Trump's Border Wall - It Was Always Two Steps Behind...

The Deadly Rise of Underwater ‘Parasite’ Cocaine Smuggling

Cocaine found in parasite tube, attached to US tanker hull

Police detected so-called “parasite”, a steel tube attached to, understood, underwater hull of a product tanker MTM POTOMAC, docked at Santo Tomas De Castilla, Guatemala, where she arrived on Aug 4 from Colombia. Tube was filled with packages containing, it is believed, cocaine, 56 packages in total. Interestingly, there was a GPS transmitter in tube, to track the shipment and help traffickers, who were to receive the drugs, to locate it. Crew and ship’s management weren’t mentioned, understood they’re clear of suspicions and have nothing to do with drug trafficking.

https://www.fleetmon.com/maritime-news/2020/30517/cocaine-found-parasite-tube-attached-us-tanker-hul/

https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/clippings/the-deadly-rise-of-underwater-parasite-cocaine-smuggling

Trump’s border wall has been breached more than 3,000 times by smugglers, CBP records show

The government spent $2.6 million to repair the breaches during the 2019 to 2021 fiscal years, the CBP records show. While the agency has acknowledged that smugglers are able to hack through the new barriers built by the Trump administration, the maintenance records show damage has been more widespread than previously known, pointing to the structure’s limitations as an impediment to illegal crossings.

Smuggling gangs typically cut the barrier with inexpensive power tools widely available at retail hardware stores, including angle grinders and demolition saws. Once the 18-to-30-foot-tall bollards are severed near the ground, their only remaining point of attachment is at the top of the structure, leaving the steel beam dangling in the air. It easily swings open with a push, creating a gap wide enough for people and narcotics to pass through.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/03/02/trump-border-wall-breached/

Trump's $15 billion, supposedly impenetrable border wall with Mexico is a joke

I’m cracking up over the fact that smugglers have breached Trump’s border wall more than 3,000 times over the past three years. It’s true. The $15 billion wall, which Trump claimed over and over again that Mexico would pay for, “is no match for a $15 hand saw.” Even cheaper tools probably would have poked holes in it. The jaw-dropping discovery came courtesy of The Washington Post, which detailed the cracks and breaches along the supposedly impenetrable wall with Mexico. The Post’s scoop, based on unpublished data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, also showed that the government spent $2.6 million to repair the breaches during fiscal years 2019 to 2021.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/elviadiaz/2022/03/04/trump-border-wall-mexico-breached-security-joke/9372239002/

The 4 Types Of Narco Submarines The Military Faces

https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/04/12/the-4-types-of-narco-submarine-trying-to-escape-detection/

The World's Most Sophisticated Narco Submarine Designer Was Just Taken Down

https://www.vice.com/en/article/jgmdx3/narco-sub-oscar-moreno-ricardo

Largest-ever "narco sub" intercepted off Colombia

https://youtu.be/CMQcoijnQzI

Mexican navy finds 3 5 tonnes of drugs inside 'narco submarine'

https://youtu.be/-FOpIDtYG_A

Trump’s border wall caused 'significant damage and destruction' to environmental and cultural resources, watchdog says

One sacred site was "irreparably damaged" in Arizona when contractors used explosives to clear a path to expand an existing patrol road, a GAO report said.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trumps-border-wall-caused-significant-damage-destruction-environmental-rcna103973

Cocaine 'parasite' found attached to Intership vessel

Guatemalan navy discovers metal device containing drugs on hull of cargoship

https://www.tradewindsnews.com/bulkers/cocaine-parasite-found-attached-to-intership-vessel/2-1-794217

U.S. House passes Republican bill tightening border security

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republicans-ready-tough-border-control-bill-us-house-passage-2023-05-11/

Republican Efforts to Defund Border Security

Border security has been a winning issue for Republicans for decades. They use the same fearmongering tactics—saying Democrats want “open borders” and to let violent criminals into our country. Their latest attacks accuse undocumented immigrants of trafficking fentanyl across the border. And these lines of attack seem to be working with voters. A 2022 Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 40% of registered voters trust Republicans more on immigration, an 8 point lead over Democrats.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/ak374p/the-deadly-rise-of-underwater-parasite-cocaine-smuggling

If Republicans are so strong on border security, why did they just pass a bill that would cut Customs and Border Protection (CBP) funding by 22%? Republican Debt Limit Bill Defunds the Border House Republicans have passed debt limit legislation that would freeze Fiscal Year 2024 federal spending at FY 2022 levels. This would mean a 22% cut to non-defense discretionary spending, including a 22% cut to border security funding. Customs and Border Protection is responsible for monitoring our borders and ports of entry. For years, Republicans have been calling for more money and officers to secure our southern border, but their bill does the exact opposite—it would cut CBP’s budget by $4 billion, resulting in the loss of 2,400 officers. Cuts would also mean over $640 million in border security technology would no longer be operational. This loss of resources would have serious consequences for CBP’s capacity to process migrants at the border and to stop fentanyl and illicit drug trafficking. Republicans claim that we have a border crisis, but their bill would only make things worse. Biden’s Budget Strengthens Border Security & Cracks Down on Fentanyl President Biden’s proposed budget includes nearly $25 billion for CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an $800 million increase from the previous year. His budget includes: Funds for CBP to hire an additional 350 Border Patrol Agents; $535 million for border security technology at and between ports of entry; and, $40 million to combat fentanyl trafficking and disrupt transnational criminal organizations. In addition to border security measures, President Biden’s budget strengthens our immigration system. Addressing the backlog of asylum and immigration applications would help immensely in ameliorating the situation at the border. That’s why the President’s proposal includes: $865 million for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process the backlog of asylum caseloads; $1.5 billion to hire new immigration judges and staff to surge to the border and manage the backlog of cases; and, $4.7 billion to help the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) respond to migration swells along the southwest border. While Republicans are abdicating on border security and immigration, President Biden and Democrats are putting their money where their mouth is. They’re strengthening border security, combatting fentanyl trafficking, and improving the functioning of our immigration system. The next time a Republican Congressman cries “open borders,” ask them why they voted to defund border security.

https://www.thirdway.org/blog/republican-efforts-to-defund-border-security

https://www.usatoday.com/border-wall/story/drug-trafficking-smuggling-cartels-tunnels/559814001/

Who is sneaking fentanyl across the southern border? Hint: it's not the migrants

NOGALES, ARIZONA — We know that illicit fentanyl is flowing into the U.S. from Mexico. Yet we rarely hear from the couriers who smuggle most of it through legal ports of entry. This is one of their stories. Just before midnight on Aug. 4, 2021, Haley tried to cross the border from Mexico back into Arizona, where she lived. She was carrying 1,000 fentanyl pills inside her body. "That was the first time I've ever done it," Haley says. "It was just a sudden decision that I made at the last moment." At the time, Haley was struggling with addiction to methamphetamine. She'd lost her job during the COVID-19 pandemic and then lost custody of her three children. (Haley, 32, asked not to use her last name in order to protect her children's privacy.)

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/09/1191638114/fentanyl-smuggling-migrants-mexico-border-drugs

DHS launches major border operation targeting fentanyl trafficking

The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday night it's stepping up efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking across the Southern border with the launch of a major new, multi-agency operation.

Driving the news: "Operation Blue Lotus" has already "stopped more than 900 pounds of fentanyl from coming into the United States in its first week," per a DHS statement.

https://www.axios.com/2023/03/22/us-fentanyl-trafficking-operation-blue-lotus-border-mayorkas

The Border Wall System is Deployed, Effective, and Disrupting Criminals and Smugglers Release Date: October 29, 2020

Effective physical infrastructure works to secure our Southwest Border. Since the U.S. Border Patrol began constructing border barriers nearly 30 years ago, these barriers have proved to be a critical component in gaining operational control of the border. Deploying the wall system in high priority areas—particularly urban areas where illegal border crossers can quickly vanish into the surrounding community—allows the USBP to decide where border crossings take place, not smugglers, and the USBP can deploy personnel and technology in complement to the border barrier. In 2006, the U.S. Senate voted in a bipartisan 80 to 19 majority to pass the Secure Fence Act, which authorized construction of physical infrastructure to secure the border. Securing our Southwest Border was once a bipartisan issue. Neglected, easily compromised, and sparsely constructed, the border fence concept needed a reinvestment in 2017. From day one, President Trump prudently recognized that America must have an effective border wall system that delivers first-of-its kind capabilities to the men and women of the USBP. Today, CBP is constructing a border wall system which includes a combination of various types of infrastructure including: Internally hardened steel-bollard barriers from 18’ to 30’ high New and improved all-weather access roads Perimeter lighting Enforcement cameras Other related technology The border wall system deploys the right mix of personnel, technology, and infrastructure to meet the challenges of a dynamic border threat environment and ultimately achieve operational control of the border. DEPLOYED: As of October 23, 2020, construction of the wall system breaks down as follows: FUNDED: 738 miles COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION: 386 miles UNDER CONSTRUCTION: 195 miles PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHASE: 157 miles Bottom line: The Trump administration is well on its way to meet the goal of having 450 miles of new border wall system deployed by December 31, 2020.

EFFECTIVE – DISRUPTING CRIMINALS AND SMUGGLERS

The results speak for themselves: illegal drug, border crossings, and human smuggling activities have decreased in areas where barriers are deployed. For example: San Diego Sector: In one short 12 mile section in the San Diego Sector, the wall reduced CBP manpower requirements by 150 agents every 24 hours. That is approximately a $28 million return on investment per year in salaries and benefits. These agents were redeployed to fill resource gaps in other areas of the border -- further improving our security. CBP’s San Diego Field Office continues to be a significant source of narcotics seizures. From FY 19 to FY 20, seizures of fentanyl, marijuana, and methamphetamine all increased, with meth seizures jumping at alarming rates in the past several years – demonstrating that the border wall is forcing drug smugglers to where we are best prepared to catch them – our ports of entry. Yuma Sector: Illegal entries in areas with new border wall system plummeted over 87% in FY 20 compared to FY 19. In FY 19, CBP deployed a temporary barrier, which it has replaced with a permanent system, at the Sanchez Canal, which resulted in illegal entries decreasing in this area by more than 1,000 per month. In FY 19, in areas of older existing border fencing or barriers, Yuma Sector apprehended 12 large groups (over a 100 persons) compared to zero large groups in FY 20 with new border wall system. Family Unit entries have decreased over 95% FY 19: 51,961 vs. FY 20: 2,940 RGV Sector: In a section of RGV (Zone 1) apprehensions have decreased since the construction of the border wall system. This is a location that has never had any border infrastructure. CBP has seen 79% decrease in apprehensions in this area (Zone 1) since the completion of border wall system. CBP has seen a 26% decrease in narcotics seizures since the completion of border wall system in this area. In another section of RGV, prior to construction of the border wall system it was common to see illegal aliens running across a heavily traveled road, putting themselves and members of the community at risk. Smugglers are now forced to take their groups further west into areas that are less dense with brush and easier for CBP surveillance cameras to detect illicit activity. El Paso Sector: El Paso Sector has experienced a significant reduction in drug and smuggling activities in areas where the new border wall system was built. Most notably, in Zones 14 and 15 of the Santa Teresa (STN) AOR where apprehensions have decreased by 60% and 81% respectively when comparing the last half of fiscal year FY 20 to the first half of FY 20. El Paso Station has experienced similar results from the new border wall in Zones 20 – 23, with a reduction in apprehensions of 70% during the same timeframe. WHAT OUR CRITICS ARE SAYING: Rather than working in a bipartisan manner to secure our border, our critics have advocated for: Ending construction of the border wall system

Defunding the border wall system

Destroying already constructed sections of the border wall Destroying the wall would put needless strain on DHS resources, lead to increases in crime, and make it nearly impossible for us to determine who is coming into our country.

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/10/29/border-wall-system-deployed-effective-and-disrupting-criminals-and-smugglers

Fentanyl Is Smuggled for U.S. Citizens By U.S. Citizens, Not Asylum Seekers

Fentanyl overdoses tragically caused tens of thousands of preventable deaths last year. Many politicians who want to end U.S. asylum law claim that immigrants crossing the border illegally are responsible. An NPR‐​Ipsos poll last week found that 39 percent of Americans and 60 percent of Republicans believe, “Most of the fentanyl entering the U.S. is smuggled in by unauthorized migrants crossing the border illegally.” A more accurate summary is that fentanyl is overwhelmingly smuggled by U.S. citizens almost entirely for U.S. citizen consumers.

Here are facts:

Fentanyl smuggling is ultimately funded by U.S. consumers who pay for illicit opioids: nearly 99 percent of whom are U.S. citizens. In 2021, U.S. citizens were 86.3 percent of convicted fentanyl drug traffickers—ten times greater than convictions of illegal immigrants for the same offense. Over 90 percent of fentanyl seizures occur at legal crossing points or interior vehicle checkpoints, not on illegal migration routes, so U.S. citizens (who are subject to less scrutiny) when crossing legally are the best smugglers. The location of smuggling makes sense because hard drugs at ports of entry are about 97 percent less likely to be stopped than are people crossing illegally between them. Just 0.02 percent of the people arrested by Border Patrol for crossing illegally possessed any fentanyl whatsoever. The government exacerbated the problem by banning most legal cross border traffic in 2020 and 2021, accelerating a switch to fentanyl (the easiest‐​to‐​conceal drug). During the travel restrictions, fentanyl seizures at ports quadrupled from fiscal year 2019 to 2021. Fentanyl went from a third of combined heroin and fentanyl seizures to over 90 percent. Annual deaths from fentanyl nearly doubled from 2019 to 2021 after the government banned most travel (and asylum). It is monstrous that tens of thousands of people are dying unnecessarily every year from fentanyl. But banning asylum and limiting travel backfired. Reducing deaths requires figuring out the cause, not jumping to blame a group that is not responsible. Instead of attacking immigrants, policymakers should focus on effective solutions that help people at risk of a fentanyl overdose.

https://www.cato.org/blog/fentanyl-smuggled-us-citizens-us-citizens-not-asylum-seekers