MiaPAC Report from the US Southern Border

The following article was prepared by the Maine Issues & Action PAC, a political advocacy committee formed by Rep. Mike Soboleski (R-Phillips). The opinions expressed below are those of the author.

“We don’t have an immigration problem. We have a slave trade problem.” Texas Sheriff Roy Boyd.

A few weeks ago, I traveled to the US/Mexico border at McAllen, Texas with Representative Katrina Smith and Representative Reagan Paul for a two-day Border School sponsored by FAIR – Federation for American Immigration Reform. Over 50 state legislators and nearly 50 Sheriffs from across the nation attended. We met with the Texas Border Czar Michael Banks, Texas Sheriff Roy Boyd, Arizona Sheriff Mark Lamb, US Customs and Border Protection Chief Gloria Chavez and many experts on what is happening to our country with the overflow of humans entering illegally. During the Trump Administration the border had about 1.8 million encounters with persons seeking illegal entry, so far during the Biden administration there have been 10.1 million encounters.

Remarking on the trip Rep. Reagan Paul said, 

“One thing I learned at the border is that open border policies are anything but humane. Open borders create a humanitarian crisis both for the vulnerable people being exploited by the cartels and for American citizens being victimized by the violent criminals being allowed to pour into our country. Where is the outrage for the 320,000 children our government cannot account for? Maine’s economy is also being strained with the economic impact of illegal immigration reaching nearly $42.5 million last year alone. There is nothing wrong with making people use the front door to enter our country. We are a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws. “

In the Rio Grande Valley 21,000 unaccompanied minors have come through the border so far this year alone. CBP has 3 days to process them and hand them over to US Department of Human Services, where they go from there is anyone’s guess. Texas Border Czar Banks has been incredibly effective. So effective that the tsunami of economic migrants has been reduced to a trickle, but only in Texas as the illegal crossing and drug traffic has now been pushed to Arizona and California. They are still pouring through; they have just been diverted. One of the most shocking things was when CBP Chief Chavez used the words “moved out” and “transitioned” to describe what happens after the border patrol encounters people. There was no mention of sending them back or detaining them but, as we are all aware, they are processed and put on buses and end up in our cities and towns. There is no law and order at the border, it has become a processing center. 

In the Tucson Sector humans are the new commodity. Cartels are allowing bodies vs. drugs on traditional smuggling routes, each body that comes through is charged from 1K to 15K depending on the country of origin. Drivers providing vehicle transportation across the border are compensated $400 to $3K per body. Every illegal is instructed to discard anything which would indicate who they are or what country they came from. When they get to the border and are asked their name, they give whatever name they want to be referred to from then on. These are actual ID’s and cash given to me by Ben Bergquam a reporter who had recently passed through the Darien Gap.

With the legalization of marijuana in many American states beginning in 2021, the cartels pushed away from marijuana and CBP started encountering more smuggling of synthetics. The Dope Shift – preliminary information from Medical Examiners in 14 of the 15 Arizona Counties: 

• 2020 – 2720 fatal overdoses
• 2021 – 2890 fatal overdoses
• 2022 – 2970 fatal overdoses
• 2023 – 3023 fatal overdoses

From May 2024 to June 2024 highway interdictions seizes increased:

• Cocaine increased by 196% from 51 pounds to 151 pounds
• Fentanyl seizures increased by 151% from 180 pounds to 451 pounds
• Methamphetamine seizures increased by 4% from 233 pounds to 242 pounds
• In July 2024 in Lukeville, AZ the CBP seize approximately ONE MILLION FENTANYL PILLS

On July 1, a 20-year-old Arizona man, who is a US Citizen, arrived at the Port of Lukeville driving a 2011 pick-up truck which was hauling a sport recreational vehicle on a utility trailer. The fentanyl was found inside. It is the largest single fentanyl seizure in CBP history.

Between 5/31/24 and 6/24/24 in Nogales, AZ CBP officers at the Port of Entry (POE) seized 2,076,255 fentanyl pills, 604 lbs. meth, 6 lbs. heroin, and 6 pounds cocaine. This was 12 loads, all using deep concealment methods. 

Between 6/28/24 and 7/6/24 CBP officers at the Nogales POE seized 4 narcotic loads totaling approximately 1,012,275 fentanyl pills, 73.30 lbs. meth, 28.6 lbs. cocaine and 8.46 lbs. heroin.

YTD 2024, of the 130+ million fentanyl pills seized nationwide, Arizona accounted for 53% of the seizures, 69,328,066 pills and of the 5,394 kilograms of powdered fentanyl seized nationwide, Arizona accounted for 29% of the seizures – 1,609 kilograms

On the second morning of the trip, we visited a short-term shelter that provides food and medicines for people who have been released to their care by CBP. It was a large facility, but everyone was huddled in one large glass walled room. I believe this was so we could not interact with them. 

There, we encountered a woman who had walked to the United States. She had entered illegally, and was there with her eight-day old baby (how did she walk that far while pregnant and give birth along the way?). This woman was going to New Orleans to “a sponsor”. She had no idea who the sponsor is. She only had a name and a phone number on a piece of paper. Catholic Charities, the provider of this center, said they had no idea who the sponsors are but they help illegals arrange flights or buses to get there. We were told the shelter receives $1300 per day per illegal to help them, a staggering amount of money.

Violent gang members are crossing the border as well.  Trend De Aragua (TDA), is considered the biggest criminal organization in Venezuela and has been deemed as “MS-13 on steroids”.  As of March 2024, Tren de Aragua has a documented presence in Texas and suspected involvement in human trafficking, aggravated assault, extortion, threats of violence, and weapons trafficking posing a threat to public safety.

Preliminary investigation and uncorroborated source reporting from federal and local law enforcement indicate confirmed or suspected TDA members are engaged in weapons and human trafficking, extortion, and threats of violence in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and El Paso.

Suspected TDA affiliates also engage in murder, sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, and selling cocaine in other states, such as Florida, Illinois, and New York, according to multiple reports from local law enforcing agencies.

HOW LONG BEFORE THEY ARE HERE IN MAINE? 

We visited a ranch that has seen thousands upon thousands of people cross their land and its home to pretty much a death field. Many men, women and children attempting to cross succumb to heat, sickness, and snake bite. They face a cruel death. Their “guides/traffickers” leave them to die if they fall behind. Due to the population of feral hogs, coyotes, etc. only one of every 7-8 bodies are recovered, the rest are eaten and end up as scattered bones littering the ground. 

The cartels are charging exorbitant amounts at every turn, raping women along the way (they are provided with birth control and morning after pills at the beginning of their journeys) and sending millions of fentanyl pills through our borders.

The Sheriffs fighting for our country are amazing, but Customs & Border Protection and Immigration Customs Enforcement have their hands absolutely tied by the Biden administration. Asked for comment, Representative Katrina Smith said, 

“I wanted to go to the southern border because it undeniably impacts our state and I wanted a firsthand understanding of it. Illegal immigration hurts our small towns as it explodes their budgets through exponentially increasing General Assistance costs, school funding costs, public works costs, healthcare costs and many others. Maine taxpayers cannot afford the economic weight that unvetted and mismanaged illegal immigration costs”.

In the next legislature we need to be ready with bills that protect our citizens, tax dollars, and state borders. We also need to be on the lookout for legislation that on the surface looks to be helping, but in reality, create harmful policies. Bills that have no vision of the unintended circumstances and long-lasting impacts that legislation will have been the last thing we need. We need to put Maine citizens and taxpayers first in our decision making because they are the ones who will be impacted as the southern border debacle further makes its way to Maine. 

Lastly, offering false hope to people from south of the border to come to Maine when we as a state cannot afford it is wrong. It may feel virtuous to those proposing these flawed ideas, but in actuality it is cruel. From 2021 to present: 2740 people have died making the journey to the border. How many have been raped? Where are all the unaccompanied minors now? How many have been kidnapped and sold into servitude? States like Maine are inciting this migration with the promise of golden dreams and riches when in fact we are also luring many to their death. We must shut down the illegal border crossings and require anyone seeking entry into our country to use the door. Here in Maine, our government must be responsible with our tax dollars, considerate of our citizens, and stop the unnecessary and endless taxation/fee increases that’s crippling our very way of life. I grew up with the slogan – Maine, the way life should be, I want it back.