Dec. 6,2013: Extotion on rise in Mexico (The Westerner...anonym. sender)

THE WESTERNER

Friday, December 06, 2013

Extortion on the rise in Mexico

A simple telephone call has brought fear to the lives of many families in Mexico, as extortion is becoming one of the crimes that most impacts small business owners, professionals, entrepreneurs and society as a whole. From January to October, 6,635 extortion cases have been reported in Mexico after 4,484 cases were reported in all of 2012, according to the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Safety System (SESNSP). However, in 2011, an estimated 4.4 million reported and unreported cases of extortion were committed in the country, according to the 2012 National Survey of Victimization and the Perception of Public Safety by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). The difference arises because extortion isn’t usually reported to authorities, according to Leonel Fernández Novelo, an investigator with the México Evalúa Center for Public Policy Analysis. “[Extortions include] intimidating methods that range from telephone calls to visits made by armed personnel seeking money,” Fernández said.

Dec. 5, 2013: The Good, the bad and the ugly..(Highlands Today)

Thursday, Dec 05, 2013

Agri Leader

The good, the bad and the ugly

• Photos

CHRISTY SWIFT/Author Nancy Dale at home with her dog, Happy.

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CHRISTY SWIFT/Author Nancy Dale at home with her dog, Happy.

CHRISTY SWIFT/The manuscript of Nancy Dale's latest book sits on a desk in her home. The book just published and the first copies are being distributed this month.

COURTESY PHOTO/Nancy Dale on the Florida Cracker Trail Ride in 2010. Dale has written five books on Florida cattlemen and their families, and is a member of the Florida Cattlemen's Association.

CHRISTY SWIFT/Nancy Dales is a certified yoga instructor in Iyengar yoga. She has been practicing yoga for more than 20 years and gives private classes in her home.

By Christy Swift
Central Florida's Agri-Leader

Published: November 27, 2013

Author Nancy Dale is fascinated by Florida's cattle industry, and she's just published her fifth book, "Deadly Risk: American Cattle Ranching on the Mexican Border and Other True Cattle Ranching Stories" chock full of tales of the struggles and exploits of the original cow-hunting families in the Heartland and ranchers from around the nation.
Originally from Miami, Dale has a Ph.D. in communication and broadcast journalism, and has worked extensively in broadcasting and printed news for most of her career. She has worked for a variety of radio and television networks and directed/produced segments of The Indian Ocean Experiment, a documentary sponsored by the World Meteorological Association and UNESCO. The filming took her to France, Kenya and India.
She also started her own production company and has taught English, speech and journalism at various colleges across Florida, as well as Barry University.
Dale had a little trailer in Palmdale that she'd escape the metropolis of Dade County to, and when 2004 hurricanes hit, destroying her home, that's all she had left. While living in the trailer, she'd visit a local watering hole and overheard the stories shared between cowboys and ranchers. She knew their stories had to be told.
"They used to call me the Lipstick Girl from Miami," Dale recalled. They began to share their stories with her, which Dale captured and self-published in the books "Where the Swallowtail Kite Soars," "Would Do, Could Do and Made Do," "The Legacy of Pioneer 'Cow Hunters' in Their Own Words," "Wild Florida the Way it Was" and now "Deadly Risk."
The new book covers a variety of topics, starting with the ancient history of Florida's Heartland and how the cow came to find itself on this humid peninsula. Dale interviewed Jimmy Hargrove of Lake Placid about his family's legacy, Jared and Donna Prescott of Lake Placid on their family's heritage story of preserving the land for ranching as well as the story of how Anne Reynolds stumbled upon the discovery of one of the earliest Belle Glade native American settlements in Florida on her Lake Placid property.
She also includes an interview with Norman Welch, one of the original members of Civilian Conservation Corps who built Highlands Hammock Park in Sebring.
Dale expressed amazement at the accomplishments of many of the local people whose lives she has captured in her books, including Renee Strickland of Myakka City whom Dale said "is opening up the door to (selling cattle to) the Middle East, South America and the Caribbean islands. In her first book, she interviewed Tom Gaskins of the original Cypress Knee Museum who is known for running barefoot through the Florida wilderness and inventing the Tom Gaskins turkey call.
"I felt the early pioneers deserved to be recognized and honored," Dale said.
But the new book starts out with something far more sinister than anything the old cow hunters faced. Dale tells the story of Rob Krentz, an Arizona rancher on the Mexican border, who was found dead on his own property.
Dale said she met Krentz's widow, Sue Krentz, at a national Cattlemen's Association event and heard her story. Fourth generation cattle rancher Rob and his brother, Phil Krentz, were checking a water line on their property in Douglas, Ariz., in March of 2010. The line had been cut multiple times by suspected illegal immigrants camping on the property.
When Rob didn't return, helicopters were sent out. They found the bodies of the rancher and his dog shot several times.
Dale said the perpetrators still haven't been caught, but drug smugglers are suspected. She said drug running from Mexico is a huge problem, but nobody is talking about the powerful and dangerous cartels who are behind it.
It has hit home, too, Dale said. In her book, she includes an interview with Hardee County Sheriff Arnold Lanier on a recent cartel bust in Lake Placid and Zolfo Springs.
"The cartel stories are frightening," Dale said, adding, "I wanted to get this book out before the immigration bill comes up. You will find no one is addressing the cartels." The responses she received from state and federal officials on the matter are published in the book.
Dale is also a certified yoga instructor who runs private classes out of her home, a quaint log house in Sebring. She has practiced yoga for more than 20 years and said it helps her "maintain my serenity."
She sells her books in local venues including Lake Placid Feed & Western Wear, Glisson's Animal Supply and The Galleria in Sebring, Hardee Ranch Supply, SFSC Museum of Art, Fantasy Lighting in Okeechobee, and all locations of Eli's Western Wear as well as online at www.nancydalephd.com.
Dale has book signings scheduled for Dec. 7 at Eli's Western Wear in Okeechobee and March 15, 2014 at Pioneer Days in Arcadia.

- See more at: http://highlandstoday.com/list/highlands-agri-leader-news/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-20131127/#sthash.kSVCjhsV.dpuf

Dec. 1, 2013: Border Apprehensions up again..(Christian Science Monitor June 4, 2013) anony. sender

Border apprehensions up again. Big blow to immigration reform efforts?

Apprehensions of illegal border-crossers are on pace to rise compared with last year. While the numbers are near historic lows, they could influence immigration reform efforts in Congress.

By Lourdes Medrano, Correspondent / June 4, 2013

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A US border patrol agent looks out at the desert near Falfurrias, Texas, earlier this year. New data suggest illegal immigration might be shifting more to Texas.

Eric Thayer/Reuters/File

• In PicturesWhich side of the fence are you on? The US immigration debate

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Tucson, Ariz.

After years of steady declines, the number of people caught trying to cross the US-Mexican border illegally is ticking slowly upward

 

 

The latest data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) show an increase of 13 percent over last year for the six-month period ending April 1. This follows fiscal year 2012, which saw a 9 percent rise in apprehensions along the southern border – the first such annual increase since 2004. [Editor's note: The original version misstated the full name of the CBP.]
Demographers suggest that the numbers do not necessarily represent the beginning of a reversal, but rather natural fluctuations within evolving trends. More border traffic appears to be shifting away from Arizona, where the border patrol has increased its presence, and a rising share of the border-crossers in Texas are coming from Central America, not Mexico, they note.

RECOMMENDED: Could you pass a US citizenship test?

But the report could be significant in Congress, where many conservatives say their support for immigration reform depends on establishing a secure border. While lawmakers are divided over a way to measure security, rising numbers could complicate efforts at compromise.
The CBP data represent the half-year tally for fiscal year 2013. Along the 2,000-mile US-Mexican border, the agency recorded 189,172 arrests. While those numbers are up from last year, they are still near historic lows. Only two years have recorded fewer first-half apprehension figures than this year – 2011 and 2012.

Dec. 1, 2013: Famous Immigrant Entrepeneurs (Forbes)...anony sender

In Pictures: Famous Immigrant Entrepreneurs

comments, called-out

© Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

 

GO TO FORBES FOR THE PICTURES

Immigrants have proven, over and over again, to be the engines driving U.S. entrepreneurship. Almost 350 out of every 100,000 immigrants create a new business every month, versus 280 out of 100,000 native-born U.S. adults, according to Kauffman Foundation, an entrepreneurship and education research group. Here are some immigrant entrepreneurs who have gone on to find fame as business leaders.

Dec 1 2013: US has 4 times as many immigrants living in country than any other nation (Huffington Post) anony sender

From 24/7 Wall St.: The United States has always been regarded as a nation of immigrants. Recently-published figures from the United Nations support this view. More than 45 million immigrants live in the U.S., according to UN figures, more than four times as many living in any other nation in the world.
Based on figures recently released by the UN’s Population Division, 24/7 Wall St. identified the eight nations with the highest total number of international migrants living inside their borders as of this year. These are the countries with the most immigrants.
Click here to see the top immigration destinations
Several of the nations with the highest migrant populations are also among the world’s most populous. Both the U.S., and Russia are all among the 10 most populous countries in the world. Five of the eight nations are among the world’s 30 most populous nations.
Despite having large migrant populations, many of these nations do not have policies that actively support immigration. In fact, according to the UN, the governments of Saudi Arabia, France, the United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirates all promoted policies aimed at lowering the level of immigration into their countries, as of 2011. Only one of these nations, Russia, actively promoted immigration into their country as of 2011.
Most of these countries maintain different, more-accommodating policies for high-skilled workers than for most other potential immigrants, according to Vinod Mishra, chief of the population policy section of the United Nations Population Division. “It’s mostly the [number of] highly-skilled workers that almost all countries are trying to raise,” Mishra told 24/7 Wall St.
The actual immigration trends in these countries do not necessarily reflect the policies their governments have tried to enforce. Russia, which has actively sought to increase immigration, has had its immigrant population fall by 10 percent since 2010. Germany, which has sought to recruit highly-skilled workers from slumping Euro zone nations, has failed to retain many of the skilled workers that arrive there, and has also experienced a meaningful decrease in its immigrant population.

Similarly, all four nations whose governments viewed immigration as too high as of 2011 have seen immigrant populations rise between 2010 and 2013. In one such nation, the UAE, the number of immigrants has more-than doubled in that time.
One reason for the disparity between policy and migration rates is that some nations are more appealing to potential immigrants than others. The U.S.’s GDP per capita was more than $49,900 in 2012, among the highest in the world. All but one of the countries leading the world in immigrant population were among the top 30 countries in the world for per capita GDP in 2012. Mishra added that while nations can determine how many people they allow in, the decision to move to a certain nation is largely driven by demand. And the primary driver of demand, according to Mishra, are “financial factors [and] the availability of jobs.”
To determine the nations with the most immigrants as of July 1 2013, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed figures published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ Population Division as part of its International Migration 2013 report. Information about governments’ attitudes and policies towards immigration and emigration, as well as statistics on the total number of international migrants from 2010, comes from the Population Division’s International Migration Policies 2013 report. Per capita GDP figures, which are adjusted to reflect purchasing power parity exchange rates, are from the IMF. Other measures, used to guage a nation’s attractiveness, are from the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014.
These are the countries with the most immigrants, according to 24/7 Wall St.:

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• 8. Canada

  > Immigrants: 7.3 million> Pct of population: 20.7%> GDP (PPP) per capita 2012: $42,734> Gov’t immigration goals: Maintain Currently, 7.3 million immigrants live in Canada, equivalent to more than 20% of the nation’s total population. As 2011, the Canadian government was one of the few to propose policies that would increase the level of immigration for the purpose of family unification. The level of immigration, more generally, was considered satisfactory in the same year, according to the U.N. In spite of Canada’s exceptionally liberal immigration policies, there has been concern recently over whether Canada’s immigrants are successfully integrating into society. To avoid the potential social tension that could arise from a growing economic difference between immigrants and locals, the Canadian government has restructured its screening process to emphasize factors such as job skills and language fluency.< a href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/25/countries-with-the-most-immigrants/#ixzz2gDlCILRZ" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.

7. France

> Immigrants: 7.4 million> Pct of population: 11.6%> GDP (PPP) per capita 2012: $35,548> Gov’t immigration goals: Decrease Just 11.6% or France’s roughly 65 million residents are international migrants. According to the U.N. Population division, while the French government promoted some policies aimed at attracting skilled immigrants as of 2011, the governments overall attitude toward immigration was generally negative. As a member of the European Union, France is obligated to support the free movement of EU nationals between the EU nations. In recent years, however, the European Commission has criticized the French government for expelling Roma, popularly called Gypsies, from the country. France’s existing immigrant population is older, with nearly 20% at least 65 years of age, compared to just 11.1% globally.< a href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/25/countries-with-the-most-immigrants/#ixzz2gDlCILRZ" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.

6. United Kingdom

> Immigrants: 7.8 million> Pct of population: 12.4%> GDP (PPP) per capita 2012: $36,941> Gov’t immigration goals: Decrease About 7.8 million million immigrants live in the U.K., up from just under 6.5 million as of 2010. This is despite the U.K. government’s view, as of 2011, that the large influx of foreigners to the country was somewhat of a problem. The government’s policies intended to lower the level of immigration to the country, including high-skilled workers immigration. Only one of the world’s eight largest destinations for immigrants, the United Arab Emirates, had a higher average annual increase in immigration that exceeded the U.K.’s 4.0%. Although the country’s aging population may actually signal a necessity for more immigrants, British Prime Minister David Cameron has stated that immigration has strained the nation’s public services.< a href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/25/countries-with-the-most-immigrants/#ixzz2gDlCILRZ" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.

5. United Arab Emirates

> Immigrants: 7.8 million> Pct of population: 83.7%> GDP (PPP) per capita 2012: $49,012> Gov’t immigration goals: Decrease A stunning 83.7% of UAE residents are international migrants the most of any country in the world, excluding only Vatican City. Between 2010 and 2013, the emirates let in more than 4.5 million migrant workers, more than any other nation in the world. The UAE is able to attract workers to come there because the country is extremely wealthy, with an economy driven by oil and finance. As of 2012, the nation’s per capita GDP exceeded $49,000, on-par with that of the U.S. But despite the nation’s appeal for immigrants, the UAE’s government as of 2011 considered immigration to be too high. Additionally, the country has been criticized for the poor living and working conditions faced by many migrant workers.< a href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/25/countries-with-the-most-immigrants/#ixzz2gDlCILRZ" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.

4. Saudi Arabia

> Immigrants: 9.1 million> Pct of population: 31.4%> GDP (PPP) per capita 2012: $31,275> Gov’t immigration goals: Decrease Nearly one-third of Saudi Arabia’s population consists of immigrants, while between 2000 and 2013 the number of immigrants rose by an annual average of 4.2% per year, higher than most other nations. Between 2010 and 2013 alone, the number of immigrants to Saudi Arabia rose 24.3% As of 2011, the Saudi Arabian government regarded the overall level of legal immigration as too high and implemented policies to reduce immigration, according to the UN had. Similarly, the government’s policies on the naturalization of immigrants were also considered restrictive. Recent news reports suggest immigration policy in Saudi Arabia has only become more restrictive with new measures implemented to prevent undocumented workers from finding employment.< a href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/25/countries-with-the-most-immigrants/#ixzz2gDlCILRZ" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.

3. Germany

> Immigrants: 9.8 million> Pct of population: 11.9%> GDP (PPP) per capita 2012: $39,028> Gov’t immigration goals: Maintain Germany, one of the world’s largest economies, is a popular destination for immigrants. Its well-developed infrastructure and top-rate higher education only add to its attraction. Just under 10 milllion of the country’s 82 million residents are immigrants. As of 2011, Germany’s policies reflected approval of the country’s rate of immigration. In 2012, with the eurozone crisis still unabated, a growing number of young workers immigrated from southern Europe to Germany. But Germany has openly recruited high skilled-workers to live and work in the country permanently, especially as the country’s population ages and shrinks, according to Der Spiegel. Unfortunately, many such workers fail to stay for even as little as a year, and since 2010 the number of immigrants to Germany has actually dropped.< a href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/25/countries-with-the-most-immigrants/#ixzz2gDlCILRZ" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.

2. Russian Federation

> Immigrants: 11.0 million> Pct of population: 7.7%> GDP (PPP) per capita 2012: $17,709> Gov’t immigration goals: Increase More than 12 million immigrants lived in Russia in 2010 and the Russian government was among the few seeking to increase the number of foreigners entering the country. In 2011, the country’s government viewed immigration as too low and oriented its policies towards increasing immigration. However, these policies have failed to attract more net immigrants: as of this year, there are just over 11 million immigrants living in Russia, a decrease of roughly 10% from 2010. Local authorities have not embraced the prospect of single-ethnicity communities for Chinese, Uzbeks, Tajiks and other ethnic groups in Russia ,and have even sought to ban them in some cases, hoping instead to promote integration into Russian society.< a href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/25/countries-with-the-most-immigrants/#ixzz2gDlCILRZ" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.

1. United States Of America

> Immigrants: 45.8 million> Pct of population: 14.3%> GDP (PPP) per capita 2012: $49,922> Gov’t immigration goals: Maintain The U.S. is by far the largest destination for immigrants, with more than 45.7 million living in the country, according to the UN. As of 2011, the U.S. government’s policies toward both immigration and emigration remained effectively neutral. However, immigration reform has been especially prominent in Congress this year. This reform is expected to address issues related to illegal immigration, while determining how, and whether, undocumented immigrants should be able to attain citizenship. Considering the U.S. has one the highest per capita GDPs in the world, at nearly $50,000, its appeal to immigrants is fairly straightforward. It is the world’s largest economy, as measured by output, and has the second largest total exports. Also, the U.S. offers well-developed infrastructure and financial markets, as well as quality education.< a href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/25/countries-with-the-most-immigrants/#ixzz2gDlCILRZ" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.

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Dec 1, 2013: US Canada border now terrorist threat (NEWSMAX.COM ) Anony source

Click here to view this email as a web page Insider Report from Newsmax.com 2. DHS: Northern Border Now Poses Biggest Terrorist Threat A top official with the Department of Homeland Security warns that the "nearly unguarded" northern border has become the most likely point of entry into the country for terrorists. Brandon Judd, president of Homeland Security's National Border Patrol Council, told a House committee on Nov. 20: "For the most part, when discussions on border security arise, the conversation tends to focus on the southwest border. In no way do I want to detract from the importance of securing the southwest border, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention the ongoing threat of the nearly unguarded northern border to the safety of the American public. "As far as I am aware, all recent threat assessments have pointed to the northern border as the most likely point of entry into our country for terrorists." The U.S.-Canada border extends for about 5,500 miles, and there are more than 120 land points of entry — not to mention vast stretches of open prairie along the border. Judd told the committee: "The northern border is ripe for the exploitation of not only alien and drug trafficking, but also for facilitating the illegal entrances of terrorists and those that would do this country harm. "If we selectively limit manpower to current locations with high volumes of illegal crossings, all we have really achieved is shifting the point of illegal entry to a different location."

Novl 20, 2013: RE POSTING REVISED NEWS RELEASE ON BOOK: DEADLY RISK: AMERICAN CATTLE RANCHING ON THE MEXICAN BORDER AND OTHER TRUE CATTLE RANCHING STORIES

NEWS RELEASE

DEADLY RISK:  AMERICAN CATTLE RANCHING ON THE MEXICAN BORDER AND OTHER

TRUE CATTLE RANCHING STORIES

(November 2013) CONTACT: Nancy Dale 863 214-8351 www.nancydalephd.com or nancydale@gmail.com

The living legends of the American Cowboy reflect the American Dream of spirit, fortitude, and dedication to principles as their destiny created the story of the American West.  It all began in the desert region of South Africa (now Chad), ten thousand years ago before the Sahara Desert was created by worldwide glacial climate change.  Early hunter-gatherers domesticated the Auroch ox, the first bovine species of cattle that served to advance agriculture and survival.

Early “cattle ranching” was initiated when hunter/gatherers migrated with their herds up the Tigris-Euphrates Rivers then expanded into India, Europe and United States when Ponce de Leon brought Andalusian cattle into Florida from Spain.  “Western Expansionism” gave birth to the cattle industry in the American West 

 These true stories of early pioneer cattle ranchers instill the American spirit into the 21^st century. As legendary cowboy author, J.P.S. Brown (Nogales, Arizona) says, “Real cowboys  are not always who you think they are whether or not they wear boots and cowboy hats; it is their Spirit that lives.”

The tragic story of border heritage rancher, Rob Krentz (murdered by a suspected illegal) is told by his dedicated wife, Sue  (Douglas, Arizona) with border ranchers John Ladd (Bisbee, AZ) and Ed Ashurst (Apache, AZ) telling their horror stories battling the Mexican cartels. “Our cattle ranch is on the Mexican border.  Over the past twenty-two years, we have found fourteen dead bodies and truckloads of dope,” John Ladd, Bisbee, Arizona.  “In 2010, Rob Krentz, our neighbor was shot and killed without a doubt by a “mule” or drug smuggler,” Ed Ashurst, Apache, Arizona.

Also included: Interview with Scott George, President, National Beef Cattlemen’s Assn. responding to rancher questions on border issues; Sheriff Arnold Lanier Hardee County details a Mexican cartel drug bust in Lake Placid, Florida; Senator John McCain’s statement on immigration reform; Senators Marco Rubio (FL) and Jeff Flake (AZ) responses refusing to answer border rancher questions AND border terrorism described by Todd Staples, Texas Agriculture Commissioner.

All of these true stories share a common theme:  SURVIVAL!   Caren Cowan, (Executive Director, New Mexico Cattle Growers Association) began life  in Tombstone; Don Reay, Executive Director, Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition (El Paso, Texas) provides insight into Border Patrol/Customs. 

Renee Strickland (Myakka City) rancher tells her personal challenge opening a gateway into Africa/Middle East; Jimmie Hargrove’s family struggles to carve a ranch in Wild Florida with James Prescott and Joel Tyson awakening the adventurous.

In a world wrought with political strife, man waging war against man, global power struggles, new technology and climate change, the cowboy Spirit and Heritage gives hope for humanity as  joy, suffering, grief, emotional, spiritual challenges arrive upon our doorstep through these true stories. Hopefully, their lives will inspire future generations to recognize that the global frontier and beyond it is yet to be fulfilled and will challenge those who dare to carve it.

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Nov. 18, 2013: Border agent death..Judge throws out lawsuit (Ariz. Star - Anony sender)

November 16, 2013 8:13 pm • By Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services

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A federal judge threw out a lawsuit filed against federal officials connected with the botched Fast and Furious program by the parents of slain Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.
In an eight-page ruling, U.S. District Judge David Campbell said he recognizes that Terry’s parents, Kent and Josephine Terry, “have suffered a great loss, and that any financial remedy is likely insufficient to redress their injury.”
But Campbell pointed out that Congress approved several ways of dealing with federal agents who die in the line of duty, including the federal Public Safety Officers Benefits Act. And he said that means the only relief the family can get is what that law provides.
The attorney for the parents acknowledged that law, but called it inadequate because it provided no separate deterrence against government wrongdoing.
Campbell said that may be true. But he also said it’s legally irrelevant.
“The compensation available under the PSOBA (the federal law) is intended to remedy precisely the harm that plaintiffs have suffered, namely the tragic death of their son,” Campbell wrote. “It is not the proper role of this court to second-guess the remedial action established by Congress, find it insufficient, and impose an additional judicially crafted remedy.”
Robert Heyer, Brian Terry’s cousin, said Saturday that the family learned about the ruling late Friday and is “very disappointed.”
He said the issue goes beyond the question of financial compensation.
“This was the family’s effort to hold those responsible for Fast and Furious accountable,” Heyer said.
“Unfortunately, the judge did not look at any of the egregious behavior of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He merely looked at statutory procedures Congress had set up” in cases of the death of a federal agent, procedures Heyer said fail to recognize the difference between an officer killed in a motor vehicle accident and one, like Terry, shot to death because of what the family believes was negligence by federal officials.
The lawsuit is a direct outgrowth of Fast and Furious, a plan hatched by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to allow “straw” buyers for Mexican drug cartels to legally purchase firearms from Arizona dealers. The plan was to track the weapons to the cartels.
But ATF lost track of thousands of the weapons. And two of them turned up at the scene where Terry was shot and killed in December 2010 during a firefight with drug runners near Rio Rico.
After filing a $25 million claim against ATF which was not settled, family members sued six managers and investigators for ATF as well as a federal prosecutor. The parents said the guns should have been intercepted before they could have been used.
Campbell acknowledged that the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized there is an implied right of action by individuals against federal officers who violate someone’s constitutional rights.
But the judge said that right to sue has to be weighed against whether Congress has provided an alternate process for protecting that person’s rights. And he said that is clearly the case here.
Campbell said there are specific benefits laid out under the Federal Employees Retirement System in cases of disability or death of a federal worker.
Similarly, the judge said that the Federal Employees Compensation Act establishes a “comprehensive and exclusive compensation scheme for federal employees.” And Campbell said the Public Safety Officers Benefits Act is specifically designed to provide benefits to survivors of federal and other law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
While acknowledging those laws, the parents argued they do not preclude a separate lawsuit where they can adjudicate their claims in a public forum, before a neutral arbiter. But Campbell said that does not matter since Congress “provided some relief that it considers adequate to remedy constitutional violations.”
“As the Supreme Court has made clear, the bedrock principle of separation of powers counsels against judicially created remedies when Congress has established a remedial scheme,” Campbell wrote. “Congress has done so here.”

Nov 18 2013 More dead found near El Paso (anony sender)

MEXICO CITY — Investigators found the bodies of eight people at a home in the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez on Sunday and said the dead were believed to be related.
The victims were found bound and appeared to have been stabbed to death, according to Chihuahua state prosecutors.
Prosecution spokesman Arturo Sandoval said the bodies were found early Sunday and apparently were members of the same extended family. He said exact ages were not yet available but three of the dead appeared to be children and five were adults.
Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, saw a huge spike in drug-related violence between 2008 and 2011, but killings have declined over the last year.
Earlier Sunday, authorities in southern Mexico said they exhumed the bodies of seven men from clandestine graves near the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco. The prosecutors' office in Guerrero state said the bodies were found in five shallow graves.
Some of the bodies appeared to have been bound with cords. The graves were uncovered Saturday at a plant nursery in a rural area about a half hour from downtown Acapulco.
Drug gangs frequently use such burial sites to dispose of the bodies of executed rivals.
Once a glamorous beach resort, Acapulco in recent years has been the scene of turf battles between severalf small drug gangs.

Nov 18, 2012: Border Security Mtg - living in fear with guns at every door..testimony (anony sender)

We had a Border Security Committee meeting last week and below is a link to my closing comments about everything discussed that day.

My comments touch on the testimony we heard from Mr. and Mrs. Chilton, ranchers who live on the border who spoke about how disastrous the situation is and how they live with in fear with guns at every door of their home. I also make some comments about the immigration/amnesty bill that passed the US Senate (S704).

http://youtu.be/U30u6MyK9G4

Maricopa, Arizona

Nov. 17, 2013: NEWS RELEASE NEW BOOK: DEADLY RISK: AMERICAN CATTLE RANCHING ON THE MEXICAN BORDER AND OTHER TRUE

DEADLY RISK:  AMERICAN CATTLE RANCHING ON THE MEXICAN BORDER AND OTHER

TRUE CATTLE RANCHING STORIES

(November 2013) CONTACT: Nancy Dale 863 214-8351 www.nancydalephd.com or nancydale@gmail.com

The living legends of the American Cowboy reflect the American Dream of spirit, fortitude, and dedication to principles as their destiny created the story of the American West.  It all began in the desert region of South Africa (now Chad), ten thousand years ago before the Sahara Desert was created by worldwide glacial climate change.  Early hunter-gatherers domesticated the Auroch ox, the first bovine species of cattle that served to advance agriculture and survival.

Early “cattle ranching” was initiated when hunter/gatherers migrated with their herds up the Tigris-Euphrates Rivers then expanded into India, Europe and United States when Ponce de Leon brought Andalusian cattle into Florida from Spain.  “Western Expansionism” gave birth to the cattle industry in the American West 

 These true stories of early pioneer cattle ranchers instill the American spirit into the 21^st century. As legendary cowboy author, J.P.S. Brown (Nogales, Arizona), says, “Real cowboys  are not always who you think they are whether or not they wear boots and cowboy hats; it is their Spirit that lives.”

Renee Strickland (Myakka City, Florida), tells her challenging 21^st Century effort to initiate the global cattle industry as a gateway into Africa and the Middle East.  Jimmie Hargrove (Lake Placid) describes his family’s survival strategy establishing a ranch in Wild Florida when he was just a child.

The tragic story of border heritage rancher, Rob Krentz (murdered by a suspected illegal) is told by his dedicated wife, Sue, (Douglas, Arizona) with other border ranchers describing their everyday battles with the Mexican Cartel:  John Ladd (Bisbee, Arizona), Ed Ashurst (Apache, Arizona). Interview with Scott George, Pres. National Beef Cattleman responding to ranchers on border issues; Sheriff Lanier Hardee County on cartel drug bust in Lake Placid, Florida; McCain statement; Sen. Rubio and Flake (AZ) refusing to answer border rancher questions.

True stories in this book reflect different lives, different places and times, but reveal a common unity of purpose:  Survival.  Born in Tombstone, AZ,  Caren Cowan, Executive Director, New Mexico Cattle Growers Association (Albuquerque, New Mexico) describes her heritage; Don Reay, Executive Director, Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition (El Paso, Texas) shares his experiences in Border Patrol/Customs.  In Florida, there are the stories of James Prescott (Lake Placid), Joel Tyson (Fellsmere, Florida), and the ancient history of the Belle Glades Indians preserved at the Blueberry Archaeological Site (Lake Placid, Florida) AND Tex. Ag Commissioner on border security.

In a world wrought with political strife, man waging war against man, global power struggles, new technology and climate change, the cowboy Spirit and Heritage gives hope for humanity as  joy, suffering, grief, emotional, spiritual challenges arrive upon our doorstep through these true stories.  Hopefully, their lives will inspire future generations to recognize that the global frontier and beyond it is yet to be fulfilled and will challenge those who dare to carve it.

Nov 13, 2013: REPOSTED LESS ADS... Latest on immigration reform (International News Nov 12, 2012) ....

Wednesday, November 13, 2013 As of 10:21 AM EST

 

Immigration Reform News: Advocates Say Bill Isn't Dead 'Until We Say So'

By Laura Matthews

on November 11 2013 4:10 PM

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  A U.S. immigration rally in Washington, D.C. Shutterstock
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  Latinos protest in favor of comprehensive immigration reform on Capitol Hill in Washington, 2013. Reuters

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With various polls showing a pathway to citizenship more popular than the GOP’s favorability rating, immigration reform advocates say the will keep working lives on while the wheels of Congress stall on the issue.

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• We are not giving up,” said Kathy Bird, campaign lead at Florida Immigrant Coalition, a statewide alliance of more than 30 member organizations advocating for immigrant rights. “We are going to continue. This is an issue that’s popular with American voters.”

It is a direct challenge to House Republicans, some of whom have already predicted that immigration reform is dead in 2013 because of the few remaining legislative days this year.
U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who is also the majority whip, confirmed the bills’ demise last week when speaking to advocates, according to published news reports. His colleague U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., a member of the House’s now defunct immigration working group, told the Washington Post that he also doesn’t think the lower chamber will be able to act this year because of the time crunch. His hope is that lawmakers could get moving early next year, as failure to pass immigration reform bills by February or March would mean that if it's an election year, “then it’s clearly dead,” he said. “It flatlines.”

Nov 13, 2013: Drug trafficking on federal lands (anony sender)

House Passes Legislation that Aims to Shut Down Drug Trafficking on Federal Lands

ft#Share on emaile

Washington, Jun 19, 2012 | melissa.subbotin@mail.house.gov| 0 comments

WASHINGTON–Today, the House of Representatives approved a legislative package of 14 bills, which included the National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act, authored by Congressman Rob Bishop (UT-01).
The National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act addresses the U.S. Border Patrol’s longstanding need to have greater access to some of the most highly trafficked areas within the border region, especially along the southern U.S.-Mexico border.
“The Border Patrol’s inability to routinely access the entire border region leaves us not only vulnerable to the trafficking of drugs but also potential terrorists and others who wish to harm our country. With the passage of this legislation the Border Patrol will finally have the access necessary to help us achieve a truly secure border--a sovereign nation should have nothing less,” said Congressman Bishop.
There are more than 20 million acres of federal land along the southern U.S. border. Within the 20 million acres are several different classifications of federal land that carry specific restrictions for use and access. As an example, wilderness areas do not permit wheeled or motorized access. Due to the various restrictions on access, the Border Patrol is limited in their ability to adequately patrol, monitor, deter, and apprehend drug traffickers and human smugglers. As a result, criminal drug organizations have capitalized on the Border Patrol’s limited access, and have laid claim to select trails leading through public lands. These trails offer them virtually unmitigated access to transport drugs and humans into the United States.
Specifically the National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act:
· Prevents the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture from impeding, prohibiting, or restricting the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to obtain operational control of the border.
· Provides the Department of Homeland Security with immediate access to federal lands which the U.S. Border Patrol deems necessary to the fulfillment of their mission
· Allows the U.S. Border Patrol to construct and maintain roads and place surveillance equipment in strategic areas that will help facilitate the detection and apprehension of criminals.
· Allows the Department of Homeland Security to waive 16 specific measures that currently limit the U.S. Border Patrol’s ability to secure the entire border region.

Nov 13, 2013: National security on federal lands protection act 2011 (anony sender)

National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act (H.R. 1505) October 5, 2011 Full Committee Markup <! -------------- Links --------------------> <! -------------- Links End --------------------> WASHINGTON, D.C., October 5, 2011 - Reporting H.R. 1505 Out of Committee (Passed 26-17. View Roll Call Vote) This bill would prohibit the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture from taking actions which impede Border Security from doing their job on federal land within 100 miles of the U.S. border with Mexico and Canada. Bishop Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (Agreed to by Voice Vote.) This amendment in the nature of a substitute clarifies that the waiver authority in H.R. 1505 only applies to public land managed by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture within 100 miles of the border; Removes language which included “maritime” borders, therefore limiting the bill to the land border with Mexico and Canada; Adds language to protect existing legal uses, such as leasing of federal lands for grazing. This authority cannot used to eliminate recreational or economic activities; Changes references to “The Secretary of Homeland Security” to “U.S. Customs and Border Protection” to emphasize that this authority is limited to border security operations and personnel. It is not a broad new authority across the federal government; Strictly limits the authority for following activities: Construct and maintain patrol roads; Construct fences; vehicles to patrol; Install, maintain and operate surveillance equipment and sensors; Use of aircraft; Deployment of temporary tactical infrastructure, including forward operating bases; Adds a five-year sunset from the date of enactment of the bill in order to allow Congress the opportunity to evaluate its effectiveness. Grijalva Amendment #001 – Inclusion of Mining Laws (Agreed to by Voice Vote.) This amendment would add three mining laws to those that could be that could be waived by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in order to secure the border. However, the Bishop amendment protects mining operations and other legal uses of public lands. Grijalva Amendment #002 – Exclusion of Tribal Lands (Failed 13-25. View Roll Call Vote) This amendment would remove tribal lands from inclusion in the bill. * For complete legislative action for the October 5, 2011 Full Committee Markup, click here.

Nov 13, 2013: Violence on Federal Lands/Rob Krentz suspect murderer fled through wildlife area (anony. sender)

Securing our Border on Federal Lands: Problem Overview

Issue Page | Problem Overview | Related Links | Videos | Related Information Blocking Border Patrol Access National Security Threats Violence on Federal Lands Environmental Damage Blocking Construction of Electronic Surveillance Extorting Mitigation Funds Blocking Border Patrol Access: Click to enlarge Some of the most dangerous areas along the southern border are the 20.7 million acres of Department of the Interior (DOI) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) land. This includes 4.3 million acres of “Wilderness areas” where activities such as the use of motorized vehicles and construction of roads and structures are prohibited.Documents show that the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service have consistently and actively taken steps that prevent the Border Patrol from securing our nation’s borders on federal lands. According to internal memos, DOI officials have asserted that the Wilderness Act of 1964 trumps border security legislation passed by Congress. Click to enlarge As a result, Border Patrol agents are being forced to wade through bureaucratic red tape just so they can do the job Congress has mandated: gain operational control over the U.S. border. The Department of the Interior is hindering border security efforts on federal lands by preventing the use of motorized vehicles, requiring DHS to complete lengthy and expensive environmental analysis, and at times literally locking out Border Patrol agents to prevent their access to some areas. National Security Threats: Federal lands along the border are specifically targeted by criminals, drug smugglers, human traffickers and even terrorists because they are remote, uninhabited and less frequently patrolled by Border Patrol agents. These security gaps along the border make the United States increasingly vulnerable to terrorists, who can take advantage of the thousands of existing smuggling routes on federal land. According to the Department of the Interior’s FY 2003 Public Lands Threat Assessment Report: “Virtually all of the lands managed by Department of The Interior (DOI) along the Arizona/Mexico border are sparsely populated with easy access into the United States from Mexico. Terrorist wishing to smuggle nuclear - biological - or chemical (NBC) weapons into the United States from Mexico could use well-established smuggling routes over DOI managed lands.” Violence on Federal Lands: National parks and forests have become some of the most dangerous and violent areas along the border where shootings, robberies, rapes, murders, kidnappings and car-jackings frequently occur. Drug Trafficking Organizations use federal lands along the border to smuggle drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, black tar heroin and methamphetamines into the U.S. Along the southern border, 80% of drug smuggling occurs between official border entry points. Drugs are frequently stuffed into vehicles and taken across the border. The drugs are collected and then the vehicles are abandoned. Because of the high crime rates, many of these areas have been rendered unsafe for entry by U.S. citizens, including land managers and employees. The security risks are so great that the National Park Service even warns visitors about them on its website for Big Bend National Park. Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Tragically, Border Patrol agents, park rangers and private American citizens have been killed on federal lands along the border. For example: On August 9, 2002 Park Ranger Kris Eggle, age 28, was shot and killed in the line of duty while pursuing members of a Mexican drug cartel who had crossed the U.S. border into the Organ Pipe National Monument. On January 19, 2008 Border Patrol Agent Luis Aguilar, age 31, was killed in the line of duty after being intentionally hit by a vehicle that had illegally crossed into the U.S. through the Imperial Sand Dunes (BLM land). On March 28, 2010 Arizona Rancher Rob Krentz was shot and killed on his ranch by a person who had illegally entered and exited the U.S. through the San Bernardino Wildlife Refuge. Environmental Damage: Although DOI’s stated goal is to protect the environment, its obstruction of the Border Patrol’s enforcement operations is actually resulting in increased environmental harm because criminal trafficking operations are drawn to areas where border enforcement is hampered. National parks and forests have been turned into personal landfills for illegal border crossers. Clothes, blankets, backpacks, water bottles, trash bags and empty food cans are frequently found discarded on federal land. This illegal dumping of trash along the border threatens wildlife, destroys habitat and attracts disease carrying insects such as mosquitoes and flies. Human waste is a growing problem that contaminates the drinking water for nearby residents. Click to enlarge Criminals also frequently destroy the vegetation on DOI land - vegetation that is supposed to be protected. Cacti are cut down to create road barriers in order to stop park visitors, often resulting in robbery and auto theft. They are also destroyed to obtain drinking water. The destruction of these cacti harms the water supply, surrounding vegetation and wildlife. In addition, catastrophic wildfires are another concern along the southern border. These fires endanger lives, destroy plants and kill endangered species. According to local firefighters, nearly 75% of the fires in Coronado National Park are started by illegal border crossers. Most are caused by discarded matches, cigarettes and unattended campfires. Click to enlarge Blocking Construction of Electronic Surveillance: Security infrastructure enhancements, such as SBInet towers with long range cameras and sensors, are prohibited in wilderness areas regardless of the strategic importance of their placement. SBInet (also known as the virtual fence) seeks to provide a "common operating picture" of the border. Barring towers from needed sites in Wilderness areas will leave large sections of the border unmonitored. Border patrol has also been told they cannot construct towers if there are endangered Sonoran pronghorn antelope in the area. A BLM official wrote in an email to DHS regarding testing for placement of the SBInet towers that: “A biological monitor shall be present at the proposed location of AJO-004 to monitor for Sonoran Pronghorn prior to any disturbance/drilling. The monitor must have experience with observing pronghorn. The monitor will scan the area for pronghorn and if observed, the drilling will be delayed until the pronghorn moved of their own volition. The pronghorn cannot be ‘encouraged’ to vacate the area.” Source: August 1, 2008 e-mail from Jim Anderson, BLM to Gray Garland, DHS Click to enlarge Extorting Mitigation Funds: Not only is DOI blocking efforts to secure the border, but it is even charging DHS money in order to conduct border patrol operations on its land. DHS has paid DOI over $9 million since 2007 to mitigate the purported “environmental damage” of protecting our border. Per a Memorandum of Agreement signed in 2009, DHS agreed to hand over an additional $50 million for mitigation funds to DOI; however DOI has yet to disclose how exactly these funds will be used. This extortion is taking valuable money away from border patrol that is needed to safeguard our nation. Issue Page | Problem Overview | Related Links | Videos | Related Information

Nov. 13, 2013: Increase in border sec on federal lands (anony sender)

Press Release

Committee Passes Bill to Increase Border Security on Federal Lands <! -------------- Links --------------------> <! -------------- Links End --------------------> WASHINGTON, D.C., October 5, 2011 - Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed H.R. 1505, the National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act, by a vote of 26 to 17. The bill prohibits the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) from using environmental regulations to hinder U.S. Border Patrol from securing our border on federal lands.“H.R. 1505 is a common sense solution that addresses one of the prevailing issues preventing us from gaining full operational control of the border - the U.S. Border Patrol’s lack of sufficient access to millions of acres of federally owned land. We are now one step closer to ensuring that Border Patrol has the necessary access to deter and apprehend dangerous criminals that have long used our federal lands for safe passage into the United States. I look forward to working with my colleagues as this bill is considered further and ultimately brought to the floor of the House for a final vote,” said National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman Rob Bishop (UT-01). “Today, a majority of our Committee has voted to prioritize national security over bureaucratic red tape,” said Chairman Hastings. “Border Patrol has become encumbered with layers of environmental regulations and procedural hurdles that inhibit them from being able to do their job efficiently and effectively. As a result, our public lands are specifically targeted by criminals, drug smugglers and human traffickers who damage the environment and endanger American lives. This committee will not ignore the tragic consequences and exploitation that is occurring due to the porous border on federal land. H.R. 1505 ensures that Border Patrol can do their job by creating an effective deterrent to the smugglers and criminals that have thought nothing of destroying our public lands.” National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act: Prohibits the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture from impeding, prohibiting or restricting the work of the Border Patrol on public lands within 100 miles of the U.S. border with Mexico and Canada. Allows Border Patrol agents access to federal lands for the following activities: maintain and construct patrol roads; construct fences; use vehicles to patrol, install, set up and maintain surveillance equipment and sensors; use aircraft; and deploy temporary tactical infrastructure, including forward operating bases. Extends the same environmental waiver authority found in the Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 exercised by DHS Secretary Chertoff in 2008 to construct U.S.-Mexico border fence. Through that authority, it prevents environmental regulations and lawsuits from impeding U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s ability to prevent unlawful entries into the United States. Sunsets after five-years from the date it is enacted in order to allow Congress the opportunity to evaluate its effectiveness. ### Printable PDF of this document Contact: Jill Strait, Spencer Pederson or Crystal Feldman 202-226-9019