As legacy media has the American public increasingly at war over the immigration crisis at the U.S. southern border with Mexico, local citizens have become the latest casualties of an unfettered mob of asylum seekers. And their stories aren’t making the rounds on prime-time cable networks.
With an unprecedented influx of Central American asylum seekers effectively tying up the U.S. Border Patrol agency's resources, the federal government has forced a crushing responsibility on citizens of a state already struggling to help their own.
From personnel who provide food and shelter to armed agents who patrol long stretches of harsh territory and the employees processing the requests for refugee status, it seems the U.S. Border Patrol has finally burst at the seams. As such, a decision was made by the bureaucrats in D.C. to “release detainees on their own recognizance” into local communities – and rely on churches, charitable organizations, and a sympathetic electorate to pick up the tab.
Those hardest hit by the swell of illegal immigrants are the people of Otero, Hidalgo, Luna, and Doña Ana counties.
New Mexicans Rise to Help
Sheriff Kim Stewart in Doña Ana county sees a massive influx of migrants daily. Speaking with Liberty Nation by phone, the sheriff described the situation along the border as “dire” for both the illegals crossing and the citizens already struggling financially to help local organizations in providing decent food and shelter.
“Our resources are depleted. We are overcome with detained migrants. Border Patrol has run out of space and therefore our communities must absorb the overflow. But New Mexicans always rise to the occasion and we can be thankful so far that the process, although exhausting of efforts and resources, has been a peaceful one.”
Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Hull spoke with Doña Ana County Commissioners this week to explain why cities in the county, such as Las Cruces, had become a drop off point for the federal government. In a word, overcapacity:
“The challenge is, these kind of aliens are not trying to evade us. These family units are walking right up to us. They know the relief that's entitled to them under the immigration system, and it's overwhelming our ability to process it.”
Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima says Border Patrol has released over 1,700 illegal border crossers in the city in less than two weeks’ time. “It’s nonstop. They’re bringing them at all hours of the night. We could easily handle 200, but not 200 a day…”
Also presenting at the meeting was Cullen Combs, the emergency operations manager for the county. “Cities and counties are not designed to do this,” he warned. “This is outside the scope of our operations.” He added that, although volunteers were willing to help, they were becoming increasingly exhausted.
Otero County Takes a Stand
With frustrations running at an all time high between county governments and the newly minted alt-left Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) for her cavalier attitude towards illegal immigration, one county has drawn a line in the dusty terrain.
Couy Griffin
Otero County last week declared a state of emergency, citing the need for open checkpoints in order to curb the increase in drug crime and human trafficking at the border.
Commission Chairman Couy Griffin said if the county’s demand is not met within their declared time frame, they will provide their own security – and added that “Otero County will also consider litigation in regards to the State of New Mexico failing to follow its constitutional duties towards the people of Otero County.”
It’s a dicey time to be governor in the Land of Enchantment, as it appears her only friends reside in the Swamp these days.
Grisham issued a response through her yes man, Tripp Stelnicki: “… Otero County is absolutely free to reach out to the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for whatever assistance they feel they need, which as of today had not occurred.”
It’s hard to imagine a better blow off message than that.
A Trickle of Help
Hidalgo County is in the southernmost part of the state – the “boot heel” where immigration enforcement has temperatures running high with locals. Liberty Nation reached out to officials and spoke with county manager Tisha Green. Green says that Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are completely overwhelmed trying to monitor and police a mean expanse of territory, and asserted that they don’t have the manpower to be of much assistance.
The county has begged for state support since December 2018. Caught in the transition time between incoming and outgoing elected officials, Hidalgo was left in limbo. It was just a few weeks ago that the state responded and promised minor aid:
“We are a very rural county and radio communications along the border are sketchy. We have just been granted $3.1 million in aid to help our county officers in the field. And it is much needed. But that won’t help our neighbor counties deal with thousands of detainees dropped in their communities.”
The only reason Hidalgo County doesn’t have migrants dumped into their municipalities is they have no mass transportation system. Immigrants detained in Hidalgo are transported immediately to larger areas, elsewise they would be left to hoof it to the next big town to get out of dodge.
Green is thankful for her rural setting, as being forced to accept aliens would “be a huge burden on our EMS and sanitation systems.”
As Democratic presidential candidates preach about open borders and granting illegals the right to vote, not one of them is addressing the true crisis at the southern border. American citizens who believe their government is responsible for their national security now find that not only is that not happening in New Mexico, but that it has become their obligation to fill in the gaps above and beyond what they already pay in taxes.
Where is the help for these good-hearted and hard-working people of New Mexico?
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