Border Patrol

1998 | English

With Bronco four-by-fours and sun-parched skin, INS Border Patrol officers stand at the crossroad of some of the most volatile issues facing America today; they’re on the front lines in the war against drugs and illegal immigration. But what is life really like along the U.S. / Mexican border?

To find out, BNN sent three Videojournalists from San Diego, California (where residents like Ed and Donna Tisdale say their ranch has been overrun by illegal aliens) to Laredo, Texas (where lifetime rancher Bud Natuse is so fed up he’s ready to sell his property and move on).

Border Patrol agents say the situation is improving: they’ve curbed the number of illegals and drug smugglers utilizing high-tech night vision scopes, a 24-hour watch and infrared identification systems. Even so, they still have their frustrations. The Patrol says the money pouring in can’t stop the desire of Mexican residents looking for a better life in the States and they’re tired of sending the same people back home over and over again.

From the 6,000 commercial trucks that pass through a single Texas port each day to the dark, dangerous underground tunnels of Nogales, Arizona, we witness the ways illegal aliens and drug smugglers try to fool Border Patrol agents. We see the frustrations these agents face on a daily basis as they protect America’s southern border.