Group Protests Border Patrol Substation Site Opposition Wants Area Farther South

A group of Hidalgo County ranchers and other residents is protesting the proposed location of a Border Patrol substation near Animas, about 20 miles from the border, saying it would offer better protection if it was farther south. Residents submitted a 110-signature petition to the agency last week. The stations are aimed at stemming the flow of undocumented immigrants, human traffickers and drug smugglers. Agents starting their day at the Lordsburg headquarters must drive 75 miles to reach the border, a 90-minute drive at best, said Border Patrol agent in charge Chris Mangusing. So, he said, three hours of an eight- to 12-hour workday are eaten up simply traveling. Mangusing said the proposed substations, called forward operating bases, will serve as mini-headquarters, with living quarters for 16 agents, horse corrals, a fueling facility and a helipad. Agents will be stationed for short intervals, starting the workday closer to the border. Ranchers Levi Klump and Judy Keeler, who live nearby, are protesting. Both said they might get a personal advantage from having the substation nearby, possibly deterring traffic from their homes, but said they prefer a rejected BLM parcel seven miles north of the border. Klump said the BLM site is on a plain and would give agents a better view of surroundings. The BLM site also is near existing phone and utility lines. "Maybe, maybe, maybe the smugglers would stay away from my headquarters," he said. "But the real issue is the smuggling of humans and drugs from Mexico and into the United States. The more presence you have, the more the drug trafficking will be discouraged." Mangusing said there were environmental concerns about the BLM site, including its importance to wildlife...more

This just shows how the mere presence of federal land on the border is a hindrance to the Border Patrol and other law enforcement agencies. Why do the drug cartels prefer Arizona over Texas? Because Arizona has millions of acres of federal lands along the border, including wilderness areas.