Otero County checkpoints now open again

Border Patrol stops were closed so personnel could process migrants

After months of asking Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to provide National Guard personnel to man Border Patrol checkpoints along U.S. 70 and 54, Otero County officials said they were delighted to see the checkpoints reopen this week.

“That’s great news,” Otero County Commission Chairman Couy Griffin said. “From what I can gather, it seems like through the Trump Administration’s efforts toward the asylum issues going on — the asylum seekers having to stay in Mexico ’til they get processed — has created some relief for our Border Patrol and they can get back on the checkpoints. We’re extremely excited about that and grateful.”

The two Otero County Border Patrol checkpoints closed in March as personnel were reassigned to help process the large

number of asylum seekers along the border.

The checkpoint on U.S. 70 East is about 15 miles southwest of Alamogordo and the one on U.S. 54 is about 30 miles south of the city.

“Any time there’s security measures in place along the border, (I’m) gonna be happy about it and glad to see it,” Griffin said.

The March checkpoint closure was a source of alarm in Otero County, so much so that the county passed a resolution declaring a state of emergency in April.

County and city officials said the closed checkpoints were allowing drugs to flow through the area and cited an increase in crime.

Lujan Grisham’s response to requests from Otero County were limited and included assertions that New Mexico State Police had increased its presence in the region.

Otero County and Alamogordo law enforcement were cautious in assessing the impact of re-opening the checkpoints.

“It’s a really good thing. It shows mutual cooperation,” Alamogordo Police Chief Brian Peete said. “So, we just have to wait and see what Border Patrol (does), how they’re triaging it, how long are they going to keep them open, or whatnot.”

APD and Border Patrol are expected to meet in a few weeks to work out parameters, Peete said.

“But the same thing as before: between the Sheriff’s Office and the Alamogordo Police Department, we do everything that we can to maintain the safety of the roadways in the county, as well as in the city,” Peete said.

“We’re going to continue what we’re doing, whether it’s proactive drug missions. … Nothing is going to slow down because the checkpoints have reopened.”

Otero County Sheriff David Black said he wanted more information before he would say anything definite about the reopening.

The Otero County checkpoints were two of six in the El Paso Border Patrol Sector that reopened Monday.

The six permanent checkpoints in the El Paso Sector include:

U.S. 62/180, about 30 miles east of El Paso in Hudspeth County

I-10 West, 22 miles west of Las Cruces

I-25 North, 23 miles north of Las Cruces

U.S. 70 East, 15 miles southwest of Alamogordo

U.S. 54, 30 miles south of Alamogordo

N.M. 185, 13 miles northwest of Radium Springs

Checkpoints in the neighboring Big Bend Sector never closed.