FBI: Mexicans chased away US agents after shooting

[peejay 327]

FBI: Mexicans chased away US agents after shooting

Associated Press Writers Christopher Sherman And Olivia Torres

Thu Jun 10, 1:15 am ET

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico – Pointing their rifles, Mexican security forces chased away U.S. authorities investigating the shooting of a 15-year-old Mexican by a U.S. Border Patrol agent on the banks of the Rio Grande, the FBI and witnesses told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The killing of the Mexican by U.S. authorities — the second in less than two weeks — has exposed the distrust between the two countries that lies just below the surface, and has enraged Mexicans who see the death of the boy on Mexican soil as an act of murder.

Mexico's government says the number of Mexicans injured by U.S. immigration authorities has increased this year.

Shortly after the boy was shot, Mexican security forces arrived at the scene and pointed their guns at the Border Patrol agents across the riverbank while bystanders screamed insults and hurled rocks and firecrackers, FBI spokeswoman Andrea Simmons said. She said the agents were forced to withdraw.

"It pretty quickly got very intense over on the Mexican side," she said, adding that FBI agents showed up later and resumed the investigation, even as Mexican authorities pointed guns at them from across the river.

Simmons said the forces were soldiers, but Mexico's Defense Secretary later released a statement saying soldiers were not present at the reported confrontation.

Enrique Torres, spokesman for the joint federal, state and municipal police operation in Chihuahua, said federal and local Mexican police were at the scene but not any soldiers.

A relative of the dead boy who had been playing with him told the AP that the Mexicans — who he described as federal police, not soldiers — pointed their guns only when the Americans waded into the mud in an apparent attempt to cross into Mexico.

The Mexican authorities accused the Americans of trying to recover evidence from Mexican soil and threatened to kill them if they crossed the border, prompting both sides to draw their guns, said the 16-year-old boy who asked not to be further identified for fear of reprisal.

The confrontation occurred Monday night over the body of Sergio Adrian Hernandez Huereka, who died of his wounds beside the column of a railroad bridge connecting Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas.

Each government has made veiled accusations suggesting misconduct on the part of the other's law enforcement agents.

Hernandez was found 20 feet (six meters) into Mexico, and an autopsy revealed that the fatal shot was fired at a relatively close range, according to Arturo Sandoval, a spokesman for the Chihuahua state attorney general's office. Mexican authorities said a .40 caliber shell casing was found near the body, suggesting that the Border Patrol agent might have crossed into Mexico to shoot the boy.

That would violate the rules for Border Patrol agents, who are supposed to stay on the U.S. side — and could open the agent to a Mexican homicide prosecution.

A U.S. official close to the investigation told the AP that authorities have a video showing that the Border Patrol agent did not cross into Mexico. In fact, the official said, the video shows what appear to be members of Mexican law enforcement crossing onto the U.S. side, picking something up and returning to Mexico. The official was not cleared to speak about the video and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

Alejandro Pariente, Chihuahua state's regional deputy attorney general, said the U.S. Border Patrol has given him video which he is reviewing. He declined to describe it except to say that it has sped up the investigation.

The two killings have provoked anger in Mexico like no other recent controversy surrounding immigration, including Arizona's new law making it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant and President Barack Obama's decision to send the National Guard to the border.

Although many Mexicans were unhappy with both initiatives, popular and official reaction had been subdued, in contrast to street protests seen in previous years when the U.S. has cracked down on the border. Many Mexicans have since given up hope for a quick solution to the immigration problem, while other issues including growing drug violence have taken center stage in relations between the two countries.

That has started to change with the back-to-back deaths of two Mexicans at the border: the teenager killed Monday, and migrant Anastasio Hernandez, 42, who died after a Customs and Border Protection officer shocked him with a stun gun at the San Ysidro border crossing that separates San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico.

Anastasio Hernandez, who had lived in the U.S. since he was 14, was buried in San Diego on Wednesday.

As night fell in El Paso, nearly 100 residents gathered for a candlelight vigil near the site of the shooting of the 15-year-old.

Participants, many clad in black, carrying candles and trailing a sign that read "Militarization costs lives too," walked a couple blocks to the end of a public road about 100 yards from the railroad bridge spanning the border.

"It's partially standing up to voice our concerns about this very unequal response to people throwing rocks," said Yolanda Leyva, a history professor at the University of Texas-El Paso who spoke at the vigil. The gathering also showed solidarity with the people of Juarez and called for a thorough investigation, she said.

South of the border, Mexican news media were filled with images of the 15-year-old's bloody body and his grieving relatives. One tabloid ran a large photograph on its cover, with the banner headline "Gringaderas," salty slang that roughly translates as "things Americans do."

Mexican President Felipe Calderon pledged to "use all resources available to protect the rights of Mexican migrants," and his foreign secretary, Patricia Espinosa, said Mexico wasn't taking the Americans' word that the Border Patrol agent had been defending himself from rock-throwers when he opened fire.

Chihuahua state Gov. Jose Reyes Baeza blamed the two killings on racism fueled by Arizona's law.

"We believe that this killing, the second in recent days in the border between the two countries, is due to xenophobia and racism, derived from the approval of Arizona's anti-immigration law," Reyes said.

Mexico's Foreign Relations Department said its records indicate the number of Mexicans killed or wounded by immigration authorities rose from five in 2008 to 12 in 2009 to 17 so far this year, which is not half over. However, two killings in such a short period is rare.

Meanwhile, the Border Patrol released statistics showing that assaults on agents along the border between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, were on pace to far exceed totals in the previous four years.

Since October of last year, Border Patrol agents in the El Paso sector have been assaulted 33 times, compared with 39 times in the previous fiscal year. Twenty-nine of those incidents were rock-throwing, compared to 31 such incidents in all of fiscal 2009.

That's what happened Monday night, when suspected illegal immigrants who ran back to Mexico began throwing rocks at Border Patrol agents detaining other immigrants, Simmons said.

At least one rock came from behind the agent, who was kneeling beside a suspected illegal immigrant whom he was holding prone on the ground, Simmons said. The agent told the rock throwers to stop, then fired his weapon several times, hitting the boy, she said. The FBI is leading the investigation because it involves an assault on a federal officer.

The agent was not injured, Simmons said.

T.J. Bonner, president of the union representing Border Patrol agents, said rock throwing aimed at Border Patrol agents is common and capable of causing serious injury.

"It is a deadly force encounter, one that justifies the use of deadly force," Bonner said.

Mexicans ridiculed that stance.

"Let's say that Anastasio and Sergio Adrian attacked the border agents, one with his fists and the other with rocks," columnist Manuel Jauregui wrote in the newspaper Reforma. "Does that mean that killing them was the only valid option?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100610/ap_on_re_us/border_patrol_shooting

[Niels Bohr 72]

Can't the US law enforcement use some stun gun to stop the 15 year old?

[Fandango 1,440]

Stun gun would require the two parties to be close enough to touch.

[IndigoSkies 168]

Why don't we enact a 60 feet tall wall across the border from Pacific Ocean to Gulf of Mexico. There will be crossings points. But rest of the border will be walled off. And then on the top of the wall have exposed electric cable running that mildly tickles would-be crossers so much that they laugh hysterically before falling on the ground, preferably on the Mexican side.

Well have to make department or something that makes it easy for people to come to America on the ground that they want to move here legally and work. Problem solved. Maybe also have some punitive meassures for people who hire illegals. Now problem is really solved. Maybe have some sort of path for the illegal in the country already to become legal. Now the problem is totally solved. Can I collected my billion dollars reward now for having such an awesome idea?

[CDAgirlMI 51]

Why don't we enact a 60 feet tall wall across the border from Pacific Ocean to Gulf of Mexico. There will be crossings points. But rest of the border will be walled off. And then on the top of the wall have exposed electric cable running that mildly tickles would-be crossers so much that they laugh hysterically before falling on the ground, preferably on the Mexican side.

Well have to make department or something that makes it easy for people to come to America on the ground that they want to move here legally and work. Problem solved. Maybe also have some punitive meassures for people who hire illegals. Now problem is really solved. Maybe have some sort of path for the illegal in the country already to become legal. Now the problem is totally solved. Can I collected my billion dollars reward now for having such an awesome idea?

I don't agree with that option.

[IndigoSkies 168]

I don't agree with that option.

Last I head heard there were 11 million illegals in America. That was probably 5 years ago. I'm sure it's close to 15 millions now. And what do you suggest we do with these 15 million people? Mass forceful exodus? Can you imagine the energy and the logistics and the monies and the efforts and the legalities and the formalities and the will power it will take to move 15 million people not just a few miles but in some cases thousands of miles over frigging oceans?

It'd be easier and more cost-effective to have voluntary self-deportation for a period of time with say like $2,000 $5,000 reward for doing so. These people after all paid taxes without getting any benefits. I'm sure a lot of the people will leave. Even then many millions will remain and they needed to be either deported forcibly which we said isn’t possible due to prohibitive costs. They need to be given an option to become legal.

I guess America will just have to accept the fact that illegal immigration to America was a-ok one time. But not anymore. I’m just trying to give you practical solutions to the problem. Because anti-immigrants people only ###### about the problem and have no tangible solution. They just go "deport," "deport," "deport." Yeah, but how? How do you deport 15 million people. Many with anchor-babies.

[Fandango 1,440]

Last I head heard there were 11 million illegals in America. That was probably 5 years ago. I'm sure it's close to 15 millions now. And what do you suggest we do with these 15 million people? Mass forceful exodus? Can you imagine the energy and the logistics and the monies and the efforts and the legalities and the formalities and the will power it will take to move 15 million people not just a few miles but in some cases thousands of miles over frigging oceans?

It'd be easier and more cost-effective to have voluntary self-deportation for a period of time with say like $2,000 $5,000 reward for doing so. These people after all paid taxes without getting any benefits. I'm sure a lot of the people will leave. Even then many millions will remain and they needed to be either deported forcibly which we said isn't possible due to prohibitive costs. They need to be given an option to become legal.

I guess America will just have to accept the fact that illegal immigration to America was a-ok one time. But not anymore. I'm just trying to give you practical solutions to the problem. Because anti-immigrants people only ###### about the problem and have no tangible solution. They just go "deport," "deport," "deport." Yeah, but how? How do you deport 15 million people. Many with anchor-babies.

lol, break our laws, commit tax fraud, identity theft, show no respect for the country's laws in which you live...and we will give you $5k to leave.

Priceless

[jimnlena 8]

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Armed guards on top of this at our southern border.....

That's what we need.

[CDAgirlMI 51]

Last I head heard there were 11 million illegals in America. That was probably 5 years ago. I'm sure it's close to 15 millions now. And what do you suggest we do with these 15 million people? Mass forceful exodus? Can you imagine the energy and the logistics and the monies and the efforts and the legalities and the formalities and the will power it will take to move 15 million people not just a few miles but in some cases thousands of miles over frigging oceans?

It'd be easier and more cost-effective to have voluntary self-deportation for a period of time with say like $2,000 $5,000 reward for doing so. These people after all paid taxes without getting any benefits. I'm sure a lot of the people will leave. Even then many millions will remain and they needed to be either deported forcibly which we said isn’t possible due to prohibitive costs. They need to be given an option to become legal.

I guess America will just have to accept the fact that illegal immigration to America was a-ok one time. But not anymore. I’m just trying to give you practical solutions to the problem. Because anti-immigrants people only ###### about the problem and have no tangible solution. They just go "deport," "deport," "deport." Yeah, but how? How do you deport 15 million people. Many with anchor-babies.

No, I don't think paying them to leave is a good idea either. I think most people wouldn't want their tax dollars being spent to pay off illegals to leave, but I could be wrong

Deporting illegals is a job/duty immigration officials do.

Armed guards on top of this at our southern border.....

That's what we need.

Anyone know any brink layers in need of a job?

[IndigoSkies 168]

LOL! They broke our laws, committed tax fraud, stole identities, showed no respect for the country's laws and we will give them $5k to leave?

Priceless

Many countries have cash-for-gun reward. Or turn-in-your-illegal-guns by x date without being prosecuted. I was thinking along that line. What I suggested would create incentive for illegal to leave America rather than stay here. And isn't that what we are trying to do: Get the illegals to leave either on their own accord or by force?

Let's see your practical solution for reducing the number of illegal immigrants in America, if mine so laughable.

[Fandango 1,440]

Many countries have cash-for-gun reward. Or turn-in-your-illegal-guns by x date without being prosecuted. I was thinking along that line. What I suggested would create incentive for illegal to leave America rather than stay here. And isn't that what we are trying to do: Get the illegals to leave either on their own accord or by force?

Let's see your practical solution for reducing the number of illegal immigrants in America, if mine so laughable.

Do you have any clue what's going on in our economy right now? Do you think we can afford $5k per illegal? where the fuque would that money come from, hrmm? The tree outside the White House?

My solution: fine the hell out of employers...they will self deport if no work.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Happy Bunny

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Do you have any clue what's going on in our economy right now? Do you think we can afford $5k per illegal? where the fuque would that money come from, hrmm? The tree outside the White House?

My solution: fine the hell out of employers...they will self deport if no work.

There are fines on the books now for employers in most areas. Not even stiffer penalties would work.

Unless there's a way to actually 'enforce' rules/laws, etc. then it's all pointless.

You can have laws coming our your #######, but they are all meaningless if there's no man power to go out and enforce them.

[IndigoSkies 168]

Do you have any clue what's going on in our economy right now? Do you think we can afford $5k per illegal? where the fuque would that money come from, hrmm? The tree outside the White House?

My solution: fine the hell out of employers...they will self deport if no work.

5000USD was suggestion. It could be lesser. It could be the free plane ride back home. They money could come from the money that's being used for pointless Iraq was. We spend, what, like, 160billion USD a year on that war? Right? Twenty-five percent of that will be enough for my plan. And obviously, your method will also be part of the total solution. The money received from that could go toward the reward for leaving. This gives me another idea. You could have the employers provide for the plane ride back home to their illegal employees. Do that to not be prosecuted criminally. All of this will be applied in phases over 5 to 10 years.

I'm not suggesting this but they could always print more money. So in effect, the money could figureatively come from the trees outside the White House. Got it, chump?

[IndigoSkies 168]

There are fines on the books now for employers in most areas. Not even stiffer penalties would work.

Unless there's a way to actually 'enforce' rules/laws, etc. then it's all pointless.

You can have laws coming our your #######, but they are all meaningless if there's no man power to go out and enforce them.

On this very rare occasion, I'm in total agreement with Paul and Venessa. Speaking of that, how's Venessa doing? Tell her I said hi.