More border agents needed along area of border fence
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Brownsville Herald:If the objective of the border fence is to stop illegal immigration, then the fence isn’t working, some area residents say.Ther eis much more.
What does help deter illegal crossing, they maintain, is the presence of U.S. Border Patrol agents. But these same observers claim they are seeing fewer agents and wonder if that’s partly because of the fence.
Furthermore, the border near the Southmost area once was well lit with the spotlights used by the Border Patrol but now is often dark, they say.
Pamela Taylor, 82, and her daughter, Michelle Moncivaiz, are among those who have always opposed construction of a border fence.
Now that they have lived with the fence for a time and have some experience, they say it has not deterred immigrants from crossing onto their property and, if anything, they are seeing even more people than before.
“Our biggest concern is that the Border Patrol is not going to get enough money and we are not going to get enough agents on the ground here,” said Taylor. “We need more people here.”
Daniel Milian, supervisory Border Patrol agent, said there are about 520 agents stationed in Brownsville, with 260 of those agents working out of the Fort Brown station, the one in charge of patrolling the area where the two women live.
“No agents have been let go or anything like that,” Milian said. “We are still out there.”
As for the spotlights, Milian said the agency moves them for several reasons: when they are needed in other areas, when they are requested for use by other entities, and when they are sent for maintenance.
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A fence is not so much a barrier as a device for channeling attempts to cross. It should give the border patrol a chance to be at the crossing point. The lights also act to channel illegals to ares where they can be apprehended. The border agents can use infrared in the dark spots to find those attempting a crossing.
It will take a combination of the fence and border agents to get control of the border.
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