Border Patrol sets arrest record
Border Patrol sets arrest record; Immigrant deaths also may reach new high
BY JONATHAN ATHENS
Published on: July 16, 2005
Federal authorities on Friday reported a record-breaking high in the number of illegal immigrant arrests in the U.S. Border Patrol’s Yuma sector since 2000.
Also, the number of illegal immigrant deaths here may exceed last year’s death toll.
Joe Brigman, spokesman for the Border Patrol’s Yuma sector, said that as of midnight Thursday agents have arrested 109,258 illegal immigrants since October 2004, breaking the record number of arrests they made in 2000, when they reportedly arrested 108,749 illegal immigrants.
Brigman attributed the record-breaking number of arrests to more enforcement.
"We have additional manpower and resources, better technology and more agents in the field, which results in more apprehensions, coupled with increased enforcement activities to our east and west," Brigman said.
With two more months left to go in their fiscal year — which ends on Sept. 30 — Border Patrol could end up setting another record high for arrests and for alien deaths.
The number of illegal immigrant deaths in the Yuma sector may also be on the rise. So far this year, 27 illegal immigrants have perished along the border, compared to 14 last year during the same time frame, according to Border Patrol statistics. The number of illegal alien deaths for all of 2004 totaled 36.
"There’s a direct correlation between the record-breaking number of arrests and the number of rescues and deaths in the desert," Brigman said.
In an effort to reduce those deaths, the Border Patrol on Friday announced they are increasing their patrols and said they plan in the near future to place seven additional rescue beacons to augment the 11 existing rescue beacons they have deployed in this sector.
"The Yuma sector Border Patrol is going above and beyond our summer activities to mitigate and minimize the number of alien deaths in the Yuma sector,” Brigman said at a news conference.
The beacons accounted for 25 percent, or 64 illegal immigrant rescues of the total 246 illegal immigrants the Border Patrol has rescued from "certain" death this year, Brigman said.
Last year at this time, Border Patrol agents rescued 57 illegal immigrants in distress. Thursday night they rescued four who had activated a beacon located in the Gila Mountains south of the Fortuna mine area, Brigman said.
At a cost of about $3,000 each, the beacons stand about 30 feet tall and are activated when someone in distress pushes a large red button which in turn sends a radio signal to Border Patrol headquarters.
Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Arthur Angulo said the first six beacons were deployed in May 2002.
Angulo said the Border Patrol constructs the beacons from "off the shelf" technology and said they hope to deploy two additional beacons per month in order to provide what he called "an umbrella of safety" along the border.
Angulo said the Mexico government has recently expressed interest in developing and deploying beacons along their side of the border and have asked the Border Patrol to provide the blueprints.
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Jonathan Athens can be reached at jathens@yumasun.com or 539-6857.`
BY JONATHAN ATHENS
Published on: July 16, 2005
Federal authorities on Friday reported a record-breaking high in the number of illegal immigrant arrests in the U.S. Border Patrol’s Yuma sector since 2000.
Also, the number of illegal immigrant deaths here may exceed last year’s death toll.
Joe Brigman, spokesman for the Border Patrol’s Yuma sector, said that as of midnight Thursday agents have arrested 109,258 illegal immigrants since October 2004, breaking the record number of arrests they made in 2000, when they reportedly arrested 108,749 illegal immigrants.
Brigman attributed the record-breaking number of arrests to more enforcement.
"We have additional manpower and resources, better technology and more agents in the field, which results in more apprehensions, coupled with increased enforcement activities to our east and west," Brigman said.
With two more months left to go in their fiscal year — which ends on Sept. 30 — Border Patrol could end up setting another record high for arrests and for alien deaths.
The number of illegal immigrant deaths in the Yuma sector may also be on the rise. So far this year, 27 illegal immigrants have perished along the border, compared to 14 last year during the same time frame, according to Border Patrol statistics. The number of illegal alien deaths for all of 2004 totaled 36.
"There’s a direct correlation between the record-breaking number of arrests and the number of rescues and deaths in the desert," Brigman said.
In an effort to reduce those deaths, the Border Patrol on Friday announced they are increasing their patrols and said they plan in the near future to place seven additional rescue beacons to augment the 11 existing rescue beacons they have deployed in this sector.
"The Yuma sector Border Patrol is going above and beyond our summer activities to mitigate and minimize the number of alien deaths in the Yuma sector,” Brigman said at a news conference.
The beacons accounted for 25 percent, or 64 illegal immigrant rescues of the total 246 illegal immigrants the Border Patrol has rescued from "certain" death this year, Brigman said.
Last year at this time, Border Patrol agents rescued 57 illegal immigrants in distress. Thursday night they rescued four who had activated a beacon located in the Gila Mountains south of the Fortuna mine area, Brigman said.
At a cost of about $3,000 each, the beacons stand about 30 feet tall and are activated when someone in distress pushes a large red button which in turn sends a radio signal to Border Patrol headquarters.
Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Arthur Angulo said the first six beacons were deployed in May 2002.
Angulo said the Border Patrol constructs the beacons from "off the shelf" technology and said they hope to deploy two additional beacons per month in order to provide what he called "an umbrella of safety" along the border.
Angulo said the Mexico government has recently expressed interest in developing and deploying beacons along their side of the border and have asked the Border Patrol to provide the blueprints.
---
Jonathan Athens can be reached at jathens@yumasun.com or 539-6857.`
posted by missionaryman | 1:33 PM
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