de Derechos Humanos, a Tucson-based immigrants' rights group. Increased enforcement has forced human smugglers into drug smuggling routes, which has caused the in-fighting, she said.

NO.......the tragedy is that YOU don't FIX YOUR OWN COUNTRY so that YOUR PEOPLE can sustain themselves.

Instead, it's easier for you come to America to steal that which is NOT yours and that which you have not earned.

This "Kat Rodriguez" works with the infamous Isabel Garcia with Derechos Humanos, a subversive hate America group that promotes the activities of illegal immigration and constantly calls for "immigration reform." One of the usual tactics of Derechos Humanos is to state that ambushes of illegal aliens such as happened today, are committed by white male, neo-nazi type or even Minutemen. Those of us who work in law enforcement know that is Mexicans preying on Mexicans. Will today's exposure of the Mexican National killers be enough to prove to Derechos Humanos who is actually committing these crimes against the illegal aliens? I doubt it. They'll still go on believing it was a white neo-nazi type.

Quote:
The tragedy is a symptom of a failed immigration system that forces people coming to work into the desert and into the hands of smuggling rings that control the routes, said Kat Rodriguez, coordinating organizer for Coalición de Derechos Humanos, a Tucson-based immigrants' rights group. Increased enforcement has forced human smugglers into drug smuggling routes, which has caused the in-fighting, she said.

2ndamendsis wrote:
NO.......the tragedy is that YOU don't FIX YOUR OWN COUNTRY so that YOUR PEOPLE can sustain themselves.

Instead, it's easier for you come to America to steal that which is NOT yours and that which you have not earned.

...and our government is condoning you stealing that which is not yours, so it is UP to the American people to save their country! Thank God for patriotic Americans!!!

I feel sorry for the illegals that were trying to get here to suffer this; but not sorry enough to back down on this issue. Darn it; if you willfully walk in front of an oncoming train you should expect a bad end. And shame on them for endangering children like this! Bush's amnesty/guestworker stance won't resolve anything, it will even increase the border war on drugs. I'm with Duncan Hunter, build the darn fence!

I don't feel sorry when a parent cares SO LITTLE about a 6 mth old infant that they'd drag it thru the desert and place it's welfare with a stranger/coyote!!

It's child abuse and is DEVOID OF FAMILY VALUES.

It's freaking SICK.

I'm plain disgusted at the lack of thought and care of their children.

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

Doesn't sound like smugglers to me.

You maybe right but I hope not.
I wouldn't put anythings past these scumbags includinging killing others to make more money and intimidate their rivals.

Mexican man gets 21-year term for immigrants' deaths
A.J. FLICK
Published: 09.29.2008

A Mexican man was sentenced to 21 years in prison Monday for shooting at a truck filled with illegal immigrants, killing two.
Pima County Superior Court Judge Richard S. Fields gave Martin Gaxiola Flores, 20, a sentence identical to that given co-defendant Rosario Humberto Araujo-Monares last week.
The two men, both illegal immigrants, were indicted on first-degree murder charges in the March 30, 2007, deaths of Jose Antonio Perez, 30, and Consuelo Perez Roman, 28.
Both men pleaded guilty to two second-degree murder charges.
The men admitted they had participated in a drug hijacking the previous year and were recruited to shoot at the truck carrying the immigrants, believing they were trying to stop drug traffickers.
Court records show Araujo and Flores were with two other men waiting for a vehicle carrying a large load of marijuana in the desert west of Green Valley.
When a pickup filled with 23 immigrants and two smugglers - "coyotes" - drove up, the bandits - "bajadores" - opened fire with four assault rifles, according to court records.
The driver, one of the coyotes, was injured by a bullet and fled with his partner, court records said.
The woman sitting in the front seat between them, Roman, was killed.
Perez, whose two children were among the group of immigrants, was in a camper shell on the truck bed and was killed.
Prosecutors asked for two consecutive 22-year sentences, but Fields imposed two concurrent 21-year sentences.
With 549 days' credit for time served, Flores will spend 19.5 years in prison.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/98083.php