Immigration

Border Patrol agent killed overnight while tracking group of illegal immigrants

Published

10 months ago

December 8, 2022

A Border Patrol agent was killed overnight while in the line of duty patrolling the border. “The agent was patrolling the international boundary at approximately 1 a.m. on an all-terrain vehicle and tracking a group of individuals which illegally crossed the border when he was involved in an accident near Mission, Texas,” acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller announced.

In an email, Miller wrote “Acting Deputy Commissioner [Benjamine] Huffman, Chief [Raul] Ortiz and I regret to inform you of the passing of a Border Patrol agent assigned the McAllen Station this morning.”

“He was found unresponsive by fellow agents who immediately initiated life-saving efforts and requested emergency medical services. The agent was taken to an area hospital by ambulance where he later passed away. Additional information will be shared when available,” the email continued.

“The death of an agent while performing their duties and securing our borders is a loss that is felt throughout our agency and our nation,” Miller concluded.

Just The News writes:

The nation has witnessed an unprecedented surge in illegal migration the past few years, with roughly 2.4 million crossing the border in fiscal year 2022 and nearly 4 million doing so since President Joe Biden took office. With that has come record drug trafficking operations, including increasingly large shipments of the highly potent narcotic fentanyl.

Border authorities are unable to keep up with the rise in traffic, prompting the Biden administration to turn to other federal agencies for extra manpower. The Department of Homeland Security has attempted to redeploy air marshals to the southern border to assist with the crisis, but has faced resistance from the agency, with many vowing to refuse the order at the risk of termination.

Immigration

Show me the money! Report shows U.S. unable to show effectiveness of $3 billion spent in Mexico

Published

2 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Sara Carter Staff

The U.S. government has spent more than $3 billion in Mexico to reduce drug trafficking and transnational crime since 2008; unfortunately, little can be shown for it.

A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that “the U.S. government cannot demonstrate that it is achieving its goals in Mexico and that its investments, at over $3 billion since 2008, have been spent effectively.”

The Center Square writes that the U.S. money going to Mexico was intended to mitigate transnational organized crime and violence in Mexico, enhance the country’s rule of law and reduce drug trafficking to the United States. The report discusses work of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“Specifically, the United States relies on Mexico to help manage cross-border crime and migrant smuggling, and Mexico relies on the United States to disrupt the flow of firearms into Mexico and decrease the U.S. demand for drugs,” according to the report.

“Firearms from the United States fuel violence in Mexico” the report continues. In 2021, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that about 70% of firearms seized in Mexico from 2014 through 2018 and submitted for tracing originated in the United States.

As for drugs, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, cartels in Mexico supply most of the cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and illicit fentanyl smuggled into the United States.

“Despite ongoing security assistance, the security situation in Mexico has significantly worsened over the last 15 years. From 2007 to 2021, the homicide rate in Mexico more than tripled to one of the highest national homicide rates in the world, from eight homicides per 100,000 people to 28 per 100,000 people, according to the United Nations,” according to the report. “Meanwhile, Mexico has extremely low rates of prosecution for all crimes, according to the 2022 State Department Human Rights Report on Mexico.”

The report states two additional problems are less cooperation from Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and corruption.

“The López Obrador administration, which took office in late 2018, reduced security cooperation with the United States at the federal level,” states the report. “This limited some programs, according to U.S. officials.”

Furthermore, “High levels of impunity and corruption in Mexico impede the rule of law and limit potential partnerships for State/INL and USAID,” according to the report. “For example, State’s 2022 human rights report stated that some Mexican government officials were complicit with international organized criminal groups, but these officials were rarely prosecuted or convicted.”