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09-10-2007, 07:44 PM
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0709/10/ldt.01.html
Well, still to come, charges that the Bush administration is putting business interests before our national security. And Bill Tucker will have the report. Bill?
BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kitty, don't believe that commerce and convenience don't trump security at the border. We've got proof coming right up.
PILGRIM: Mexican trucks crossed the border and deliver cargo deep into the United States this weekend, under a new program that grants Mexican truckers unrestricted access to U.S. highways. Now, the trucks delivered cargo to New York and South Carolina. The new NAFTA-related plan lifts restrictions that previously limit Mexican trucks to border areas. Now, there have been concerns that the plan would create safety hazards on our highways and also threaten national security.
In Mexico, a deadly accident early this morning raising more concerns about the safety of Mexican trucks. A truck carrying 25 tons of dynamite exploded after a collision with another vehicle. The blast killed at least 34 people and injured more than 140 others. Some reports put the death toll close to 40 people.
And a series of explosions rippled through natural gas pipelines through Vera Cruz State early this morning. Police said incidents were acts of sabotage. More than 12,000 residents were evacuated from the area, but there were no reports of casualties from the blast.
And time now for some of your thoughts. And Burt in California wrote to us and he writes, "I saw the headline. Mexico dynamite truck explosion kills 34. We want these trucks on our highways?"
Clyde in Arkansas wrote, "Lou, allowing Mexican truckers unlimited access to our highways is senseless. The American taxpayer first built these roadways and the American taxpayers are now paying to maintain them."
And Connie in Nevada wrote to us. "Hi, Lou. Now that we have trucks coming in to the United States from Mexico, the next thing will be all our road signs and signals will be in English and Spanish. You can count on it. Is this the United States of America or the United States of Mexico?"
And we will have more of your e-mails later in the broadcast.
U.S. border officials tonight may be putting business interests before national security interests. Lou Dobbs has learned that customs and border protection agents at one of the nation's busiest border crossings have been instructed to limit border checks. Now, as Bill Tucker reports, that could undermine efforts to keep smugglers and other criminals from entering the United States.
TUCKER (voice-over): No one likes waiting in lines. This line is at the U.S./Mexico border crossing in El Paso, Texas, where wait times can be anywhere from under a half hour to longer than two hours. That's where this memo comes into the picture. It's Customs and Border Protection directive number 3340-040. It directs Border Patrol officers how to deal with delays in crossing. If someone crosses and wait times are short, chances are they will get a fairly thorough check.
But if the wait times are longer than two hours, officers are to ensure the license plate is correct, query the driver only, accept their baggage declaration and send them through. No density meter readings on trucks or trucks, just roll it on in. Even the directive stipulates the officer should establish the admissibility of the vehicle's occupants, only the driver is to be questioned. Critics are outraged. They say it amounts to a how-to manual for drug and human smuggler.
REP. BRIAN BILBRAY, (R) CA: I think the only thing worse than sending this memo to our agents is the fact that you know that the cartels, the drug cartels and the smuggling cartels, have a copy of this, because all they have to do is sit with a stopwatch at the border, time the crossings and know exactly when procedure's going to change so they can then smuggle into us.
TUCKER: We asked Customs and Border Protection for a comment or an explanation of the memo. But the agency didn't respond. Seasoned hands along the border, however, contend that the memo is just an expression of what's been standard operating procedure at the crossing for a long time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been told that they fully expect that one of every 10 vehicles will be checked.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are the odds trying to come in?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then the legal port of entry should be bringing in something coming in.
TUCKER: There's no doubt that the El Paso border crossing is very busy.
TUCKER (on camera): According to the Department of Homeland Security, 43,000 cars and more than 2,100 commercial trucks pass through El Paso headed north every day. So, it is a difficult job, in terms of trying to strike the balance of moving that commerce through. And at the same time securing the border, Kitty.
PILGRIM: We certainly understand the pressures of getting the job done. But one point really stuck out. When it's busy, they only question the driver of the truck? They could have a truck full of people and they don't question.
TUCKER: Or car full of people. They're going to only ask the driver. Because the goal here is not to run a thorough check. The goal here is to move traffic through.
PILGRIM: Unbelievable, thanks very much, Bill Tucker.
Well, this is also the subject of tonight's poll. What should be the top priority at the U.S. border with Mexico? Speed or security? Cast your vote at loudobbs.com. We'll bring you the results later in the broadcast.
PILGRIM: Now the results of our poll -- 97 percent of you think security should be the top priority at the U.S. border with Mexico.
Well, still to come, charges that the Bush administration is putting business interests before our national security. And Bill Tucker will have the report. Bill?
BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kitty, don't believe that commerce and convenience don't trump security at the border. We've got proof coming right up.
PILGRIM: Mexican trucks crossed the border and deliver cargo deep into the United States this weekend, under a new program that grants Mexican truckers unrestricted access to U.S. highways. Now, the trucks delivered cargo to New York and South Carolina. The new NAFTA-related plan lifts restrictions that previously limit Mexican trucks to border areas. Now, there have been concerns that the plan would create safety hazards on our highways and also threaten national security.
In Mexico, a deadly accident early this morning raising more concerns about the safety of Mexican trucks. A truck carrying 25 tons of dynamite exploded after a collision with another vehicle. The blast killed at least 34 people and injured more than 140 others. Some reports put the death toll close to 40 people.
And a series of explosions rippled through natural gas pipelines through Vera Cruz State early this morning. Police said incidents were acts of sabotage. More than 12,000 residents were evacuated from the area, but there were no reports of casualties from the blast.
And time now for some of your thoughts. And Burt in California wrote to us and he writes, "I saw the headline. Mexico dynamite truck explosion kills 34. We want these trucks on our highways?"
Clyde in Arkansas wrote, "Lou, allowing Mexican truckers unlimited access to our highways is senseless. The American taxpayer first built these roadways and the American taxpayers are now paying to maintain them."
And Connie in Nevada wrote to us. "Hi, Lou. Now that we have trucks coming in to the United States from Mexico, the next thing will be all our road signs and signals will be in English and Spanish. You can count on it. Is this the United States of America or the United States of Mexico?"
And we will have more of your e-mails later in the broadcast.
U.S. border officials tonight may be putting business interests before national security interests. Lou Dobbs has learned that customs and border protection agents at one of the nation's busiest border crossings have been instructed to limit border checks. Now, as Bill Tucker reports, that could undermine efforts to keep smugglers and other criminals from entering the United States.
TUCKER (voice-over): No one likes waiting in lines. This line is at the U.S./Mexico border crossing in El Paso, Texas, where wait times can be anywhere from under a half hour to longer than two hours. That's where this memo comes into the picture. It's Customs and Border Protection directive number 3340-040. It directs Border Patrol officers how to deal with delays in crossing. If someone crosses and wait times are short, chances are they will get a fairly thorough check.
But if the wait times are longer than two hours, officers are to ensure the license plate is correct, query the driver only, accept their baggage declaration and send them through. No density meter readings on trucks or trucks, just roll it on in. Even the directive stipulates the officer should establish the admissibility of the vehicle's occupants, only the driver is to be questioned. Critics are outraged. They say it amounts to a how-to manual for drug and human smuggler.
REP. BRIAN BILBRAY, (R) CA: I think the only thing worse than sending this memo to our agents is the fact that you know that the cartels, the drug cartels and the smuggling cartels, have a copy of this, because all they have to do is sit with a stopwatch at the border, time the crossings and know exactly when procedure's going to change so they can then smuggle into us.
TUCKER: We asked Customs and Border Protection for a comment or an explanation of the memo. But the agency didn't respond. Seasoned hands along the border, however, contend that the memo is just an expression of what's been standard operating procedure at the crossing for a long time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been told that they fully expect that one of every 10 vehicles will be checked.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are the odds trying to come in?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then the legal port of entry should be bringing in something coming in.
TUCKER: There's no doubt that the El Paso border crossing is very busy.
TUCKER (on camera): According to the Department of Homeland Security, 43,000 cars and more than 2,100 commercial trucks pass through El Paso headed north every day. So, it is a difficult job, in terms of trying to strike the balance of moving that commerce through. And at the same time securing the border, Kitty.
PILGRIM: We certainly understand the pressures of getting the job done. But one point really stuck out. When it's busy, they only question the driver of the truck? They could have a truck full of people and they don't question.
TUCKER: Or car full of people. They're going to only ask the driver. Because the goal here is not to run a thorough check. The goal here is to move traffic through.
PILGRIM: Unbelievable, thanks very much, Bill Tucker.
Well, this is also the subject of tonight's poll. What should be the top priority at the U.S. border with Mexico? Speed or security? Cast your vote at loudobbs.com. We'll bring you the results later in the broadcast.
PILGRIM: Now the results of our poll -- 97 percent of you think security should be the top priority at the U.S. border with Mexico.