Violence and crime have increased in the remote parts of Santa Cruz and Pima Counties in southwestern Arizona as illegal "fighting-ag...
Violence and crime have increased in the remote parts of Santa Cruz and Pima Counties in southwestern Arizona as illegal "fighting-age males" dressed in camouflage uniforms continue to enter the United States undetected.
According to detailed accounts of residents in the region, young men, allegedly organized by Mexican cartels, have been pouring into the unmanned Border Patrol checkpoint east of Arivaca. They are usually dressed in camouflaged military uniforms, carry camouflaged backpacks and wear carpet booties to hide footprint tracks. Meaning, these men have a well-funded supply network.
"They are unemployed, the majority are fighting-age males and there is a strong possibility some have undergone some level of insurgency training," an anonymous law enforcement said.
This alarming security lapse has led to increased violence and crime, terrorizing residents in a once harmonious Arizona town just miles from Mexico.
"Violent activity has drastically increased over the past three years since the border is now perceived to be wide open," said a veteran law enforcement official.
For instance, fourth and fifth-generation cattle farmers in Amado and Arivaca often find dead bodies and drug paraphernalia on their properties. The escalating violence has caused the population of Arivaca to dwindle from 1,200 residents a few years ago to approximately 600 after most residents relocated to Green Valley or Tucson. The area has become so dangerous that the U.S. Forest Service no longer monitors enclosure areas for endangered species.
Amado is nestled in the Santa Cruz River Valley about 29 miles from the Mexican border, while Arivaca is 11 miles from Nogales, Mexico.
The continuous stream of trash and human waste left behind by migrants and smugglers has devastated the local environment and livestock. Ranchers report that cattle fall ill or die after ingesting plastic waste or traces of drugs found in wrappings left by smugglers. Additionally, Mexican cattle frequently cross into the U.S., posing a risk of introducing illnesses to American cattle.
"We removed 120 Mexican cattle over the past six months," a veteran rancher said, explaining the extra work to prevent unsafe beef from entering the U.S. food industry.
Residents and local enforcement officials blame the lax border policies of the Biden administration
Local, federal and state law enforcement sources blame the administration of President Joe Biden and its open border policies for the surge in problems over the past few years.
Since Biden became president, one longtime area rancher has recorded over 3,560 illegal immigrants on security cameras on his property, a tenfold increase from the previous administration.
"They have recommended we not travel to certain areas of our ranch, and we never go out there at night," said the rancher, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons.
These residents of Amado and Arivaca, small cattle ranching towns near the Mexican border, feel significantly less safe than during the Trump administration. But despite all this, law enforcement officials reveal that the Department of Homeland Security has no plans to deploy agents.
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