Secure-border advocate praises tunnel discovery

The chief of the Minuteman Project says reports that Mexican soldiers uncovered a smuggling tunnel under a building in the border city of Tijuana is a good step.

But Jim Gilchrist warns the war over illegals entering the United States is far from over.

"This could mean that it's an effort by (Mexico President Felipe) Calderon's government to make us think they're taking drug and illegal smuggling seriously. If it happens that it's all for show, I'll be very disappointed," he said.

“However, I want to give credit where credit is due. Mr. Calderon's government is trying to put an end to the smuggling operations,” Gilchrist said. "He's declared war on a very lethal crowd of very lethal people.

"Either he's going to crush them and do away with them, or he's going to lose his country," he said.

The comments followed reports Mexican soldiers found a 122-yard-long tunnel under a three-story building in Tijuana. It was the second tunnel discovery in just the past few weeks.

It was found within about 150 yards of the U.S. border.

The Mexican government said soldiers found the tunnel when they raided a warehouse used to store excavation equipment.

Gilchrist said it appears to indicate Calderon means business "about enforcing the drug laws."

"For a long time, the U.S. hasn't trusted the Mexican government to take drug and illegal immigrant traffickers seriously," he said.

"I think we should commend the Mexican government for their efforts to begin cracking down on what has been an almost unhindered smuggling operation," he said.

Lauren Mack of the U.S. Border Patrol says the level of cooperation between governments is significant.

"The notification by the Mexican authorities that they found the tunnels is a good indicator of an unprecedented level of coordination and cooperation between the Mexican army and U.S. authorities," she said.

"For some time we've seen an increase in the number of cross-border smuggling tunnels, particularly here in California. The respective governments have improved coordination in the area of information sharing and communications so when a tunnel is discovered we're called to assist the Mexican authorities," she added.

"This is a also a good sign because the tunnels were discovered as the result of a tip the Mexican authorities received. We were able to work with them to find the tunnels before they were operational," Mack explained.

Reports say the unfinished tunnels were equipped with an air ventilation system and were fully illuminated. Mack said both of the latest discoveries had features that make them different from previous finds.

"These tunnels had some of the most elaborate entry ways that our agents have seen to date in a tunnel. There was an electronic apparatus that would be used to lower people for the 30 feet from the surface down to the tunnel. It was an electronic chain elevator system and we haven't seen anything like that before," she said.

Pumps were another new feature.

"The area we're in may be conducive to tunnel digging because of the kind of soil we have. But many times the tunnel diggers' biggest obstacle is the water that builds up inside the tunnels before they can be used," she said.

"This tunnel had a pit with a boardwalk crossing on it and there were pumps inside the tunnel to pump out the water before it could flood the tunnel," she said.