Rep. Ted Poe: the Border Is a War Zone
05/12/2010
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Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) recently described the dangerous conditions which Americans who live near the Mexican border must endure:

During Rep. Poe’s speech, he mentioned an article that he used as a reference, probably the following one, which focused on the murder of Robert Krenz:

The Krentz Bonfire, Tucson Weekly, April 29, 2010

Last week, Rob’s brother, Phil, described how surprised and heartened the family has been at the outpouring of support they’ve received from around the country.

”It has really woken people up to what’s going on,” he says. ”But I don’t know if anything will be done about it. It’s too early to tell. Meantime, we’re coping any way we can.”

Rob’s sister, Susan Pope, says, ”This has really taken legs, and I think some things will change for the better. But I don’t think it’ll ever get to where we feel secure.”

The Popes’ home in the Chiricahua Mountains has been broken into three times. Susan works as a bus driver and teacher at the one-room Apache Elementary School, which has been hit so often that nothing of value remains inside.

”When was the last time you felt secure?” I asked.

Susan let out a joyless laugh and said, ”I can’t remember, honestly.”

What has to be noted first is the inevitability of what happened. Something like the Krentz murder was coming, and everyone knew it.

Life in the Chiricahua Corridor north and east of Douglas, as the Tucson Weekly has been reporting for two years, has become a nightmare of break-ins, threats, intimidation and home invasions. [...]

Around Nogales, where arrests are down 20 percent, Susie Morales–who lives 2 1/2 miles from the line in the national forest west of Interstate 19–has seen no letup in crossings.

As she cooks dinner in her kitchen, she can look out and see mules backpacking drugs on a trail 75 yards from her front door. Another trail runs 50 yards behind her house.

These trails are so close that when Susie spots incursions, she runs into her bathroom with her cell phone and shuts the door. She has to keep her voice down so the crossers can’t hear her calling for help.

”There are more Border Patrol agents around, but the tide hasn’t abated,” says Morales. ”It’s amazing. They’re still coming. We need active-duty military here, because we’re just outnumbered.”

She carries a .357 magnum everywhere she goes.

Foot traffic still pours over the Huachuca Mountains, south of Sierra Vista, to the tune of 1,500 a week, according to a citizen who places game cameras on trails there and counts crossings.

East of the Huachucas, John Ladd tells me that in the 18 days prior to April 10, he counted some 350 illegals on his San Jose Ranch. Every one had climbed the fence.

Ladd’s property near Naco has been fenced since 2007, with the barriers ranging from 10 to 13 feet. But fencing just west of Ladd’s, across the San Pedro River, stands 18 feet tall, so why would anyone bother with an 18-footer when you can walk east and climb a 10-footer?

”I’m on the phone to Border Patrol on average three times a day, seven days a week, to report groups,” Ladd says. ”I don’t know what normal is anymore. I’ve become cynical, untrusting and pissed off.”

And so it goes. Read the whole thing.

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