Border Contingency Plans for Latin America ExodusDo

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

The following is from Soldier of Fortune magazine, March 1999:

>>Border Contingency Plans For Latin America Exodus

Latin America's instability is forcing the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service to plan for rapid construction of detention compounds near the U.S.-Mexico border that temporarily could house as many as 50,000 undocumented aliens.

Up to 10 of the military-style compounds could be constructed to provide tent housing, basic services, and recreation for detainees while their immigration status is checked, according to December news reports. The compounds' locations reportedly have not yet been selected.

Federal officials cited the recent influx of several thousand refugees from hurricane-ravaged Central America, as well as economic stress and past civil wars in Latin America, as reasons for preparation. One INS spokesman referred to the mass-exodus scenario as "an immigration emergency situation," according to the San Antonio Express-News. A Justice Department spokesman likened this program to the disaster-preparedness planning of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Two such detention compounds were built in 1995 during a federal excercise in southern Arizona and Texas. Each was surrounded with a chain-link fence with controlled access.

The border area with Mexico, spanning Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, is patrolled by thousands of law enforcement and U.S. military personnel. Complicating all efforts to control illegal immigration is the border's status as the primary route for drug trafficking into the United States.<<

Does any have infomation corroborating this? Does it have Y2K implications?

-- No No (nono@nogo.com), March 04, 1999

Answers

No corroborating information here. I have been wondering about Latin America myself for quite some time since I live about 50 miles north of a Mexican city of a million or so.

The scenario I keep tossing around in my head is this: assume guru Bennett is correct and the U.S. only experiences a "bump in the road". Assume however that Mexico experiences fairly severe utility problems in the middle of winter (yea I know - it's Mexico but it gets damn cold at night in the high desert).

I'm curious as to how long people can resist those warm twinkling lights to the north. That's a situation I haven't heard anyone address and tent compounds for 50,000 along the whole border sure aint gonna do much! :-)

-- gideon (gideon@zianet.com), March 04, 1999.


Seems that I mentioned on a long past thread that the military exercises going on in Texas might have something to do with controlling millions that could head for our borders. Due to the length of the border I don't see that we can do much about it. Just another Y2K threat principally for those living in those border states!

-- Sue (deco100@aol.com), March 05, 1999.

The reports I've seen on those assault exercises (Kingsville, etc.) didn't mention any crowd control (real or simulated). Dealing with large numbers of unruly people out on the streets is very different from storming occupied buildings.

I suppose assault helicopters and automatic weapons could be used but street massacres like that are little hard to feature. Lots of street barriers, troops on the street in body armor, nightsticks and busses seem more appropriate. Plus "Git there fustest with the mostest."

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), March 05, 1999.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ