A Permanent Checkpoint in Arizona?

Secure the border at the border, say residents opposing a permanent checkpoint on I-19 south of Tucson. They say it drives illegal activity into their neighborhoods.

Ever tried to dam a stream of water in the sand? When you put a block in front of the natural flow, channels spread out to either side, often far and wide, before converging again in their original direction.

Now consider: The sand is the southern Arizona desert. The stream is the flow of undocumented migrants from across the border. And the dam is the proposed permanent Border Patrol checkpoint on I-19, roughly 25 miles south of Tucson and 35 miles north of the border.

Residents of surrounding communities are voicing their opposition to the establishment of a permanent checkpoint. Why? Because the channels created by this ill-considered dam are sending the flow around the checkpoint and through their neighborhoods. These once-quiet communities are becoming "loading points" or pick-up points for illegal activities.

A "temporary" checkpoint has been operating at this location for some time. Initially it was used sporadically. But every time I've driven this road during the past two years, all northbound cars have been stopped and questioned. The checkpoint has already become, in effect, permanent, even if a concrete structure has yet to be built. And local residents have seen the consequences first hand.

The migrants themselves are not a threat to residents. They have often walked for days through the desert with no food and too little water. Many die from the harsh conditions every year. But the flow also includes drug runners and people traffickers, and a handful of violent incidents in recent months have residents rightly worried about becoming caught in the crossfire.

Illegal immigration is an emotive issue in America. No one who opposes the checkpoint is advocating a continuation of the status quo. Their message is simple: Secure the border AT the border. Increase the resources where it most counts, and use random checks elsewhere.

The Border Patrol is beleaguered, too. They do not receive enough money or manpower from the Federal government to do the job they need to do.

And with pressure from around the country – largely from people who live far away from the border lands – they need to be seen to be doing something. Even if common sense tells you that a checkpoint is more likely to be avoided when everyone knows it's there.

But it's easier to build a checkpoint than to work for a political solution. It's easier to sacrifice the peace and safety of small communities well north of the border.