The number of vehicles illegally entering Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument from Mexico has dropped by more than 95 percent since 30 miles of vehicle barriers were completed in July. Managers of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge to the east hope a similar fencing project set for later this year will have the same effect. To the west, the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge is also set to receive the barriers.
Eventually, most of Arizona's border with Mexico will be lined with the barriers, some made of century-old railroad tracks welded into V's and planted in the ground every few feet. But it is not cheap: The 30-mile stretch at Organ Pipe cost about $13 million.
Managers of the wildlife refuges and national monument said the fragile ecology of the desert areas was being destroyed by thousands of illegal smugglers and criminal gangs border crossers and their vehicles. "The refuges on the Southwest border right now really are under siege," said Mitch Ellis, who oversees the Buenos Aires refuge. "That barrier down there will help us protect our habitat." More than 250,000 illegal entrants entered the refuge in 2004 and 2005 alone. More than 1,300 miles of illegal trails have been cut through the grassland, and abandoned cars and tons of trash dot the landscape.
But since it didn't stop 100%, it's a failure and there's no use even trying. |