“...[I]t is a common observation here that our cause is the cause of all mankind, and that we are fighting for their liberty in defending our own.” —Benjamin Franklin

Have you heard about Operation Trans Guard? If you live in Tombstone or travel to Tucson on the I-10 it would be difficult to miss them. Tuesday morning agents were even walking the streets in Tombstone. Why were they walking streets in Tombstone? We don’t have a problem with illegals running up and down Allen Street, do we?

Thanks to Congressman Jim Kolbe (who will hopefully be removed from office next time around) who tells us that Border Patrol checkpoints violate our constitutional and civil rights so he will not support them or fund them. Consider the following from contributor Bill Park, he sent the following letter to the editor of the Arizona Star after the story about the first weeks results of Operation Trans Guard.

“As has been noted, “Phoenix right now is the busiest hub . . .” It has escalated over the past five years. Take a close look at border patrol operations along the border and you will see that east and west of the Tucson Sector, normal operations include highway traffic checkpoints which are highly successful at intercepting north bound smuggling of both people and drugs. But in the Tucson Sector they are neither allowed nor funded.

Why, you ask? Congressman Jim Kolbe chairs the appropriations committee. “The INS’ lack of an adequate response has forced me to resort to micromanaging the Border Patrol in the Tucson Sector legislatively.” He goes on, “The FY2002 (and for the prior three years) Justice Appropriations Act continues to prohibit a permanent Border Patrol checkpoint in the Tucson Sector.” The bill language says: “The INS is reminded that it must not operate a checkpoint at the same location for seven consecutive days during a 14 day period in the Tucson Sector.” However, it requires “that the San Clemente and Temecula checkpoints be fully operational on a continuous 24-hour basis.”

Once past the border in Mr. Kolbe’s district it is clear sailing to the “sanctuary” Valley of the Sun. It becomes easy to get lost in hundreds, perhaps thousands of drop houses. The open arms approach of providing a city-sponsored hiring center and hands off order to the police offer a fertile territory for coyotes and drug dealers to lay up and pursue their terror tactics throughout Valley neighborhoods. The motto of “To Protect and Serve” has been reduced to asking the Mexican Consul to notify next of kin. When this occurs at your doorstep one can’t hide behind “it’s a federal problem.”
Bob Park, Founder, Article IV Section 4 Foundation, Prescott, AZ; 928-778-5811.

From the Tucson Citizen report from Saturday, November 15, 2003. ‘More than 1,500 suspected illegal immigrants have been caught in the first week of a new Border Patrol operation at two airports and along Interstate 10.’

Among them were 550 smugglers, and $750,000 worth of their cash and assets were seized, according to Andy Adame, spokesman for the Border Patrol’s Tucson sector. If the early success of Operation Trans Guard is any indication, increased vigilance may become routine, he said.

Now imagine that! Border Patrol and the Feds finally decide to take their responsibilities seriously. The scary thing is, this activity has been going on strong for at least the five years, if not ten. Multiply the numbers in the first week of efforts by 365 times five or ten and you understand that the problem has been and continues to be out of control. We had better demand they continue the operation at any cost.

“What this means is that the gap between the people who enter the country illegally and the people who are apprehended is closing,” Adame said. Since Nov. 7, the operation has also netted 150 vehicles used for smuggling and $478,000 worth of narcotics. Agents have five checkpoints on highways leading to I-10, and mobile monitoring patrols are on the interstate. Agents also are monitoring traffic at Phoenix Sky Harbor and Las Vegas McCarran international airports. Adame said security at the border has not been shortchanged by the operation. Instead, agents’ schedules have been adjusted to accommodate increased monitoring.

There’s only one question remaining in my mind. Why are we jeopardizing the lives of United States citizens by patrolling highways some 40 to 50 miles from the border? All that needs to be done is an edict from the President committing light infantry security troops to the border in Arizona and there would be less need for getting into car chases, shootouts and would relieve Border Patrol from having to chase law breaking cowards into the brush along our roadways.





	“...[I]t is a common observation here that our cause is the cause of all mankind, and that we are fighting for their liberty in defending our own.” —Benjamin Franklin Have you heard about Operation Trans Guard? If you live in Tombstone or travel to Tucson on the I-10 it would be difficult to miss them. Tuesday morning agents were even walking the streets in Tombstone. Why were they walking streets in Tombstone? We don’t have a problem with illegals running up and down Allen Street, do we? Thanks to Congressman Jim Kolbe (who will hopefully be removed from office next time around) who tells us that Border Patrol checkpoints violate our constitutional and civil rights so he will not support them or fund them. Consider the following from contributor Bill Park, he sent the following letter to the editor of the Arizona Star after the story about the first weeks results of Operation Trans Guard. “As has been noted, “Phoenix right now is the busiest hub . . .” It has escalated over the past five years. Take a close look at border patrol operations along the border and you will see that east and west of the Tucson Sector, normal operations include highway traffic checkpoints which are highly successful at intercepting north bound smuggling of both people and drugs. But in the Tucson Sector they are neither allowed nor funded. Why, you ask? Congressman Jim Kolbe chairs the appropriations committee. “The INS’ lack of an adequate response has forced me to resort to micromanaging the Border Patrol in the Tucson Sector legislatively.” He goes on, “The FY2002 (and for the prior three years) Justice Appropriations Act continues to prohibit a permanent Border Patrol checkpoint in the Tucson Sector.” The bill language says: “The INS is reminded that it must not operate a checkpoint at the same location for seven consecutive days during a 14 day period in the Tucson Sector.” However, it requires “that the San Clemente and Temecula checkpoints be fully operational on a continuous 24-hour basis.” Once past the border in Mr. Kolbe’s district it is clear sailing to the “sanctuary” Valley of the Sun. It becomes easy to get lost in hundreds, perhaps thousands of drop houses. The open arms approach of providing a city-sponsored hiring center and hands off order to the police offer a fertile territory for coyotes and drug dealers to lay up and pursue their terror tactics throughout Valley neighborhoods. The motto of “To Protect and Serve” has been reduced to asking the Mexican Consul to notify next of kin. When this occurs at your doorstep one can’t hide behind “it’s a federal problem.” Bob Park, Founder, Article IV Section 4 Foundation, Prescott, AZ; 928-778-5811. From the Tucson Citizen report from Saturday, November 15, 2003. ‘More than 1,500 suspected illegal immigrants have been caught in the first week of a new Border Patrol operation at two airports and along Interstate 10.’ Among them were 550 smugglers, and $750,000 worth of their cash and assets were seized, according to Andy Adame, spokesman for the Border Patrol’s Tucson sector. If the early success of Operation Trans Guard is any indication, increased vigilance may become routine, he said. Now imagine that! Border Patrol and the Feds finally decide to take their responsibilities seriously. The scary thing is, this activity has been going on strong for at least the five years, if not ten. Multiply the numbers in the first week of efforts by 365 times five or ten and you understand that the problem has been and continues to be out of control. We had better demand they continue the operation at any cost. “What this means is that the gap between the people who enter the country illegally and the people who are apprehended is closing,” Adame said. Since Nov. 7, the operation has also netted 150 vehicles used for smuggling and $478,000 worth of narcotics. Agents have five checkpoints on highways leading to I-10, and mobile monitoring patrols are on the interstate. Agents also are monitoring traffic at Phoenix Sky Harbor and Las Vegas McCarran international airports. Adame said security at the border has not been shortchanged by the operation. Instead, agents’ schedules have been adjusted to accommodate increased monitoring. There’s only one question remaining in my mind. Why are we jeopardizing the lives of United States citizens by patrolling highways some 40 to 50 miles from the border? All that needs to be done is an edict from the President committing light infantry security troops to the border in Arizona and there would be less need for getting into car chases, shootouts and would relieve Border Patrol from having to chase law breaking cowards into the brush along our roadways.

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