Photos by Jeff Randall Above, a volunteer border watcher makes a visual sweep of the broad, seemingly empty, expanse of countryside south of Boulevard’s Tierra Del Sol area. The emptiness is an illusion. A group of seven attempts a daytime crossing, but retreats back over the fence when members spot nearby border watchers. Below, a woman scrambles back over the border fence. On the front cover, group members retreat, one woman losing her anti-tracker bootie in her haste.

     We don't have to wait long before our subjects arrive. Walking cautiously northbound toward our location, they finally spot us. In the chaos of dropped backpacks and water bottles, our photographer manages to get several pictures at close range, as the group retreats south. 
     This was a small group of only seven. Their shoes are wrapped with thick Mexican blankets to help mask their footprints from detection by Border Patrol agents, who are experts at tracking people. 
     As they all ducked back through the agriculture fence, and over the steel four- foot high border wall, I could hear the usual shouts of a group that has been discovered while crossing, “Correle...rapido!” (“Run...quickly!”). 
     Then came the first of many rocks that frustrated illegal aliens often throw when they are impeded. They were landing just beyond the security escort and photographer, easily clearing the fence and 60-foot wide government road. 
     There is some calm, practiced conversation between the security escort and photographer. Escort: “Rocks — move to cover.” Photographer: “Moving.” 
     We retreat 20 yards north and make contact with the Border Patrol to alert them of the rocking danger that this specific group poses. This is a daily occurrence along the border in San Diego's East County. 
     Usually, there is no one present to observe the actual crossing. All that is typically left are some faint footprints and discarded items no longer needed to complete their journey. But when confronted, many groups of would-be crossers display immediate and dangerous tendencies toward violence.
     The supervisory agent who takes our report over the phone does not seem surprised by our account. A lone agent is dispatched to monitor the group and prevent them from crossing again, at least for today.


Couple fights to save poisoned dog

By Shawn Whisman
For The Alpine Sun

     BOULEVARD — Barking dogs are a common sound in rural areas. They mostly bark at other animals, however, in places near the U.S./Mexico border, they bark at the passing groups of people who enter the country illegally on foot. These barking dogs are sometimes the first clue the U.S. Border Patrol has that a group has crossed the border. Numerous citizen's reports are made every week based on these highly aware and loyal pets. Because of this, some professional smugglers have injured and even killed alert dogs to prevent them from sounding the alarm. 
     Such is believed to be the case recently in Boulevard, a small community in San Diego's East County. Just before dark on Veterans Day, Jeff McKernan went out to feed his dogs as he does every night. He saw right away that something was wrong. His small terrier mix dog was not its usual active self. “She was moving slowly and having trouble walking, as if intoxicated.” McKernan told me last week. After making a few phone calls McKernan and his wife, Laura, took the sick dog to the Animal Medical Center in El Cajon. After an examination by the veterinarian on duty, Dr. Walker, it was determined that the dog may have been poisoned. The dog was treated for poisoning from ingestion of antifreeze, an automotive product used as a coolant in radiators.
     Regular antifreeze is mostly comprised of ethylene glycol, which is extremely toxic if consumed by humans or animals. According to the Columbia Animal Hospital's website, www.cah.com, more than 10,000 animals fall victim to antifreeze poisoning every year. It only takes two ounces to kill a medium sized dog. Once ingested, the ethylene glycol moves into the kidneys. The kidneys are not able to process this compound and it remains there in a crystalline form where it causes kidney failure and death. Dogs that are kept in close proximity to cars with leaking radiators are at high risk of antifreeze poisoning. 
     A quick look around the McKernan's home and yard turned up no evidence of spilled fluids or leaking vehicles. I found several piles of discarded clothing, water bottles, and assorted trash within 100 feet of their fenced yard. There is even a well-used foot trail running along the outside of one of their fences. 
     McKernan, who has already spent hundreds on vet bills, said a U.S. Border Patrol agent told him some other dogs had been similarly poisoned. Others have been stabbed, and slashed with razors. The number of dogs who have died this way is unknown.
     I spoke with another agent several months ago about this subject. He stated that he had found a discarded sports drink bottle that contained antifreeze, which has a distinctive odor. He said that smugglers will sometimes make incursions prior to bringing a group to check and clear the trails of hazards — like barking dogs.