Wednesday, February 10, 2021

A NATION WITH NO WALL AGAINST NARCOMEX - EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Cartel Tries to Shoot Down Military Helicopter in Mexico near Texas Border

 

GOP Rep. Roy: DHS ‘Is Going to Be Turned Into a Catch and Release Operation’

IAN HANCHETT
5
1:20

On Wednesday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Faulkner Focus,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) stated that the Biden administration’s policies are going to turn the Department of Homeland Security “into a catch and release operation.” And that doing so “empowers cartels to make money, moving human beings for profit across the border, endangering them, endangering American citizens, having them be placed in stash houses.”

Roy said, [relevant remarks begin around 2:10] “What we’re really seeing here is the Department of Homeland Security is going to be turned into a catch and release operation. That’s literally what they’re working to do. That empowers cartels to make money, moving human beings for profit across the border, endangering them, endangering American citizens, having them be placed in stash houses. And, oh, by the way, creating distractions and other channels to move vast quantities of fentanyl and dangerous narcotics into the United States. … This is a crisis of epic proportions that is being driven by political maneuverings by President Biden appeasing his leftist base.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

Tom Cotton: Joe Biden Is Keeping U.S. Closed for Americans, Leaving Border Open for Illegal Aliens

MCALLEN, TX - JULY 25: Central American immigrants just released from U.S. Border Patrol detention board a Greyhound bus for Houston and then other U.S. destinations on July 25, 2014 in McAllen, Texas. Federal agencies have been overwhelmed by tens of thousands of immigrant families and unaccompanied minors from Central …
John Moore/Getty Images
JOHN BINDER
1
3:16

President Joe Biden’s administration is getting blasted by lawmakers, local officials, and critics for advocating lockdowns and restrictions for Americans during the Chinese coronavirus crisis while seemingly opening the nation’s borders to illegal aliens who can flout Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.

As Breitbart News has extensively reported, the Biden administration has resumed the Catch and Release program wherein border crossers are apprehended and promptly released into the interior of the United States. These border crossers are not required to test negative for the coronavirus before their release into American communities.

Instead, many border crossers are being put up in high-rise hotels, as the New York Times reported, and quarantining for about 10 to 14 days before they are freed into the U.S. interior. At the same time, the Biden administration is weighing a plan that would require American citizens to test negative for the coronavirus before flying domestically.

“Just recently we learned that they are letting illegal aliens who show up to our border into the country without any coronavirus testing,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) told Fox News.

“Unlike what you have to do when you want to fly into this country on an airplane, or reportedly what Joe Biden is thinking about requiring all Americans do to fly domestically,” Cotton said:

Just think about that. Illegal aliens can come into our country without vaccination, without even a negative test, but we may not be able to fly in our own country without a test. Joe Biden is keeping American closed, but he’s keeping our borders open. [Emphasis added]

Likewise, Yuma County, Arizona, Sheriff Leon Wilmot sent a letter to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) last week in which he called the Catch and Release program of untested border crossers “a particularly dangerous approach.”

“There is currently no protocol for testing any of these people for the COVID-19 virus nor is there any support being offered by the federal government to house, feed, medically treat or transport these immigrants,” Wilmot wrote in the letter to Sinema.

Fox News’s Tucker Carlson slammed the Biden administration in a segment, saying the policy is “designed to humiliate” and “demoralize” American citizens.

“When we release people who break our laws without even bothering to test them for the virus, the same virus they’ve used as a pretext for wrecking your life, what they’re really saying in the clearest possible terms is ‘We don’t like you,'” Carlson said. “This isn’t a policy, it’s an act of aggression.”

National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd said in a statement that federal immigration officials are not testing border crossers that they release “so we’re releasing people without knowing, which obviously puts the public at risk.”

Unofficial Catch and Release totals suggest that federal immigration officials, just in the last week, have released more than 1,000 border crossers — with no coronavirus test requirements — into the U.S. interior.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com.

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Cartel Tries to Shoot Down Military Helicopter in Mexico near Texas Border

Mexican Army
Getty Images/Pedro Pardo
GERALD TONY ARANDA
2
1:49

Cartel gunmen tried to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter at a clandestine camp in Nuevo Leon. Five gunmen died and the aircraft was not seriously damaged.

The clash took place over the weekend in a rural area near the town of Doctor Coss. According to a U.S. law enforcement source operating in Mexico, the shootout took place at coordinates 26°02’14.6”N / 98°58’52.2”W, where a Mexican Army helicopter was conducting surveillance operations, approximately 24 miles south of the border with Texas.

The gunmen, believed to be part of the Cartel Del Noreste faction of Los Zetas, began shooting at the helicopter with a .50 caliber and AK-47 rifles to keep the chopper away from their camp. The helicopter took evasive actions and radioed for support, leading troops to the scene.

Military vehicles stormed the cartel campsite, killing five gunmen while the rest managed to escape. Authorities seized one .50 caliber rifle and four AK-47 rifles. The troops also found several tents and food items.

The camp is consistent with a pattern of operations by CDN-Los Zetas to carefully occupy areas once controlled by the Gulf Cartel. Two commanders known as “El Amarillo” and Ricky Chapa were revealed to be supplying troops at the different turf fronts. As part of their strategy, the cartel uses armored vehicles and explosives.

Gerald “Tony” Aranda is a contributing writer for Breitbart Texas.

Clark: Effects of Halted Border Wall Construction Echo Across U.S.

IMG_1340
Breitbart Texas/Randy Clark
RANDY CLARK
50
4:21

There is a common saying, “when America sneezes, the world catches a cold.” I also believe when the border region sneezes, America feels it. Whether you are building a border wall or plan to discontinue the work, the impacts are felt far from the construction site.

In Eagle Pass and Del Rio, Texas, an existing border fence is being demolished to make room for a taller, more robust border wall. In 2007, I worked with Border Patrol on the outreach program to facilitate the acquisition of property for the current fencing in these communities. I communicated with private landowners and community leaders to let them know the importance of barriers for Border Patrol’s mission.

In many instances, private landowners were eager to sell. There was also resistance. Building a fence along the Rio Grande presented engineering issues. Staying clear of the flood plain meant the footprint of the project would be need to be distanced from the river. The municipal golf course and a popular city park in Eagle Pass would be on the wrong side of the fence–not ideal.

Despite objections and a lengthy legal process, the fence was built. It’s a part of those communities now. Border Patrol established open gates to afford public access to the golf course and park. From a security standpoint, the fence still serves its deterrent purpose and funnels potential border crossers to the manned areas. Before the fence, it took only seconds for migrants to disappear into the residential neighborhoods. It seemed a win for both the Border Patrol and local residents.

Today, equipment and materials sit idle at the construction site where the existing fence is to be replaced. The contract, worth $51.9 million, was paused as a result of President Joe Biden’s executive order calling for the review of each wall contract. The review holds the potential to kill the project all together.

LGC Global Corp., a minority owned business in Detroit, Michigan, was awarded the contract in June 2020. The contract involves replacing the existing four miles of fencing in Del Rio and Eagle Pass with a much taller wall. Although LGC Global Corp. did not respond to a request for comment, their online company profile reveals their involvement in a broad range of engineering and construction projects worldwide. They also highlight their Employability Skills Program. The program helps people who have been incarcerated or for other reasons have been prevented from excelling in life. It provides job skill training and promotes employability.

What exactly does the pause mean from the federal contracting standpoint? A United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) representative said the pause will last 60 days. If a decision to terminate the contract is reached, the terms of the cancellation will be communicated to LGC Global.

The pause does not mean that work will halt altogether. Progress on the project must cease, but the contractor remains responsible for making the worksite safe. That might mean covering open pits or removing any materials that could cause a hazard. Once the worksite is safe, no progress can occur.

As far as payment, according to USACE, the contractor is paid for completed work every 30 days.

Some in the community, including local government leaders, are not fond of the plans to replace the fence. Maverick County Judge David Saucedo who has worked closely with the Border Patrol on several important issues is no fan of the project. In a conversation with Breitbart Texas, he acknowledged most residents are used to seeing the fence but stated their dislike for seeing it improved further.

Despite the mixed local opinions, the implications of a halted and potentially severed contract affect many. Idle equipment can be matched by personal paychecks. Construction material suppliers will lose business. The criminal elements beyond the border proceed as usual.

Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol.  Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas Sector.

Human Smuggling Vessel Seized with 11 Migrants Off California Coast

CBP and Border Patrol agents interdict a smuggling incident where 12 people were packed on a small boat. (Photo: U.S. Border Patrol/San Diego Sector)
Photo: U.S. Border Patrol/San Diego Sector
BOB PRICE
2
3:40

CBP Air and Marine Operations crews and U.S. Border Patrol agents teamed up to interdict a human smuggling incident off the coast of Southern California. The off-shore incident was the second in the past week and led to the apprehension of multiple migrants and a human smuggler.

Shortly before midnight on Monday night, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations BE-350 Multi-Rold Enforcement Aircraft crew spotted a vessel running with its lights out off the coast of Southern California. The boat appeared to be entering U.S. territorial waters from Mexico, according to information obtained from CBP officials.

The AMO aircrew coordinated with a Coastal Interceptor Vessel to interdict the suspected human smuggling operation. By 1 a.m., the CBP interceptor vessel interdicted and stopped the 20-foot inflatable (Z0diac style) vessel with a single outboard motor, officials stated. The stop took place seven nautical miles west of the Torrey Pines Nature Preserve.

Border Patrol agents onboard the CBP vessel boarded the boat and found 11 migrants — massively overloading the capacity of the boat, officials reported. Agents also identified the captain of the boat as the human smuggler.

The vessel carried seven adult Mexican males, two adult Mexican females, one Mexican unaccompanied alien child, and one adult Brazilian male, officials said. The crew seized the human smuggling boat and transported the migrants to the Border Patrol station for processing.

Agents also arrested the boat’s captain who will be prosecuted under alien smuggling charges.

“This smuggling event is an example of the extreme risks smugglers take to bring people illegally into the United States,” said Acting Deputy Director, Marine Operations Kris Goland. “It’s fortunate that this event came to a safe ending considering the smuggling vessel was way overloaded with people, at night, without navigation lights, in an inflatable boat, way offshore of San Diego.”

San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke added, “Maritime smuggling is extremely dangerous and smugglers place an emphasis on monetary gain over victim safety. I am proud of the hard work and diligence the agents displayed in this case.”

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s Sunday-morning talk show, What’s Your Point? Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX, Parler @BobPrice, and Facebook.

Deported Sex Offender Found Hiding in 138-Migrant Group at Border Checkpoint

Laredo Sector agents found a convicted sex offender hiding in a group of migrants being smuggled in a tractor-trailer in the Laredo Sector. (Photo: U.S. Border Patrol/Laredo Sector)
Photo: U.S. Border Patrol/Laredo Sector
BOB PRICE
798
2:56

Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents found a previously deported sex offender hiding with a group of smuggled migrants in a tractor-trailer. The discovery came at an interior immigration enforcement checkpoint over the weekend where agents disrupted two human smuggling events and arrested 138 migrants.

Laredo Sector Chief Patrol Agent Matthew Hudak tweeted photos taken of the two human smuggling attempts that were disrupted by Border Patrol agents at interior immigration checkpoints. The incidents occurred over the weekend as agents continued their interdiction efforts.

The photos show the 138 migrants crammed into the trailers in unsafe conditions. Despite being packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the trailer with little air ventilation, none of the migrants can be seen wearing masks or any other PPE to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

During processing, the agents identified one of the migrants as a previously deported sex offender. No further details about his criminal history were available in the tweet.

Officials have not yet disclosed information about the nationalities of the 138 apprehended migrants. Breitbart Texas reached out to Laredo Sector Border Patrol officials for additional information about the two human smuggling interdictions. An immediate response was not available.

A few days earlier, Border Patrol agents in the sector apprehended 83 more migrants being smuggled in commercial vehicles.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s Sunday-morning talk show, What’s Your Point? Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX, Parler @BobPrice, and Facebook.


Biden Executive Order Gives Return to Normalcy for Cartel Human Smugglers, Says Fmr. Border Patrol Agent

U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the McAllen border patrol station encounter a large group of migrants near Los Ebanos, Texas, June 15, 2019. The members of the group who illegally entered the U.S. by crossing the Rio Grande on rubber rafts turned themselves into the U.S. Border Patrol agents …
File Photo: Kris Grogan, CBP Office of Public Affairs
RANDY CLARK
185
4:12

Over the last few weeks, the new Biden Administration has made clear that “Build Back Better” in terms of border security will entail more dismantling than building. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden revoked procedures designed to swiftly adjudicate asylum applications and end “catch-and-release.”

The “Executive Order on Creating a Comprehensive Regional Framework to Address the Causes of Migration, to Manage Migration Throughout North and Central America, and to Provide Safe and Orderly Processing of Asylum Seekers at the United States Border” immediately revokes the following:

(1)  Executive Order 13767 of January 25, 2017 (Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements).

(2)  Proclamation 9880 of May 8, 2019 (Addressing Mass Migration Through the Southern Border of the United States).

(3)  Presidential Memorandum of April 29, 2019 (Additional Measures to Enhance Border Security and Restore Integrity to Our Immigration System).

(4)  Presidential Memorandum of April 6, 2018 (Ending “Catch-and-Release” at the Border of the United States and Directing Other Enhancements to Immigration Enforcement).

(5)  Presidential Memorandum of April 4, 2018 (Securing the Southern Border of the United States).

The latest immigration-related order directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to promptly review and determine whether to terminate or modify the program known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as the “Remain in Mexico” program. This also puts the COVID-19 immediate expulsion program potentially on the same chopping block.

Nestled in the order are strategies to address and manage the root causes of irregular migration. The new order directs efforts to combat corruption, counter and prevent violence by criminal gangs, trafficking networks, and other organized criminal organizations. Put more succinctly: American tax dollars are headed for Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. This financial windfall is sure to excite incumbent political leaders down south.

The order does not address the organized criminal networks on both sides of the U.S. southern border. Transnational criminal organizations (otherwise known as cartels) will also see a windfall, given their financial reliance on migrants moving north no matter the occupant of the White House.

The business of human trafficking generates an enormous amount of money. Many migrants are charged thousands of dollars for a chance to enter the United States. They have little say in where and how they cross. The arrangements with human traffickers are not reversible. They are hostages until payment is made in full and satisfaction is not guaranteed.

Those who do not have the means to pay immediately are effectively indentured. The only way out of this abusive cycle is if one becomes injured en route—in which they are abandoned. Their remains are often found floating in the Rio Grande or decaying on a south Texas ranch.

In one 24-hour period Wednesday, the Laredo Sector thwarted two human smuggling attempts in commercial vehicles and recovered 183 migrants. The Border Patrol in Laredo alone reports a 133% increase in commercial vehicle smuggling since October 2020. In these two attempts, the migrants were crammed into semi-tractor trailers. This method affords little ventilation and no social distancing.

Dismantling the border security structure instead of modifying existing law is not “building back.” It is business-as-usual for smugglers.

Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol.  Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas Sector.

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