San Ysidro Border Shooting: U.S.-Mexico Border Crossing Closed

SAN DIEGO — Four people were injured in a gun battle Tuesday involving an attempt to smuggle illegal immigrants from Mexico at the busiest border crossing in the U.S., authorities said.

More than 70 people traveling in three vans involved in the incident were in federal custody, said U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman Angelica DeCima.

Details remained sketchy, but van drivers tried to storm past inspectors at the San Ysidro port of entry and make their way into the U.S. without stopping, DeCima said.

"It was human smuggling, definitely," said Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Three of the injured people were in the vans, and a fourth was in another vehicle, DeCima said. It was unclear how serious the injuries were.

An ICE agent and a CBP officer fired their guns during the shootout, DeCima said.

The shootout occurred over nine lines of traffic in the 24 northbound lanes, said Monica Munoz, a San Diego police spokeswoman.

About 40,000 vehicles enter the U.S. each day at San Ysidro, which connects San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. Investigators closed the port to vehicle traffic from Mexico to the United States.

Comments

[Raster]

!Ay!, you can go in but you can't go out?

[mlimberg]

Great idea, "shoot to kill" if anyone attempts to enter the USA illegally. About time.

[mrbuggle]

Ok Mr. Jr Berlin wall guy

[YoJymbo]

HA!

This "shoot to kill" clown is probably the same guy standing with the Obama Nazi sign at the
Fox/Health Insurance propaganda rallies. The same people who claim Obama wants to take your constitutional rights away are the folks that smiled and nodded while GW locked the country down and made everyone afraid to speak their mind if it disagreed with Republican policy.
The US has enough jack booted thugs with ICE, DEA, FBI, ATF, and your flunky local law enforcement officer that thinks he's judge and jury, if you don't believe me check out what is going on in Pittsburg right now.
Murdering families that are trying to survive is not the answer, how about a helping hand or curbing our gun market that is arming narco trafficers (oh no, the NRA is banging at my door already).

[AnnfromCA]

Jeesh*.....How nuts was this? Anyone who has crossed that border knows that you can't just storm through.

[Lyceum]

Most people in the United States have no idea what we are facing on our southern border over the next several decades.

If you think that Islamic terrorists are a problem, wait until the poor and impoverished people of Mexico really start getting hungry, and then figure out how to help, or not, the already 120 million people, our neighbors, who are begging for just food, clothes, and a place to sleep.

Try these quotes on for size:

Porfirio Diaz, the last Dictator of Mexico: "Mexico, so far from God, and so close to the United States."

Martin Luther King Jr.: "Poverty is the worst form of violence."

Martin Luther King Jr.: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

We are busy fighting two wars in the Arab World, to protect our supplies of oil. In the meantime, 95% of the people on our southern border live in abject poverty.

We, a supposedly "Great Nation", are killing people in foreign lands to protect our oil, while our brothers and sisters (albeit "brown skinned") in our back yard, are dying just to come here and eat.

What is wrong with us?

[monicaangela]

Welcome to democracy and capitalism where only profits count. Keep them hungry and use them to lower the living standard of the citizens of the United States, while toasting the wealthy in Mexico for their ruthless signing of NAFTA which they knew would put profits in their pockets and starve the everyday citizen of that country.

Notice if you will the violence of late, MLK was right...notice if you will the destitution in this country brought on by wall street and the banks....we already have violence, but it will increase exponentially as people find themselves without hope. Posse Comitatus has been the law of the land in this country and so far we have been able to keep that law active, Bush tried to skirt it by allowing contractors to become involved during Katrina. Mexico doesn't have that law, and can easily put down insurection with it's military. What do you think is going to happen in this nation if things continue to get worse....National Gaurd....we don't have one anymore like in the days of Kent State University....most are now on active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[gascelebrations]

What is wrong with US... How about, what is wrong with YOU?

Drop the bumpersticker philosophies and educate yourself beyond sound-bites about what's really happening in Mexico. Have you ever been there? How about lately? Then if you have, relate something you've SEEN or something you've EXPERIENCED.

You crammed about twenty years of stereotypically left-of-center sound-bites into two inches of text. At least you didn't say "the people united shall never be defeated", "keep your laws off my body", and "none of us are free until all of us are free". But anyway, thanks for the morning dose of generic political activism!

[COPerez]

I've been to Mexico - lots. It's every bit as bad - even worse - than Lyceum states. Have you seen the barrios in the hillsides around Mexico City? Literally millions of people who share public water spigots, without municipal sewage service, without garbage service, without schools, without jobs, without food and without hope.

And if you think that poverty and dispair in one country can't affect us think about Afghanistan, Pakistan, Haiti and yes, Mexico. People WILL try to go where they can get food and the money to care for their families. And when they do, they will bring whatever diseases, physical, psychic and social, that are endemic in their country. Into OUR country.

Your haughty dismissal ignores reality.

[realitytrumpsbull]

Ok, I contest this, for one, Mexico has a 1T annual GDP. Presumably, more than 5 people down there have a business degree, and some kind of background in agriculture. They say that Mexico gets something like 50 billion annually in illegal drug-related revenue from the United States, ok, so there's some starting capital, get heavier into farming, and into global food exports, and pretty soon, they'll be making more money. They could even get involved with the UN, and work to help eradicate world hunger.

But, let's drop the Mexico-as-­unwitting-­victim-of-­the-United States boilerplate. If they really had a national commitment to do it, they could feed, clothe, educate, and employ all the work-eligible folks in their country, and put a roof over their heads into the bargain. But, until they start taking steps to be more independent, more self-supporting, and less dependent on this country, well, then they're going to keep turning in little circles. So, when's the big day?

[gunnergoz]

To be entirely fair, the illegal immigration problem with Mexico is also a matter of that nation's abject poverty and corrupt economic and political system. A few families own all the wealth and the rest of the country gets by with what's left. An enlightened US policy towards Mexico over a period of time might improve the chances of a real middle class forming there, which would encourage workers to stay in Mexico. Why would they want to leave if they can prosper in their own country? But existing US policy to Mexico encourages the status quo; and the rich there just keep getting richer and the poor keep heading our way to look for work.

[Lyceum]

The United States is one of the most dishonest "honest brokers" in the world.

The only reason we support "Democracy" anywhere on the Planet is when the so-called goal meets our economic needs.

Does anyoone still believe that we invaded Iraq to free its people and foster "Democracy"? Come on, we went there for the oil.

As far as Mexico is concerned, we don't support true "Democracy" there. We give lip service to the concept, while our drug laws spawn the violence on the borders, and while the improverished people in Mexico cling to basic survival at the hands of the oligarchiy that rules Mexico.

We need to first get rid of the corporate ruling elite here in the United States, and then start helping our brothers and sisters on our "border" in Mexico.

[thedave108]

Wow - that was very well said thank you - and I agree 99% -(there's more than oil about Iraq IMO and no not revenge)

[iMissMollyIvins]

How can you expect the US government to adopt policies that encourage the growth of a middle class in Mexico when it doesn't adopt policies that encourage the growth of the middle class here at home?

[Mexitli]

Migration happens.

Deal with it.

[YoJymbo]

I love Mexicans and Mexico, it was my home away from Texas growing up. Every time I cross the border I get this great feeling like I'm in some special place, and that is just the border towns. I think it should be a crime to hire illegals if you are not willing to pay them the same as citizens, with stiff penalties for employers who violate the law.
As it stands now employers face little consequence for hiring illegal aliens and ripping them off. It is those who are standing outside home depot waiting in hopes of doing an honest days work for peanuts that are getting all the scorn from Americans. Why is there no outrage directed toward the criminals who not only employ illegals but thumb their nose at US labor laws.

Last time I was in Nueva Laredo it was a ghost town, police were shooting it out regularly with well armed narco trafficers and people were turning up missing (Americans too) on a regular basis. This is not because of drugs, drugs don't shoot police officers and poloticians, weapons purchased with little or no regulation on America's uncontrolled gun market do. Weapons are destroying Mexico and the average Jose is paying the price.

[iMissMollyIvins]

Where do you think the money for the weapons comes from?

Narco-trafficking.

[LAGUNAN]

Home invasion robberies are hard to stop with rifles, too.

Why must the Mexican populace live in fear? It's so unjust!

[LAGUNAN]

Mexico's Constitution prohibits re-election to any federal or state office.

The system is totally corrupt. . .

So, naturally the state of California followed suit.

[Mexitli]

"The system is totally corrupt. . ."

Not so.

[LAGUNAN]

You must be a PRI-ista.

[LAGUNAN]

. . . in Oaxaca o Chiapas.

[LAGUNAN]

Check out this BEAUTY from a Wikipedia article . . .

"Public health care, on the other hand, is provided to all Mexican citizens as guaranteed via Article 4 of the Constitution."

The healthcare in Mexico must be one of the world's worst. But it's GUARANTEED IN THE CONSTITUTION.

(And women in labor are fairly frequently turned away from hospitals )

[Mexitli]

The fact is that thousands of U.S.and Canadian citizens flock to Mexico every year for quality health care. So do many Europeans.

"(And women in labor are fairly frequently turned away from hospitals )"

Not so.

All the hospital asks for is a someone to give blood as a donation. Still, the cost is under $500.00 USD to deliver a baby.

[LAGUNAN]

Not under $500 at any decent hospital in Guadalajara.

[FermentedGrapeNut]

Please come to the United States -- but do so legally.

Thanks. Take care.

[LAGUNAN]

Let me give the corollary to your argument:

Live in abject poverty, pay high visa processing fees with little hope of being accepted into our country after 10-12 years of waiting - our come across the border NOW for a few thousand dollars that you can recuperate in 2-3 weeks working.

Your welcome.

I'm just giving you s - - -. But that's the reality I see.

[Steph55]

Neither corollary nor recuperate are the correct words, but hey, whatever.

[hamchunk]

Here's a better example: You live in abject poverty with little hope of being accepted into society. You decide to knock over a liquor store. You get caught, but plead that you only did it to provide for your family. Should you be let go?

Sorry, illegal is illegal.

[skatscan]

It takes more than a FEW weeks to get the money but your point's made.

[LAGUNAN]

Sorry, don't think corollary is the word I was looking for

[blukazoo]

I live in SD. I've never lived anywhere where so many helicopters flyover throughout the night on a regular basis. I haven't seen the story on the local news yet...

[gunnergoz]

As of 11:30 PM PST, the best information I can get here in San Diego is that four people were shot, but no fatalities - this coming from the SD Union Tribune web site as well as from two TV stations' web sites. Is it time to revise the headline?

[LAGUNAN]

How about a little political spin on the subject of Mexico - why not?

It's ILLEGAL for Mexican citizens to own guns of any type - that "right" is reserved for the military. Maybe there would be few kidnappings if the average businessman or college student on the way to school had a license to carry.

One more case in point - "if you outlaw guns, then only outlaws will have guns."

[Mexitli]

It is NOT illegal for Mexicans to own guns.

[LAGUNAN]

I lived there. The Constitution allows ownership of certain firearms, but what I heard from a several people is that in practice it's a different story, like so many other Constitutional "guarantees" in Mexico.

[hotbytes]

The are literally millions of Mexicans illegals in the US, spreading over 50 states. Any one ever asks the question of how they get jobs in the US? It's an organized crime operation: they charge the people they smuggle into the US lots of money. Then on the US side, the illegals are "sold" to greedy Republicans who further exp.loit these illegals, profit from their cheap labor. Then the Republicans turn around and fight to keep the illegals from receiving free health care.

This is why this country is so s.crewed-up. We have too many Republicans and illegals dragging it down!

[LAGUNAN]

After reading your two posts, there is only one conclusion I can draw : you seem to have dual personality disorder.

You MUST be a "progressive"

Smile

[Hopeington]

I don't know, I'm wondering if hotbytes might have overheated their thought processor
and fried their motherboard of reason.........???

[Lyceum]

You don't have a clue.

This entire problem is so "screwed-up" because rich people are taking advantage of poor people.

In this instance, the corporations and rich in the U.S. happen to primarily be Republicans exploiting the poor Mexicans.

This is a matter of human rights and human dignity, period.

If you think otherwise, then just keep voting Republican and soon you too will be begging in the streets for food, clothing, and shelter.

[LAGUNAN]

It's sad and tragic.

It shows desperation on the part of people who want to get out of Mexico - and reflects a national desperation. Their corrupt socialist government has failed to provide even the basics that government is supposed to provide.

I happened to hear an ad for the Mexican Government Monday on my way to work. The stations are required to play "public affairs" messages. They are pure propaganda. They tell about all of the great things the Senate has done for the people in the recent past.

I'm not kidding: there was a "disclaimer" at the end of the ad - a guy talking in a fast, low voice as you hear on the ads for cars here. I speak Spanish, but wasn't expecting it so I don't know what the disclaimer said.

It was hilarious !!!

[Lyceum]

You have absolutely no clue, whatsoever, what you are talking about.

Mexico is not a "Socialist" country. It as close to the old form of European oligarchy as possible that still exists in the World.

Mexico is a country where less than 2% or 3% of the citizens control the wealth, the politicians, and the citizens.

Go figure out the facts, but please don't come on this or any other legitimate political blog and try to claim that Mexico is "socialist".

[iMissMollyIvins]

Mexico is a country where less than 2% or 3% of the citizens control the wealth, the politicians, and the citizens.
__________­__________­_________

Much like the good ol' U.S. of A.