Border Patrol Building a Human Wall in Southern California--Operation Blazing Sands

More good news is coming out of California.

Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a number of really bad bills dealing with immigration. He also rejected a ridiculous "Fake News" Advisory Board.

He even strengthened the role of the national guard along California's southern border.

And now federal immigration enforcement is doing an incredible job, stepping up their efforts across the Mojave Desert.

Mojave Desert

Border Patrol launches Operation Blazing Sands in California desert

Just east of border fence construction that has been visited by both the vice president and the homeland security secretary, Border Patrol launched Operation Blazing Sands last month to deter illegal border crossings and thwart human smuggling attempts.

Deterrence is exactly what we need.

Border Patrol noticed an uptick in smuggling organization activity along a stretch of border in the southeastern-most part of the California desert, according to agent Justin Castrejon. Agents responded in mid-August with Operation Blazing Sands, a collaboration between Border Patrol’s El Centro and Yuma sectors.

And yet we have crazy liberal loonies who want to abolish ICE. They want to get rid of the federal authorities who stop smuggling and crack down on transnational gangs. ICE is not just about rounding up illegal aliens and deporting them from the country.

They go after international bad actors doing incredible harm in our country from overseas, too.

“This operation leverages the strengths of El Centro Sector and Yuma Sector to better target transnational criminal organizations,” said Gloria Chavez, chief of the El Centro Sector, after the operation launched.

BAM! Why does Alex Villaneuva and other bad law enforcement officers want to get rid of ICE?

Imperial County is in the Southeastern most section of California. It's also one of the bluest counties in the state, heavily Hispanic, right next to the California-Mexico Border. Yet even in that city, one of the councils took a stand against SB 54. No matter how different voices feel about the large illegal alien population in the country, no one wants foreign national criminals to run rampant on our streets. Above all, they need to be deported. Everyone agrees on that.

Agents apprehended 2,427 people illegally crossing that part of the border from October 2017 through July 2018, before the operation began, according to data from the sector. That’s about eight people per day and just over 10 percent of the 23,452 people caught in the entire El Centro Sector during that period.

We need to build that wall, nice and tall. This never-ending stream of border-crossing criminals need to see a big barrier in their way so that they can't get into the country at all. The resources that our federal law enforcement agents have to spend dealing with all of these illegal aliens is too much. We should not have to be caring for these illegal aliens.

The sector splits its 70 miles of border among three Border Patrol stations. The 20-mile area where Operation Blazing Sands is focused, known to agents there as the “east desert,” makes up close to 29 percent of that border and is patrolled by agents from the Calexico station.

Good.

Calexico

Calexico station is the fifth busiest along the southwest border, Castrejon said.

About 10 miles outside of the town of Calexico, the landscape turns from farmland to short brush and small mounds of sand. The All American canal runs between Interstate 8 and the border, and the canal’s steep sides and strong currents sometimes trap border crossers who are often already exhausted from their journey through the desert in Mexico.

We need our law enforcement officers doing everything in their power to stop this open-border insanity. Stop this lawlessness. We need to send a clear message that the United States of America cannot take in every hard-up, tough-luck case in the world. The answer to the world's problems is not an open border.

For many trying to sneak across the border in the El Centro Sector, their goal is Interstate 8, Castrejon explained. If they can make it to a car that’s supposed to pick them up there, they can disappear into traffic before they are detected.

Wow. We need border patrol along the interstate highways, then. How hard will it be to coordinate those activities?

Near the Gordon Wells exit on Interstate 8, the All American Canal curves under the highway, removing the dangerous obstacle from border crossers’ path and allowing the freeway to stretch closer to Mexico. The sand begins to mound higher in this part of the desert though the dunes don’t yet reach the peaks of those further east at Buttercup, a popular dune buggy area.

A Border Patrol camera tower stands near the exit, and agents frequently make “cuts” in the area, checking for footprints where they had dragged the sand smooth earlier in the day.

Wow. This is the kind of reporting that we need to read. We need to know how our border patrol are taking care of us and protecting our southern ports of entry. This is the kind of action we need to see more of.

Just before the canal turns away from Mexico, the border fence changes from 15- to 20-foot bollards used in town to a “floating fence” that was built around 2009. The floating fence has similar bollards, or posts placed close together, that are a few feet shorter, and its base allows agents to prevent sand from mounding into dunes along the fence until it is easy to climb over. If the sand gets too high, the fence can be lifted and set down again on top.

Despite the heat and the sand that drags and slides underfoot, the area around Gordon Wells has become a popular place to cross, Castrejon said.

Illegal aliens will do as much as they think possible to enter into the United States. They want this coutnry's money, they want the easy access to welfare. They want to get into all the cheaper labor and life of the government welfare systems.

He and fellow agent Jose Enriquez, their eyes habitually scanning for signs of crossings, were quick to point out footprints on the Mexican side of the fence and a piece of rope tied between bollards to act as a ladder. Sun-blanched water bottles were scattered on the ground around the fence.

Castrejon said when he was patrolling in the east desert about a month ago, less than 10 minutes after he checked the area by Gordon Wells, an agent monitoring the camera tower alerted him to a group that had just crossed there.

“As much as we’re watching out for them, they’re watching us,” Castrejon said.

Wow. Our border agents are not safe. We need to build that wall and help out our federal law enforcement agents.

Operation Blazing Sands hopes to stop human smuggling along the border between Calexico, Calif., and Yuma, Arizona.

The group made it to a car and headed west on the freeway. Castrejon responded, arresting one U.S. citizen smuggler and four unauthorized immigrants.

They are not "unauthorized migrants", either. They are illegal aliens!

When border crossers do make it to the highway, agents can try to pull the car over. If the driver refuses to stop, agents collaborate over radios to monitor where the car goes. In some cases, including for at least one arrest so far during Operation Blazing Sands, agents can deploy a “vehicle immobilization device” that punctures the car’s tires with hollow needles and slowly lets the air out. The gradual deflating helps keep the car’s passengers safer, Castrejon said.

Yes. Folks, this is what we are dealing with. No more open borders. We need to enforce the rule of law.

After agents make arrests, they backtrack to the border to look for people that the group might have left behind. Smugglers often abandon people who become sick or injured because they don’t want to slow down the group, Castrejon said.

How about that? With all of this talk about refugees seeking a better life, we find that many of these economic migrants get abandoned by the coyotes smuggling them into the country. We need to build the wall in order to save lives. We must put up that barrier so that these evil people can no longer take advantage of migrants, only to leave them for dead in the border lands.

“Smugglers don’t have any regard for human life,” he said. “All they care about is money.”

Yes, and that sentiments just as equally applies to Big Business, Big Government, and Big La Raza which wants open borders and no enforcement.

Operation Blazing Sands has increased the number of agents operating in the east desert, borrowing from other stations in both sectors, Castrejon said. He was not permitted to say how many agents were involved.

“We’re not going to sit by and let a part of the border not be in our control,” he said.

YES! This is exactly what I want to hear.

On a recent morning, several agents in trucks patrolled close to the border and along the highway. A helicopter hovered overhead, waiting if needed.

The border patrol brings in every element they can find. This is what we need.

The operation’s first arrest came two days after the effort began, according to a press release, when an agent spotted five people crossing illegally into the U.S. The group got into a car, and the agent followed and stopped it in Brawley.

Castrejon declined to say how many people the operation has apprehended so far.

According to press releases that cited Blazing Sands, at least 10 people, almost all U.S. citizens, have been charged with human smuggling after being apprehended through the operation. They were transporting 23 people who were not authorized to be in the U.S.

Shameful! Perhaps we should discuss revoking the citizenship of Americans who aid and abet illegal entry, unlawful presence, or who engage in

The operation is also intended to prevent migrants from dying in the desert’s extreme heat. Temperatures there can reach 120 during summer days.

Border Patrol agents in the El Centro Sector have found 14 people who died crossing the border so far in fiscal 2018, Castrejon said, and many of those deaths were in the east desert.

“A lot of times, people will get in trouble and underestimate their abilities,” Castrejon said. “The terrain is unforgiving.”

Agents treat many who cross in this area for heat exhaustion, Castrejon said.

Yes. The harsh terrain is not enough. We need to build that wall!

Castrejon declined to say how long the operation would last because Border Patrol didn’t want to tip off smugglers.

“It’s going to be in operation for the foreseeable future,” Castrejon said.

Border Patrol also plans to gather intelligence on smuggling organizations in the area as part of the project.

Final Reflection

I am nothing short of surprised and pleasantly amazed that a major newspapers, for what it's worth, reported on the incredible, challenging efforts of our national border patrol efforts. It's amazing what they have to put up with, and what illegal aliens are willing to do to get their way into this country.

We need to build that wall, triple the border patrol, crack down on VISA overstays, set up clear ports of entry in our embassies in other countries. Let's also put an end to allow legal entrants to get onto public assistance of any kind. Any state which violates these conditions should have their federal funding cut, or the national guard should fall under Presidential purview for good.

Our men and women fighting for our safety, sovereignty, and citizenship should be respected, protected, and promoted at all costs. This lawlessness must cease.

Border Patrol agents deserve our respect

Another Border Patrol Agent Assaulted by Illegals at the California Border near Calexico

Calexico, CA Tuesday.  80 attacks on BP agents so far this year in that area compared to just 23 all of last year.  Open border anarchy and violence reigns while Congress continues to fiddle and push mass amnesties, which would only attract more illegals from the south.

Congress, fund the damn wall now!!

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/09/border-patrol-agent-assaulted-by-illegal-immigrant-group-crossing-from-mexico.html

A U.S. border patrol agent was assaulted while attempting to apprehend a group of illegal immigrants crossing the border in California on Tuesday.

The unidentified agent was patrolling near the Calexico West Port of Entry and the New River when he came across a group of individuals trying to cross the border from Mexico.

The agent, who was by himself, was able to detain one man and place him in custody in the back of his service vehicle. When he turned his attention to the rest of the group, another member of the group exited the river and opened the rear passenger door, allowing the man in custody to attempt an escape.

The two men ran towards the river and the agent pursed them.

“He was resisting arrest, actively resisting, pulling away. While the agent was trying to make the arrest other members of the group began to throw rocks and other objects, verbally shout threats at the agent,” Agent Justin Zaffuto told KYMA.

The agent suffered minor injuries, officials said.

The border-crosser who had originally been placed inside the vehicle was re-apprehended.  He faces federal criminal charges for the alleged assault on the agent.  – Good!

The rest of the group fled back to Mexico.

“The New River and immediate surrounding area remains one of our most challenging and dangerous areas to work,” El Centro Sector Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David Kim said in a statement. “The border wall system replacing the old fencing in that area is a solid step in mitigating those challenges.”

Zaffuto told KYMA that physical attacks on agents have increased this year.

“Compared to last year, we had 23 all year,” he said. “This year so far, we’ve had 80 assaults on agents. A lot of the times, agents are working by themselves.”

He continued: “It’s a 24-hour operation. You might be in areas where it’s dark, completely dark and you encounter a large group. Just the numbers alone is a disadvantage.”

Jeff Schwilk

Founder, San Diegans for Secure Borders

www.Facebook.com/SanDiegansForSecureBorders

Feedback and questions always welcome.  Just hit reply.

Border Agents Under Attack: #BuildThatWall

From the Desk of Jeff Schwilk:

CONGRESS, FUND BORDER SECURITY NOW!   Quit holding vital homeland security funding hostage to mass amnesty for illegal aliens!

A 19 year old Mexican illegal alien attacked a Border Patrol Agent early Sunday morning and then stole his ATV in the Tijuana River Valley (Spooner’s Mesa), well north of the border.  Other agents caught up to him and shot him.  The alien attacker was taken to a hospital and is expected to live.  Thankfully the agent hit by the rock was not seriously injured, this time.

The incident is still under investigation and hopefully the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s office will bring full charges against the Mexican invader for assault and robbery.

More details from my Border Patrol contacts in San Diego soon.

Details here:

https://www.themaven.net/bluelivesmatter/news/mans-hits-border-patrol-agent-with-rock-agents-hit-him-with-lead-FqvoKNlOz0WGfw7wJq8_RQ/

The SDUT loves to run front page stories everyday about “poor” illegal alien minors and teens who are separated by their criminal alien parents when they get caught crossing our border illegally, but this illegal alien Mexican teen and the story about him trying to kill one of our brave BP agents right here in San Diego was pushed to Page 2 of the Local Section and a small blurb in today’s paper.  Shameful yellow journalism by the far left, open-border, pro-Mexico SD Union Tribune.  Daily fake news and left wing propaganda and spin to keep the status quo and our borders wide open to “cheap” peasant  foreign labor and votes.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-bp-shooting-20180729-story.html

Jeff Schwilk

Founder, San Diegans for Secure Borders

www.Facebook.com/SanDiegansForSecureBorders

Feedback and questions always welcome.  Just hit reply.

The Plight of Our Border Patrol, Beyond Media Posturing and Politicking

Protecting the homeland is the highest priority for our government, and the protectors of our homeland, the border patrol agents, deserve the highest respect. However, while the media plays up the pain and suffering of illegal alien parents placing their children in harm’s way to break into the United States, the public hears very little about what our border law enforcement must face. This week, I received a video from ABC News. Elizabeth Russo shared the following report with David Muir as news anchor. The segment, billed an “ABC Exclusive”, included one of their on-location reporters at McAllen, Texas as he followed along with a border patrol agent. Afterwards, he interviewed a Border Commissioner.

As expected, the report played up the plight of the illegal aliens rather than our nation’s law enforcement. The first segment features one agent, officer Robert Rodriguez, who catches a family of migrants, then he pursues their smuggler. Scurrying away in a small boat, the trafficker crosses back over the Rio Grande to escape arrest, and the whole thing is captured on camera. The agent cannot pursue the smuggler, but he reluctantly accepts that the smuggler is gone for now. 

In the second part, the camera crew catches up with the migrants, who had kept moving. It’s almost as though the smuggler purposefully played this game of distracting the border patrol agents to run after him, while the illegal alien migrants can continue their journey across the border. The reporter’s description of the migrants is compassion-oriented editorializing: “They are tired, sweaty, confused.”

How does he know that they are confused? What exactly are they confused about? Their goal is to go north. Not that hard, really, considering that it means going opposite the way from where they had come from. The American public is constantly subjected to the media’s push to personalize the illegal aliens’ trials to breaking into our country, as if they are the heroes of this story. The camera then focuses on a little baby named Angel. One woman explains that they are fleeing gang violence. The gangs targeting her baby have already killed the father.

Are these stories true? Perhaps, but we should be skeptical of these dramatic displays of human anguish caught on camera. By wide margins the American public blames the illegal aliens for the crisis of family separation. Voters should contrast these tragedies with the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs, who have seen their quality of life diminish, and who live in violence-torn communities where transnational gangs are waging all kinds of domestic terror. Much of this crime and corruption stems from illegal aliens, including the transnational gang known as MS-13. The solution to this international violence is not an open border.

In the last segment of the Exclusive, Commissioner Kevin McAleenan of Customs and Border Protection talks about what his border agents go through. Everyone needs to know about their frustrations and the challenges they contend with. First, they were ordered to comply with a zero tolerance policy, which justly requires prosecution of every illegal alien border crosser. With that policy has followed the necessary separation of criminal parents from their children. Then the President reversed the order, complicating their efforts. Never did he apologize for enforcement of our nation’s laws. “That’s a challenge in law enforcement. You’re always taking actions that impact people.”

The interview above provokes a broader set of questions: Why does the media put law enforcement on trial for doing their jobs? Where’s the compassion for American citizens who live in war zones in their own country?  Last month, I connected with activists in Monterey County, California including Angie Morfin, whose son Ruben was murdered by an illegal alien gang member three decades ago. These citizens detailed for me the rising crime rates and corruption caused by illegal immigration in Salinas, CA. It’s gotten so bad, students may not wear red or blue clothing, since they are gang-affiliated colors. While Central American migrants seek asylum by any means in the United Sates, where do United States citizens go when their own neighborhoods are blighted with gang violence?

In contrast to ABC News biased reporting on the border crisis, conservative news anchor Tomi Lahren offered a respectful perspective on America's protectors. We don’t see her interactions with border agents, but in her final thoughts for the evening she focuses exclusively on their hard work, patience, and diligence to do the greatest good for everyone, even the illegal aliens! Yes, and viewers can even witness this good will when Agent Rodriguez offered water to the one-year old in the arms of her illegal alien migrant mother.

Despite their efforts to exploit the border crisis to shame the public and our government’s enforcement efforts, the ABC report showcased the brave steps efforts of border patrol agents to enforce the law in the most humanitarian ways possible. In spite of every effort from the liberal media to make law enforcement look cruel and cold-hearted, it’s clear that border patrol agents are working as hard as they can to keep America and Americans safe. Not only that, but these fighting men and women put their lives on the line to protect all of us—and to protect the country—while dealing with the never-ending posturing of the political class in Washington DC and in the border states.

It appears that their work is only going to get harder. One report now contends that border agents will have to settle for catch-and-release again, since the families must stay together as best as possible per President Trump’s latest executive order. While Washington DC plays politics, and the national media stokes outrage and pulls on the emotional heartstrings of the viewing public, the United States sovereignty and safety endure ongoing attacks and destruction, and our brave men and women have to shoulder through to serve and protect their country and citizens as best as they can. Our control deserves better, and so do our protectors along the Southern Border.

"Families Belong Together" Protests Demands Pledge that Participants Won't Commit Violence

The regressive Left has become violent, unhinged as they recognize that they are becoming steadily irrelevant.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters instructed her fellow protesters to assault public officials, to harass them wherever they go. She basically urged to incite violence.

This is beyond disgusting.

And yet ....

The protest culture is realizing how this hateful civil war-like antics are actually helping Donald Trump and his supporters all over the country.

Now they have to tell participants in their latest streetwide outrage to obey the lawful authori

By choosing to attend this event, you are committing to participate nonviolently and in accordance with the law, to work to de-escalate confrontations with others, and to obey the orders of authorized event marshals and of law enforcement that ensure the safety of everyone at these events. You also acknowledge that you are solely responsible for any injury or damage to your person or property resulting from or occurring during this event, and that you release MoveOn.org Civic Action and MoveOn.org Political Action (and their officers, directors, employees, and agents) from any liability for that injury or damage.

Notice also that MoveOn has to indemnify itself from potential lawsuits.

It's getting costly for these left-wing outrage groups to assemble hateful social justice warriors en masse in the public square. They claim to care about truth and justice, they give lip service to protecting rights and liberties.

The truth is, however, that the violent derangement of the regressive left has come full-force and now they cannot contain the monsters they created.

BREAKING: Border Patrol Agent Hospitalized After Border Ambush

For inquiries – Please Contact San Diego Sector Dispatch at (619) 498-9900

Border Patrol Agent Hospitalized After Being Ambushed During Smuggling Attempt Near Border

San Ysidro, Calif.— A U.S. Border Patrol agent was knocked off his All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and subsequently hospitalized after being struck with a large rock Saturday night.  

On December 30, 2017, at approximately 8:40 P.M., in what was a very busy night for Border Patrol agents, an unprovoked, unknown assailant hurled a dodge ball sized rock from the Mexican side of the border striking a Border Patrol agent patrolling the border on an ATV. The rock struck the agent in the chest and caused the agent to fall from his moving ATV. The agent was traveling at a speed slightly above 20mph when he was struck. The ATV flipped over and landed on top of the agent. The agent was able to push the ATV off of himself, but had to await back-up to extract himself from the rocking assault.
 

Back-up arrived shortly thereafter.  Responding agents deployed non-impact crowd dispersal munitions to disperse suspected rock throwers and extract the agent from the volatile scene. It is suspected that the crowd of people south of the border fence had just made an unsuccessful attempt at illegally entering the United States. Mexican law enforcement authorities were also contacted and aided in dispersing the crowd.  

After Border Patrol agents moved the injured agent to a safe location, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) treated him for difficulty breathing, dizziness and what appeared to be broken ribs. EMS then transported the agent to a nearby hospital.

The agent was held overnight for observation and released late on Sunday morning from the hospital with severe chest contusions. The agent has been placed on administrative leave pending recovery from his injuries.

Federal authorities are working diligently with their counterparts in Mexico to locate the assailant who is still at large.

In the last 24 hours, in the area of the assault alone, approximately seven breaches were made to U.S. border security infrastructure and more than 100 arrests were made by Border Patrol agents.

“This is an all too common occurrence.” said Chief Patrol Agent Rodney Scott. “In Fiscal Year 2017, San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents were assaulted 83 times in the performance of their duties.  52 times in Fiscal Year 2016.  The safety and well-being of our agents remains our top priority, and we will work diligently with our law enforcement partners to bring the assailant to justice.”

To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders.  To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.

- CBP –

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry.  CBP is charged with keeping dangerous people and capabilities out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Honor First!

Michael J. Scappechio

Supervisory Border Patrol Agent

U.S. Border Patrol – San Diego Sector

Information & Communication Division

Follow us on Twitter @CBPSanDiego

SDSB Comment:  Thank the GOP-led Congress for another violent assault on our Border agents.  This time in the San Ysidro area of San Diego.  This agent was very lucky he wasn’t killed by the dodgeball size rock thrown at him by a likely Mexican smuggler or illegal alien.   For nearly a whole year, Congress has been dragging their feet and outright blocking funding for the secure border wall / fence and the hiring of 5,000 new and badly needed Border Patrol Agents.  These were President Trump’s top campaign promises that the people overwhelmingly voted for in Nov. 2016, but Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan don’t work for us average Americans and have been successful at blocking all of Trump’s border security measures, while demanding full amnesty for millions of “young” illegal aliens.  With RINOs like them running the GOP, who needs Democrats??

The D.C. Swamp Monsters in both parties desperately want our southern border to stay wide open for the flow of “cheap” labor and more ‘third-world Americans’, no matter how many innocent agents are injured or killed. 

How much longer are We the People going to put up with this treason from our elected federal officials - leaving our Homeland unprotected and underprotected from these deadly foreign threats?   We must rise up and demand action now!

Jeff Schwilk

Founder, San Diegans for Secure Borders

www.Facebook.com/SanDiegansForSecureBorders