Local Man: Border Fence Isn't Protecting Property

POSTED: 6:05 pm PDT March 13, 2009
UPDATED: 6:05 pm PDT March 13, 2009

SAN DIEGO -- For nearly 50 years, rancher Ed Tisdale has dealt with smugglers from Mexico who cross his property.

But with recent violence in Mexico, he said he is not waiting for the government's help.

"The reason this fence is going in is to keep the smugglers out," said Tisdale.

Tisdale said his fence is going up because the new multimillion dollar government fence four miles from his house is not working.

"That fence they're putting in just keeps moving them different directions," said Tisdale.

He said the border crossers find spots along the fence that are weak.

"… A half-mile where the new fence joins the old is a hold big enough for anyone to get through," said Tisdale. "If they want to get across, they'll get across and that's what Washington doesn't seem to get. They don't understand that."

Figures released by Customs and Border Protection showed that arrests in the San Diego sector are up.

From October 2007 through February 2008, there were 46,467 arrests made. Of those arrests, 149 were for smuggling.

In the same period from 2008 to 2009, after the new fence went in, the numbers went up.

There were 54,152 arrests, with 155 of those being smugglers.

Customs and Border Protection attribute the rise in arrests to better security and technology.

But for Tisdale that is not reassuring, so he will continue to secure his property.

"When we get done here, we're going to go down and reinforce the fence on the south side of the ranch to make that work a little better," said Tisdale.
Copyright 2009 by 10News.com

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