Thread: El Paso: B Patrol picks up IA's, 1 hides in canal tunnel

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_8399327?s ... ost_viewed

Crews try to coax immigrant out of tunnel
By Darren Meritz / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 02/29/2008 10:03:54 AM MST


(photo) Members of the El Paso Fire Department water rescue team searched an irrigation canal tunnel along Paisano near ASARCO Friday morning after US Border Patrol agents reported seeing an person enter it around 3 a.m. (Rudy Gutierrez / El Paso Times)

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An undocumented immigrant allegedly jumped into a canal and hid from agents in a canal tunnel near the Asarco plant on Paisano Drive early Friday, prompting an hours-long water rescue effort with an inflatable boat that continued late into the morning.

Border Patrol camera operators monitoring the border at about 3 a.m. today witnessed nine unknown people attempt to cross illegally into the United States about two miles west of the Paso Del Norte Bridge, near the Asarco plant on Paisano Drive, said Doug Mosier, spokesman for the Border Patrol.

Border Patrol apprehended all but one of the people, who Mosier said sought refuge in a canal tunnel about a mile long that stretches underneath Paisano from the Asarco plant's entrance to the Rio Grande. Officials said the canal is filled with about four feet of water.

"Agents observed the subject jump in the canal and begin floating downstream," Mosier said. "Agents attempted to rescue the unidentified adult male."

At about sunrise Border Patrol witnessed the man peek out of the northern end of the tunnel, but officials said he went back in after spotting agents.

At about 7 this morning the El Paso Fire Department's Water Rescue Team lowered an inflatable raft tethered to a winch into the canal to search for the man from the north end of the tunnel, but fire rescue officials said they found no evidence of anyone down there.

Crews were preparing mid-morning to search again from the tunnel's southern opening.

"Basically, he knows he's going to get arrested if he comes out," said Scott Calderwood, a fire department battalion chief and a member of the water rescue team. "I assume he's going to succumb to hypothermia and drown if he doesn't quit fooling around."

Under a new policy, the Border Patrol has began jailing illegal immigrants caught crossing the border in an area stretching from the Zaragoza Bridge to Mount Cristo Rey.

Darren Meritz may be reached at dmeritz@elpasotimes.com; 546-6127.

WOW!!!

Border Patrol camera operators monitoring the border at about 3 a.m.

They finally got those cameras to work???!!!

Another good link, thanks. Reading though their headlines it shows what is happening to our border cities (scary). If this IA invasion turns around this is a city we need to take back.

New story from there
http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_8415334