Do you approve of border patrol agents using lethal force to stop illegal aliens?

Question

U.S. Border Patrol Agent Shoots, Kills Suspected Human Smuggler, August 10, 2007

EL PASO, Texas — A Border Patrol agent shot and killed a suspected smuggler at a fence that separates the U.S. and Mexico after the agent felt threatened by the man, authorities said Thursday.

Mexico criticized what it described as an "excessive use of force" against immigrants and demanded an investigation.

Jose Alejandro Ortiz Castillo, a 23-year-old man who had been caught crossing the border 28 times since 1999, died in Mexico shortly after the Wednesday night shooting, Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier said.

An unidentified agent spotted Ortiz apparently leading two men and a woman through a hole in the border fence just east of downtown El Paso. Ortiz, who was carrying bolt cutters, picked up a rock as the agent was arresting the woman, Mosier said.

Mosier said the agent "felt threatened by the actions of the
assailant who was holding a rock and bolt cutters."

Answer 1

Yes, Border Agents are well trained and when it comes down to it the agent is responsible for his own life as well as the safety of our nation.

Many assume that only harmless people wanting a better life are crossing the border they fail to understand human smugglers, drug lords and hardened criminals are also crossing and some would not hesitate to take the life of the Border Agent.

Answer 2

Yes… yes I do. The border agent was doing his job protecting not only himself, but our nation as well. Most people crossing our border unlawfully give-up without a fight or acting hostile to the border agents. If I were a border patrol agent, I would have to guess that this person had something other than “unlawful employment” in mind and could possibly be intending to hurt other citizens if he got past me – and he wouldn’t have!

This whole prosecuting Border Patrol Agents for doing their jobs is getting real old real fast.

Answer 3

The agent was fully justified to shoot the smuggler. The smuggler was obviously not planning to give the rocks and bolt cutters to the agent as a belated Christmas gift,he meant to harm the agent. Besides that,we often hear of the way smugglers treat the people they are smuggling so perhaps that agent saved a few lives by taking the actions he did.

Answer 4

Yes they should whenever they are threatened by the criminals who are crossing the border. After all I heard on the news that the guy who shot those 3 college students in Newark was an illegal. So if they can shoot unarmed kids then they can be shot when they pickup rocks.

Answer 5

I have seen pictures of Border Patrol agents that have been struck by rocks. I have seen pictures of Mexican Nationals firing at Border Patrol agents from across the Border.
The violence along the Border escalates every day.
This particular individual had been caught 28 times previously. Obviously he had no fear of our laws and has become emboldened over time.

As far as Mexico demanding an investigation? I believe I would extend the middle finger of both hands in their direction.

Put the US military on the border and drop anyone that crosses. It wouldn't take long for them to get the message.

Answer 6

Absolutely. We need a deterent to criminals 'breaking and entering'. And to those who say 'only if the agent is threatened'? You kidding me? Then the agent will spend months in court trying to prove his split second decision to shoot a criminal was justified? BS! If someone was breaking into your house-would you wait to ask him if he was only there for a bathroom break?

Answer 7

Yes, I do. There have been over 590 attacks on border agents last year where something like 100 have been injured. They are doing their jobs...and it is a dangerous job to say the least.

Answer 8

Yes. They are invading our country. I never understood how some breaches our border, like an invading military would, we can't kill them. They don't belong here. This guy was caught 28 times, if we killed hime the first time, that would've been 27 less times our border patrol agents put themselves at risk.

Answer 9

This border patrol agent will go to jail.... that's the way it goes in our PC world. Got a BP agent from Arizona in the hoosegow for doing more or less the same thing.

Answer 10

Generally I would say no, but this case has some extenuating circumstances because it sounds like it may have been self-defense. I hope they investigate it properly, because this report doesn't include enough details to pass judgement one way or the other.