August 2024. Blues Vol 40 No.8

AROUND THE COUNTRY EL

AROUND THE COUNTRY EL PASO, TX. By Jenna Curren EL PASO, TX - A report from NewsNation states that Mexican cartels are now using the storm drain system in El Paso, Texas, to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States, adding yet another layer to the border crisis. Border Patrol agents are now tasked with keeping the cartels from using these underground networks to move the illegal immigrants into the U.S. interior. The storm drain system in El Paso is extensive, spanning over 300 miles. Illegal immigrants have allegedly been using these tunnels and storm drains to avoid apprehension by the authorities since the 1960s. However, smugglers have taken these underground networks and made them into extremely dangerous routes for illegal immigrants who are now turning to the smugglers to get them into the United States. Many of the illegal immigrants, including children, are forced into the drains without knowing where they are going. Smugglers are known to be very unreliable and have often put these people in grave danger. The task of stopping these smugglers from ushering illegal immigrants into the United States via the drain system falls under the Border Patrol’s Confined Space Entry Team (CSET). This unit faces many challenges when taking on this responsibility, including toxic gases, snakes, and the risk of flash floods. 52 The Blues - August ‘24 Due to the increase in entries, CSET has been sweeping these drains recently and is actively looking to rescue the illegal immigrants as well as locate the smugglers. CSET said that the smugglers use tools like electric cutters and gas-powered saws to create new entry points into the drains. Border Patrol expects to see more illegal immigrants being moved through these tunnels and drain systems. CSET agents will continue to navigate the challenges inside of the tunnels as they look for illegal immigrants and smugglers as well as fight the uphill battle with compromised Mexican authorities. Despite what is happening in the drains in El Paso, Governor Greg Abbott recently announced that Operation Lone Star has decreased illegal border crossing into Texas by 74 percent. Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort, which includes the governor’s office, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard, has led to over 513,700 illegal immigrant apprehensions. Operation Lone Star has also led to more than 44,000 criminal arrests, with more than 38,600 felony charges. According to the press release, “In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 489 million lethal doses of fentanyl, enough to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States and Mexico combined during this border mission.” A statement from the press release read, “Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps created by the Biden Administration’s refusal to secure the border. Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to President Joe Biden’s open border policies.”

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