ON THE TRAIL

Re "Tracking smugglers, the old-fashioned way," Column One, May
12

I really enjoyed your coverage of the Border Patrol agents in southern
New Mexico. Having recently traveled the backcountry in that area, I
can relate to the challenges they face. Southern Arizona and New
Mexico are full of Border Patrol vehicles with elevating towers. Yet
despite the increase in manpower, equipment and general funding, the
drugs keep coming. Short of building the "great wall of America," I am
not sure what we can do.

And we cannot confuse "border sovereignty" with "immigration policy."
The two are unrelated. Some folks think that non-enforcement of border
sovereignty constitutes a de facto immigration policy. At some level
that is true, but it really cannot be that way anymore. Your story
highlights the real reason for enforcement.

San Diego