Desert Invasion - U.S.

Pictures of drug and illegal immigration invasion in Arivaca, Arizona

Arivaca is a small town about 10 miles north of the Arizona-Mexico border, southwest of Tucson. It lies just east of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge and the Altar Valley.

The Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge itself is severely impacted. A few years ago, 45 cars were abandoned on the Refuge near Sasabe and enough trash that a volunteer couple filled 723 large bags with 18,000 pounds of garbage over a period of two months in 2002. (See article).

The Altar Valley is also known as Cocaine Alley and OTM Alley - meaning Other Than Mexican Alley - because of the large number of non-Mexican illegal aliens historically apprehended in the area.

In the small town of Arivaca, drug runners have taken over in many areas. Local residents have reported that they have had to abandon their homes and property and leave the area. This home was abandoned in the 60's, before the illegal immigration and drug problem became as widespread, yet illustrates the hardships some residents have had to face.
Water bottles and clothes in this abandoned home indicate that it is probably has been used as a staging area for illegal aliens and drug runners.		U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehending three illegal aliens in Arivaca.

Next - pictures on the road to Sasabe.
 
Also see Three Points, 45 miles north of Sasabe.
 

Photos 2004 Fred Elbel