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