Thread: N.M.: Wilderness impact on border security debated

Wilderness impact on border security debated
By Ashley Meeks
Posted: 05/11/2010 11:09:23 PM MDT

LAS CRUCES -- It was standing-room-only at a Tuesday lecture warning about cross-border crime and the impact of a bill proposing to designate thousands of acres in Doña Ana County as wilderness -- but there were plenty with an opposing view just outside the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum hall.

U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., have introduced Senate Bill 1689, which would create thousands of acres of federally designated wilderness in Do-a Ana County.

Retired Border Patrol Chief Roger "Buck" Brandemuehl and retired Border Patrol Supervisor Zack Taylor both warned about the bill, Brandemuehl saying wilderness designations amounted to "effective safe havens" for smugglers.

"Imposing wilderness designation in proximity to our border effectively redraws the lines of defense," Brandemuehl said, to loud applause. He added, "protection of the land will do no good if the sovereignty of the United States is jeopardized."

Taylor warned about the crime -- "numerous gang rapes," wild fires and at least one severed head and slaughtered horse -- that he said is caused by illegal aliens.

"If there is a wilderness designation, Border Patrol has to go around it," Taylor told the crowd.

But claiming agents would have to stop at wilderness designated areas or go around them is "completely" wrong, said Border Patrol spokesman Ramiro Cordero. Border Patrol is already permitted to monitor and enforce within wilderness areas, Cordero confirmed Tuesday.

"We're still allowed to patrol anywhere ... if there's any danger or pursuit, we're not going to stop. There's no truth that we cannot go in (to wilderness areas). The federal authority gives us the authority to go anywhere," Cordero said.

He also flatly disputed Brandemuehl's statements Tuesday that Border Patrol wouldn't be able to use "mechanized equipment" such as observation towers, sensor systems, night-vision scopes and low-flying aircraft in wilderness areas.

"That is not true," Cordero said. "It's the same thing with Native American reservations. They have their laws. They have their sacred grounds. We have to respect them. We have to work around them. That doesn't mean we can't go into them."

The wilderness bill even drew praise Tuesday from a former Bush administration official, who issued a prepared statement that it would "enhance national security."

Lynn Scarlett, former deputy secretary of the interior under President George W. Bush, said she was "impressed" by the "diligent work" behind the bill, "especially when it came to making sure the proposal would increase border safety."

In fact, the legislation specifically protects Border Patrol, with certain sites excluded from the wilderness designation for future border security infrastructure, noted State Rep. Jeff Steinborn.

"The unfortunate part of having a 'forum' with only one side is people don't have access to that kind of information," Steinborn said.

City Councilor Gill Sorg, who attended the event, was also frustrated.

"What I heard today was just a heavy, heavy dose of fear," Sorg said. "We can't do our policies and make our decisions out of fear."

Department of Justice Anti-Terrorism Advisory Councilor Paul Deason agreed.

"This forum seems more focused on spreading fear than identifying solutions," said Deason in a prepared statement. "I've spent my career working to make our country safer. Safety depends on cooperation, dialog and proactive decision making, not on an echo chamber of fear and misinformation."

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_15066720

Their View: Wilderness - Border Patrol should provide a rebuttal
By Donald Ham / For the Sun-News
Posted: 06/07/2010 01:52:41 PM MDT

On May 11, I attended a meeting at the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum to hear a presentation by speakers from the National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers (NAFBPO), who were invited to speak by opponents to S.B.1689. I found the presentation by former Border Patrol Supervisor Zach Taylor, former Chief Gene Wood and former Chief of the Border Patrol Roger 'Buck' Brandemuehl to be informative. The presentation gave a powerful warning as to what might happen in New Mexico if it gave up 25 miles of its border to create a wilderness area along New Mexico Highway 9. Both former Chief Wood and Chief Brandemuehl are highly respected by the Border Patrol community for their service to the nation. Both gentlemen have testified before congressional committees numerous times on a variety of issues during their careers. Their integrity is beyond reproach and the achievements during their careers speak for their service to our nation and the Border Patrol.

When I read the article in which Border Patrol Spokesman Ramiro Cordero called Chief Brandemuehl a liar and debunked everything he had so patiently explained, I was surprised. I knew what Agent Cordero said was incorrect and I waited for the Border Patrol to repudiate Agent Cordero's statements, but no repudiation was forthcoming.

Interestingly, both Chief of the Border Patrol Mike Fisher and El Paso Sector Chief Randy Hill knew about their presentation. They informed them out of courtesy to both men and because
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they wanted to be in concert with the Border Patrol position. They received positive feedback from the Patrol prior to the presentations.

Later inquiries were made by NAFBPO seeking some type of response; you just don't call a former chief of the Border Patrol a liar, especially someone of Chief Brandemuehl stature. To date, no response or repudiation of Agent Cordero's has been forthcoming from the Border Patrol.

The reporter identified Lynn Scarlett as a former deputy secretary of the Department of the Interior. True, but Ms. Scarlett is also a consultant to the Environmental Defense Fund which lobbies for the creation of new wilderness areas. Paul Deason, a former U.S. Department of Justice Anti-Terrorism Advisory Councilor, is one of 10 recognized 2008 Heroes of the Wilderness. Both can hardly be classified as unbiased concerning the creation of a wilderness area. Not one of the consultants commented on the wilderness area problems in Arizona. Ms. Scarlett knows the Border Patrol had to pay millions of dollars in mitigation fees to the Interior Department for damage to Park Service land while apprehending illegal aliens and drug smugglers.

The Border Patrol has not said what infrastructure might be allowed around the periphery of the wilderness area and an examination of the bill does not specifically state what will be allowed.

Why are opponents of S.B. 1689 opposed to the wilderness designation? Look at what is going on in the Tucson Sector and compare it with the current situation in the El Paso Sector. In FY 2009, the Tucson Sector apprehended 241,673 illegal aliens, out of a total of 556,041 caught nationwide. Almost half of all apprehensions nationwide are caught in the Tucson Sector. On the southern border, the Border Patrol confiscated 2,603,907 lbs. of marijuana for FY 2009, the Tucson Sector apprehended 46 percent or 1,204,702 lbs. of that total. In comparison, El Paso agents apprehended 14,999 aliens for FY 2009; the lowest number in more than 30 years in the El Paso Sector. Why are the numbers so low? Simple, with the right mixture of manpower, technology and infrastructure, the border can begin to be controlled.

Tucson has access to the same technology, and infrastructure and personnel as El Paso. In fact, more resources have been poured into the Tucson Sector than any sector in the Patrol. The big difference, Tucson agents cannot patrol vast areas of their border. El Paso agents can patrol their border unimpeded. Tucson Sector has the largest restricted areas, contiguous to the Mexican border than anywhere on the southern border. A Fox News segment on May 26 clearly disputes Agent Cordero's comments. He was wrong and Border Patrol management knows he was wrong.

Former Agent Taylor gave a powerful presentation showing the trashing of the wilderness areas in Arizona by the large numbers of illegal aliens, dope and alien smugglers. This was not an attempt to 'spread fear' as stated by Councilman Sorg, but it was an attempt to inform those gathered what is happening in Arizona and why it shouldn't be allowed to happen in New Mexico. The Border Patrol will probably say they are confident they can work around the wilderness restrictions, but just remember they said the same thing in Arizona and look how that turned out.

I challenge the Border Patrol to dispute what I have said and provide a rebuttal. If what their spokesman said is true and they do they have the authority to go anywhere on the border, as stated by Mr. Cordero, have they advised the Border Patrol in Arizona? Maybe they weren't aware of this fact?

David B. Ham served more than 31 years in the Border Patrol, retiring as an Assistant Chief in the El Paso Sector.

http://oneoldvet.com/

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-op ... i_15245268

better idea would be to put more border patrol people and national guard on the border FIRST before you worry about some wilderness bill