Sheriff James Quattrone was photographed last week at the southern border in Cochise County, Arizona. Cuatron spent several days touring the U.S.-Mexico border.Posted photo

Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone said a trip to Arizona last week “opened his eyes” to the activity occurring on the southern border.

But he said the trip also validated some of his beliefs stemming from his time as the county's top law enforcement officer.

“I think there needs to be a complete overhaul of policy, but political leaders in Congress need to work together to solve this problem,” said Quattrone, who just returned from a multi-day trip to Cochise County, Arizona. he said on Monday.

“What I heard Sheriff (Mark) Dannels say several times when we were talking to community groups is that we have to put people before politics,” he said. continued. “So far that doesn't seem to be happening.”

Mr. Quattrone had been invited by Mr. Dannels to see firsthand what is happening on the U.S.-Mexico border, a vast area monitored by the Cochise County Sheriff's Office. He spent two and a half days with sheriff's deputies and the Southeast Arizona Border Enforcement Team (SABRE), focusing on border security, drug and human trafficking.

Quattrone previously alluded to the dangers of human trafficking, citing several local arrests during his time as sheriff. His visit last week confirmed how border crossings from both Canada and Mexico are playing a role in the human trafficking problem.

“Drugs are out there, but there are more bodies out there,” Quattrone said.

“Cartels are taking advantage of that. They make more money on bodies than on drugs.”

In recounting what he learned, Mr. Cuatron alluded to “load drivers,” people hired by cartels to transport illegal immigrants after they enter the country.

In 2022, the Arizona Attorney General's Office said, “Dangerous and unprecedented incidents are occurring on our southern border, where drivers, including Arizona teenagers, are transporting undocumented cartel immigrants in vehicles known as 'load trucks.' issued a public notice regarding “Trends''.

The state's attorney general says cartels are luring teenagers with ads promising up to $2,000 for each passenger they pick up at the border and drive north to designated locations. It is said that there was also

“This lucrative trade attracts not only 14-year-olds from the greater Phoenix area, but also men and women of all ages, and even drivers from out of state who come to Arizona to earn commuting money for the cartels.” AG said. “Nearly all of the stopped drivers are U.S. citizens.”

In Cochise County alone, the sheriff's office estimated that about 1,000 people per month would arrive at the border in 2022. The task force reported attempts to stop two to 10 “loaded vehicles” a day, which also led to dangerous high-speed chases.

Quattrone believes cartels are exploiting U.S. policy to bring illegal immigrants into the country and deport them.

“Most of the people coming across the border are not from Mexico, they're from other countries,” he said.

“Cartels are keeping some families in Mexico and blocking them so they can control the people they bring across the border.”

Quattrone said he did not see anyone crossing the border while touring the border last week. At the same time, he also did not meet any U.S. Border Patrol agents. These officers are being used to process individuals entering the country, he said.

During the visit, the sheriff learned about “giving up,” when people who cross the border immediately turn themselves in. He also learned about “fugitives” – people who enter the country but are not detained or processed.

Quattrone has been spending a lot of time lately learning about the southern border. The topic came up earlier this month when the National Sheriff's Association visited Washington, D.C.

Sheriffs from around the country had the opportunity to speak with members of Congress about border security.

“No one we talked to denied there was a crisis at the border,” Quattrone said of his visit to Washington, D.C. “The method of correction was different.”

While in Arizona, the sheriff learned that of the approximately 2,000 “border crimes” recorded in Cochise County last year, only about 150 were committed by illegal immigrants.

He also heard from local residents about a variety of concerns, including the environmental impact of the border crossing on the U.S. side. Cuatron said that while walking near the border, he found carpet shoes, improvised footwear used to hide footprints, and trash left along the road from Mexico.

“I never thought about that,” the sheriff said of the environmental impact.

Of the trip, he said, “It opened my eyes to what was going on and the scale of it.”