Bootheel residents, ranchers want planned Border Patrol base moved

The debate revolves around where exactly to build a new U.S. Border Patrol substation of sorts - called a forward operating base - somewhere in the Animas Valley. The project, which gained serious momentum after the 2010 murder of a southeastern Arizona rancher, is aimed at curbing illegal immigration, including drug and human traffickers, that was pushed to the remote area, as border security has tightened in adjacent sections. The two sites at the heart of the commotion are just 13 miles apart, as the crow flies. But to a vocal group of ranchers and other Hidalgo County residents, there's a world of difference. Despite other differences between the two locations, the biggest is the proximity of the Battalion Road site to the international boundary, said Meria Gault, a rancher who lives in the area. "The most important thing to us is to be close to the border," she said. "Because there's no way that people from the other side will not see them." Hidalgo County Commissioner Ed Kerr, who attended the tour, said he doesn't like the Border Patrol's preferred location. "It's an obvious, no-brainer for me that the site should be on Battalion Road, for access, for safety to citizens, for a long-term, projected outlook," he said. "The other, Horse Camp Road site is a hidden cove in a flood-prone area. It's almost like we're trying to hide from the enemy."...more