Flames Change Dynamic On U.S. Border

Fewer Places To Hide, But Smugglers Think That With Guards Busy, Perhaps Less Need To Hide

(AP)  One of Southern California's largest wildfires has frightened many illegal immigrants from hiking through a popular corridor to cross from Mexico even as the Border Patrol has withdrawn some agents.

Some consider the Border Patrol's pullback an opportunity, but a three-hour drive through ash-covered hills Tuesday suggests that many others are staying put in Mexico.

"They're holding back," Mark Mahler, a Border Patrol agent, said as he kept watch over an evacuated highway checkpoint that was closed Monday on State Route 94. The checkpoint on the two-lane highway, which narrowly escaped damage, is normally a major obstacle for illegal crossers.

The fire left miles of black ash in the canyons around Dulzura, an evacuated hamlet about 25 miles east of San Diego, where dozens of homes were destroyed. Thousands of foot trails once covered by dense shrub were laid bare.

Road closures due to the fire meant migrants could not meet drivers, Mahler said. Typically, migrants pay about $1,500 each to be guided through rugged canyons for hours, even days, and be picked up by someone at a roadside checkpoint for the drive to San Diego.

Many illegal immigrants appeared to heed the advice of the Border Patrol and the Mexican government, aired on television and radio in Tijuana, Mexico, to stay away from the fires. The Border Patrol radio was unusually quiet Tuesday. Its motion sensors laced throughout the canyons, which escaped damaged, did not set alarms.

Some illegal immigrants, however, took the risk.

About 50 migrants have surrendered to the Border Patrol since the fires began Sunday, fearing for their safety. One was seriously burned Monday when he and five others sought help from firefighters and they were all taken to a San Diego hospital, according to the Mexican consulate in San Diego. No deaths have been reported.

Some of the six migrants who were rescued by firefighters Monday told Mexican authorities that smugglers convinced them the Border Patrol would be distracted, said Alberto Lozano, a spokesman for the Mexican consulate in San Diego.

"The smugglers see the opportunity," Joe Mason, a Border Patrol field operations supervisor, said as his truck wound through the bald canyons. "They figure there's a good chance that the Border Patrol's not around."

The federal agency has reassigned about 115 agents on each shift to help with the fires, directing traffic and knocking on doors to evacuate homes in the San Diego area. Agents also rescued 53 horses.

About 200 of the 600 National Guard troops who normally help patrol California's border with Mexico also were reassigned to assist with fires further north.

That left the steep hills on the border relatively unattended, and some illegal immigrants apparently took advantage. There was a trail of fresh footprints through one ash-blanketed canyon Tuesday.

The Harris Fire, which has burned 70,000 acres, will almost certainly cause migrants to rethink whether it makes sense to cross in the area. Mahler said the exposed hillsides mean migrants can no longer hide in the thick brush.

"Sometimes fire makes our job a little easier, I hate to say it," he said.

[klingon69]

grow a heart. find some compassion for EVERYONE not just those who were born between certain lines on a map. bigotry is a huge reason why most of the world hates us americans. you make me ashamed.
Posted by jahoopski at 05:36 PM : Oct 24, 2007
As long as someone immigrates legally, I have full compassion for them. If we shame you, then it should be time for you to leave.
If you don''t like it here, I''m sure there are many more places that may fit your likes and needs. Try the European Union countries.

[jahoopski]

karma police....arrest this man...

[jahoopski]

"To me it is just sickening to see what OUR country is becoming! It is time for us PROUD Americans to stand up and say we are not going to take it anymore... I say send them all back to where they came from!" -angelfish71

i agree with this quote, but not in the way you mean it angelfish, i am sickened by the racist statements all of you potential minutemen have crapped out of your mouths. i think you all should go back to england/europe where you came from and leave this country to its rightful owners: NATIVE AMERICANS!
funny how so many of you people talk bad about chicano /latino/hispanic people when you are living in land that once was MEXICO. santiago canyons, agua dulce, chula vista, del mar, encinitas, rancho bernardo, rancho santa fe... many of the places where this fire is burning have SPANISH names. i guess you disregard that fact and the fact that your ancestors are immigrants because you''re busy hating on the immigrants of now. there are good and bad people of EVERY race and to think that the majority of "illegal alien invaders" are thieves that just want to suck on the fat teet of the almighty USA is blatantly racist and ridiculously ignorant. grow a heart. find some compassion for EVERYONE not just those who were born between certain lines on a map. bigotry is a huge reason why most of the world hates us americans. you make me ashamed.

[badbrown126]

If the government gets to pick and choose which of its laws to enforce do we get to pick which ones we would like to obey.

Enforce all the laws as written.

If we do not like a law a majority of us can have it changed.

If that does not work we elect people to make the law what the majority of people would like.

BUT ... we never let a government arbitrarily decide which of its laws it would like to enforce.

[yankeerebel7]

"You are the descendants of the original "Illegal Alien Invaders..."

Really? Please tell me which law my descendants broke.

[bhappy2-2]

bhappy2-2: Please define the difference between ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS and ALIEN INVADERS.

Both should not be here. (Targer Practice for border patrols?)

Posted by papabc

papabc- Alien Invaders is a game, you can play it online.
ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS are CRIMINALS who sneak into our country and expect the Citizens of The United States of America to support them in their CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES.
I tend to agree with you about the Border Patrol using them for target practice.

[poopusbuttus]

Well, Bush did say that we were going to smoke them out of their holes...didnt he?

[klingon69]

Let me clarify a few thing for you all:
1. Those people wanting to cross the border are descendants of the indigenous people of California.
2. You are the descendants of the original "Illegal Alien Invaders..."
Posted by new-aztec at 12:47 PM : Oct 24, 2007

Let me clarify somethings for you. Regardless of where they descended from, they are not now citizens, residents, or even welcome visitors of the US. Therefore, they are the ILLEGAL INVADING ALIENS.
It has been put forth, that anyone who is Pro-Illegals either has a personal interest in tehm, or is wanting to profit for their slave labor, so which are you?

[angelfish71]

lostcountry1 I totally agree with your post. It seems as if all these illegal''s (not just from Mexico, but people who come here from other countries as well) come to the United States and then expect the American people who are actually citizens here to "conform" to thier way of life. To me it is just sickening to see what OUR country is becoming! It is time for us PROUD Americans to stand up and say we are not going to take it anymore... I say send them all back to where they came from!

[lostcountry1]

aztec...your knowledge about the idigenous people is accurate,however we are living in a world defined by borders.they are necessary to keep a country productive as defined by those who live, work and prosper,there. you are obviously a supporter of turning america into a backwards country like mexico.if you are proud of your aztec heritage, thats great. i am proud of my american heritage as well and find it offensive to see my country being over-run by desperate people who will take anything they can get,whenever possible.i guess im supposed to be ashamed to be a patriotic citizen of my country.i work for a living,i dont sneak around stealing everything i can and then cry foul when i get caught. if you support them so much,go down to san diego and help them all you can.they run from their country because they are too lazy to work for change there."it''s better to die on your feet, than live on your knees"

[mollydtt]

You mean the Mexican government actually *told* illegal aliens to *not* sneak into the U S? I''m shocked!

[new-aztec]

I should have figured that you two don''t know the meaning of indigenous.

[lostcountry1]

let me clarify a few things for you.1. this is america as built by those who fought to make it their home.2.mexico should take care of its own people,so they will quit invading the sovereign nation of the UNITED STATES.3. come here legally or stay the hell out!

[new-aztec]

Let me clarify a few thing for you all:
1. Those people wanting to cross the border are descendants of the indigenous people of California.
2. You are the descendants of the original "Illegal Alien Invaders..."

[atschroeder]

maybe mother nature is on to something here. Those trails are awfully easy to spot without the vegitation. It sure makes sneaking around a little harder when there isn''t anything to hide behind.

[lostcountry1]

right on tucker. we know the score. we already have mexicans flying their flag above ours in reno. an angry vet cut it down with his kabar, and now their trying to prosecute him for destruction of private property. check krnv news reno for the story.i think someone should burn the place to the ground.

[papabc]

Did the ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS set a few camp fires that got out of control?

bhappy2-2: Please define the difference between ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS and ALIEN INVADERS.

Both should not be here. (Targer Practice for border patrols?)

[bhappy2-2]

illegal immigrants??? Hey CBS! These are ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS! Get it right for a change, PLEASE!

As for the fires stopping the ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS; maybe we should set a fire along the entire border. And those ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS who got burned crossing- TOO BAD! STAY HOME!

[lostcountry1]

are we supposed to feel sorry for the illegals, or see it as a victory in the war against illegal immigrants? i think a nice controlled burn along the whole border is in order if it helps to ''smoke out'' the criminals, intent on invading our country. why hasnt the govt. thought of this before?

[nexgen99]

Shame on the mean folks here!

Posted by jh6379

========================
We have illegals here who a conducting brazen daytime break ins into homes terrorizing innocent people. Please get a grip.