Author: Leslie Bronken, Deming, NM

Photo credits: Wayne Le Blanc, Deming, NM

On March 31, 2019, a small group of people from New Mexico and Arizona met with Martha Boneta, a Policy Advisor and Commentator In Washington DC (she is also a farmer) and members of the Johnson family, who own a very large ranch and farm directly on the US Mexico border.

In 2017, Martha toured the border and the cattle crossing area in Santa Teresa, Dona Ana County, NM, which is a more populated area close to El Paso, TX. Martha was also sent to McAllen, Texas, to report on the border status earlier this year. This time Martha toured the border in Luna County, where we have illegal border crossings involving drug and human trafficking, and who knows what else coming across the border.

Martha quickly grasped the magnitude of the problem once she saw the remote area and distances involved. Martha wanted to live stream images of the border and interviews of the Johnsons, however, cell phone signals are mostly non-existent along the southern border area in this part of New Mexico.

Russ Howell, Chairman of the Republican Party of Luna County, former Senate candidate, Mick Rich, Dinah Vargas from the Republican Party of New Mexico, and others from New Mexico and Arizona, formed a caravan to make the trip down to the Johnson Farms/Ranch. Martha joined the caravan. It took over an hour for the caravan to drive at 60 mph across the mostly wide open border desert in Luna County to arrive at one of the gates to the Johnson Ranch and Farms, which is adjacent to approximately 8 miles of the fence along the U.S./Mexico border.

Mr. Johnson opened the gate after designating one person to close the gate behind us so the nearby herd of cattle wouldn't get out onto the highway. From there we traveled across the cattle ranch down a fairly well maintained dirt road and headed to the border. 

border1Existing Normandy barrier along the US/MX borderOnce we arrived at the border we drove along the border fence. This style of border fence is called a Normandy barrier. It's only alleged purpose is to keep vehicles and cattle from crossing the border. The height of the top rail is approximately 4' high.

Mr. Johnson explained that this does not keep vehicles from crossing the border. He described how vehicles are loaded on top of a tow truck bed, which is backed up to this barrier and the loaded vehicle just drives off the tow truck bed into the U.S. Sometimes they prop ramps up and just drive over the barrier. Within a minute or two they can drive off and go anywhere in the U.S., unless Border Patrol just happens to have someone available to respond.

There actually is technology installed all along here - motion sensors in part. The caravan was comprised of some eight vehicles and was definitely setting off sensors.

As we drove eastward along this road we passed one of the US/MX border monuments.

border2US/MX border monumentThese monuments mark the official surveyed line between the United States and Mexico. Teresa Johnson explained to us that these monuments are not spaced apart a specific number of feet or miles. They are spaced apart at line-of-sight distances; some are closer to each other when there are visual obstructions, and others are farther apart.

After crossing a bit over a mile, this Normandy barrier ended and changed to barbed wire fence. You can clearly see the difference in vegetation from the Mexican side on the right, to the US side on the left. This is due to cattle overgrazing on the Mexican side. On the US side, cattle are limited to one per 100 acres to prevent overgrazing in the desert.

The Johnson family has maintained the barbed wire fence between the US and Mexico for years. This is a daily chore for them as foreign nationals cut the fence constantly to cross into the U.S. illegally by bypassing the authorized ports of entry. Drugs, humans and other unknowns are smuggled into the U.S. And sometimes they steal the Johnson's cattle. The Johnson family is not compensated by the US Government for maintaining the border fence. At a minimum the fence is supposed to keep Mexican cattle in Mexico, and the Johnson's cattle on their ranch.

border3Normandy barrier ends, barbed wire beginsAt the end of the Normandy barrier is an arroyo about 5' deep. The government's position for not continuing the Normandy barrier is that vehicles on the Mexican side could not cross an arroyo. The Johnsons pointed out that the vehicles cross the arroyo farther south, then drive back to the barbed wire fence, cut the fence, drive across, drive farther north until they can cross this arroyo and be on their merry way. They know this because the Johnsons once again have to repair the fence.

The point to note here is, if those crossing the border illegally don't feel like driving over the Normandy barrier, they simply drive around it. It is the same for the tall see thru style of fences (a.k.a. "the wall"). There are only short sections of wall type fences in New Mexico. People who want to cross illegally simply walk around the wall.

Border Patrol does their best, but there is simply not enough manpower, and the area is too far away. The situation has only gotten worse now that most of border patrol has been reassigned to processing those claiming asylum at designated ports of entry.

By the time this photo had been snapped, our group had been at this point along the border for nearly 45 minutes. We were stationary as we filmed multiple interviews with the Johnsons. We had triggered all the motion sensors and whatever other technology is there. There was no sign of border patrol. There could have been cameras positioned somewhere but were not observed.

Mr. Johnson explained there are some cameras along the border. He also explained the cartels have lots of money to spend on surveillance technology. They position lookouts on top of the hills and mountains just across the border, and watch which way the cameras are pointing. When the cameras pan east, the cartel members cross to the west, and vice versa.

border4Anonymous Luna County residentLocal residents have a message for Congress and President Trump.

"TRUMP BUILD THE WALL 2020"

As anyone can see, it is easy to hop over or through this barrier. The Johnsons recalled that this barrier was installed approximately ten years ago.

The entire cost of the original fencing put up across the US-MX border cost $50 Billion. When compared to what President Trump has been asking for in terms of money, and when comparing the types of barriers previously erected, (Normandy barriers, barbed wire fences and metal roofing panels) versus 20'-30' slated steel fences, the legitimate question that should be asked is where did the bulk of the $50 billion go? One local resident suggested that an audit is in order. (See Wikipedia, Secure Fence Act.)

border5Transition point from Normandy barrier to barbed wire border fenceMr. Johnson pointed to cattle hoof prints to the right of the fence line on the MX side. He explained that cattle in Mexico do carry diseases that are transmittable to cattle and humans on the US side. One of the problems is the lifespan of the spores that are picked up from the soil on the MX side. These spores are carried on the shoes of those crossing the border illegally, which are spread on the US side, which in turn infects the US side cattle. Should any of the US cattle carrying these spores be shipped to Anywhere, USA, the diseases in turn are spread across the US. And some of these diseases are transmittable to humans.

These are three members of the Johnson family that explained the issues along the border. You many have seen interviews of them on Fox News. They are at ground zero. Their lives have been threatened by Mexican cartels many times. Teresa Johnson told us a heartbreaking and extremely emotional story about a call she received from border patrol one day. Teresa had feared that two members of her family had been shot and killed by the cartels that cross their ranch on a regular basis. Fortunately, hours later, they turned up alive.

border6Members of the Johnson familyMartha interviewed the Johnsons. Attempts to live-stream the interviews failed. There is no cell phone coverage in this remote area of New Mexico. However, Martha has appeared on a dozen TV news and radio programs discussing her visit to the border.

The caravan of visitors traveled along the border road to cross over a small mountain on the ranch. We stopped for a moment to take a picture of Mexico in the valley on the other side. While this area is rocky, it is possible to walk across this area as it is not that steep. Time consuming yes, but even this old and not exactly athletic writer has hiked up in the rocky parts of mountains, over small boulders, and slide down rocky slides. Yes, we need a tall barrier through this area also.

border7Martha Boneta interviews Johnson family members.The Johnsons showed us another area where illegals are constantly crossing into the U.S. They shimmy under the lowest strand of barb wire, and push contraband under, and they hop over and thru the strands. There are numerous visible repairs to the wire where the Johnson have to splice the cut pieces back together. Sometimes the vehicles drive across the cut barbed wire. The wire gets caught on the vehicle and as they drive away, the vehicle tears down hundreds of feet of the fence line. The Johnsons pay to repair the fence.

border8Top of gentle slopes along the border. The peaks just before the valley are in MexicoJust out of view at the bottom of the mountain in the Mexican side is a dirt road. Buses drive up, drop off foreign nationals, who then walk across the border entering the U.S. illegally. It took us about 15 minutes to drive to this spot on their ranch from the previous location. We were here for about a half hour. Setting off all kinds of ground sensors, and still no sign of border patrol.

Barbed wire fencing dividing the U.S. from Mexico in a mountain area, with dirt roads nearby on both sides of the border.Barbed wire fencing dividing the U.S. from Mexico in a mountain area, with dirt roads nearby on both sides of the border.The mountain in the distant background by the star is the Florida Mountain by Deming, New Mexico. It takes illegals about 3 days to walk from this point across the desert to Deming. Of course, cars can simply meet them at much closer locations to take the drugs in backpacks off the trafficking mules' hands and drive the drugs out of the area. Illegals can cross back into Mexico and pick up their next load to cross again.

We moved further east along the Johnson ranch. By this time the sun was starting to set and we had not yet made it halfway across the ranch. The cattle in the background are on the Mexican side. Mr. Johnson was asked if any of them were his and he candidly replied that he hoped not, but he couldn't be sure.

border10Dirt road along the U.S. border on the Johnson ranch

Finally in this area we encountered a lone border patrol agent sitting in his truck perched high up on the hill. Martha spoke with a border patrol agent off the record, because they are not permitted to be interviewed. From this vantage point, he could easily see the border dividing the Johnson ranch from a mostly abandoned town on the Mexican side of the border.

border11Barbed wire fence divides Mexican cattle from Johnson ranch cattle

At the bottom of this foothill below is a mostly abandoned Mexican town that butts right up against the US-Mexican border. This is the style of fence that divides the U.S. from Mexico along this section of the border. It is considered to be a vehicle barrier. It is barely 3' high. Cattle can jump over just as easily as people, coyotes (both human and animal), etc.

border12The only border patrol agent seen the entire day watches a section of the borderThe only border patrol agent some of us who live in the area saw that day starting from 7:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. was the lone border patrol agent in the photograph to the right.

Normally, there are border patrol agents manning a check point 13 miles north of the Columbus Port of Entry. That check point is now closed because there are so many people seeking asylum now. They have been diverted to process the people seeking asylum at the ports of entry.

Normally, if one drives along Highway 9 which parallels the US/MX border one would see border patrol agents either patrolling the highway, or sitting in their vehicles perched at high vantage points over looking the border. There were none observed on March 31st. Not a single one.

Governor Grisham has pulled the NM National Guard off the border, because "there is no problem" in her mind. She is pushing an agenda, and not addressing the whole truth about the problems at the border.

On this section of Highway 9 late in 2018 before the current governor was elected, numerous border patrol agents were observed perched high, and others patrolled the area. Their absence is appalling and frightening.

The asylum seekers have effectively created a massive diversion for the drug and human trafficking cartel members. Border Patrol vehicles were MIA, and as you can see from these pictures, there is nothing really stopping people from entering our country illegally carrying drugs, humans, children, weapons of mass destruction, bio-weapons, you name it.

border13Another style of vehicle barrier along the borderIronically, Beto O'Rourke and others who are pushing the agenda that there is no problem stand in front of or live near areas protected by the 15'-30' high barriers along the border. Those who live in the border zone without those barriers know differently. The problem isn't just in the immediate area of the border. One Luna County resident informed that Cartel members with backpacks are spotted walking his property which is over 45 miles north of the border. Others are startled by illegals at night drinking water from water hoses and then leaving the spigots open flooding the area.

The good news for the Johnsons is that a real border barrier is coming to some portion of this area of the border. That will help the Johnson family, but Mr. Johnson made it clear. The Mexican cartels will simply change the trafficking routes go around the ends of the wall.

The trip back was longer than the trip to the Johnson ranch as some of us went to the famous Adobe Deli restaurant on the east side of the Florida Mountain in Deming. The owner was gracious enough to keep the restaurant open for our group as we arrived minutes before closing. Martha was fascinated with the history and decor of the restaurant, and surprised to see a life size cardboard poster of President Trump located in the bar. Martha explained that in Washington DC, some Trump appointees are harassed and others will not get served in restaurants if wearing a MAGA hat because some consider that to be hate speech.

Martha wondered aloud what many of us wonder. Why don't some Americans want America to be great?

We need to finish building "the wall," which collectively is a combination of tall physical barriers and technology. There are many areas that have natural barriers, which don't require high physical fences. Technology is great but if there are no available agents to respond or are too far away to respond in time, it is not effective.

We need to urge Congress to change the immigration laws. Asylum laws needs to be changed so that asylum seekers need to apply to the first country they enter, and that they must wait outside of the U.S. Border Patrol needs to get back to protecting the border from criminals.

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