THE FENCE--IS IT REALLY WORTH ALL THE $$$$$$

Fence/Wall between Mexico & U.S.

Look straight back into the mountain to see the "Prohibition Tequila Trail" now the trail used to transport drugs & guns.

I got to touch the billion dollar plus border fence/wall. After listening to the chief forest ranger at Coronado National Park and the couple I go hiking with, I question it alot, whether all the billions of dollars was worth spending on this "infamous fence" which reminds me of the Berlin Wall.

 The Chief Ranger drove us down in his vehicle on the "authorized vehicle road only" right to the fence. It is 12 feet in the ground, (to prevent tunneling), besides being way over my head. It is heavy steel on the outside and reenforced with concrete on the inside. Before it was built a team tested how wide to make the bars apart so no child or adult head would get caught in between when someone chose to cross through the fence. This is the humanitarian side of our country-to an extent.



I looked through the fence and I saw barb wire-this is the Mexican fence the rancher put up on his land to keep his cattle in whom  I did see eating dry grass up to the Mexican barb wire fence. I was so surprised to see cattle. I pictured the fence that kept everything away from our border. There is a couple feet between the steel border fence and the barb wire fence. That is to allow for repair on the U.S. fence without stepping onto Mexican land.

This is Mexico-on the other side of the U.S. Fence. Barbed wire & very poor rocky land. Cattle were grazing here.

The fence runs for miles but when it gets to the top of the mountain range it stops and there is only barb wire fence. At one point the Mexicans with their rifles sit on the U.S. side to help the smugglers cross into the U.S. Looking up the mountain in this direction it was pointed out to me that this was the original  "Prohibition Trail" for smuggling tequila into our country.  This trail is now used to smuggle marijuana, guns and other drugs into the U.S.

Soon after the steel fence was put up the Forest Ranger Chief found narrow packages of marijuana on the U.S. side. They were squeezed through for the "coyote" or smuggler to take further into the U.S. They also catapulted drugs over the fence. So really-is this fence really worth all the money spent on it and it really isn't very nice looking-quite rusty. It only goes so far and now the smugglers have learned to go to the top through the barb wire to travel further inland into the U.S.

I was informed that there often are three "coyotes" helping the undocumented workers and smugglers to enter our country. One positioned at the front, one in the middle and one at the end. If Border Patrol or forest rangers find them the group will run and split up so all won't get caught.

Now who is really crossing the border into our country illegally??? People put their finger on the Mexicans all the time. Not true!  Now crossing our border are the Chinese, (greatest in number), Somalians, Mexicans,  Arab speaking individuals who the Ranger said, " You know they aren't coming here to get a job at McDonald's" There are also a few from Guatemala-only a few as this country borders Mexico. Mexico shoots instantly any Guatemalan who attempts to cross their border-few make it across and few try it even.  So is the fence really working to keep out other nations from around the world???

We then traveled 6,500 feet to the top of Coronado National Park. There was one border patrol truck parked next to their large camera truck that overlooks the Mexican valley below. The truck is there 24 hours as it has excellent night vision. Through the use of this camera they catch 700 undocumented a day coming into our country.

Looking out into Mexico where the undocumented are walking to get access into the U.S.

Some seasons are busier than others for undocumented to cross over: harvest season for marijuana or pre-harvest time to get rid of the old marijuana. Slow times are World Cup Soccer Days-when most Mexicans stay home to watch the games on TV.

The Chief Forest Ranger has worked about 20 years in his position. Times have changed he said. At the beginning you saw many Mexicans crossing back into Mexico at holiday times. The Rangers would give them a lift to the border to help them out.

To have the fence or to work on changing our immigration laws. That is a big question still facing our nation.