The border situation is not something easily understood through statistics. It is far more easily seen in the fear in people’s eyes. A constituent who lives 20 miles from the border in the boot heel of New Mexico said that although there are more Border Patrol vehicles in southern New Mexico than in years past, the bulk of them are patrolling along Highway 9, some 50 miles from the actual border in some areas. Stunningly, Secretaries Napolitano and Locke did not mention the murder of Robert Krentz, a rancher from rural Arizona, or the recent murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Wearing rose-colored glasses will not change the fact that our government is failing us.

Just last week, a southbound van was stopped at a border checkpoint with 148 AK-47 magazines and 6,000 rounds of ammunition. Secretaries Napolitano and Locke will point to such an event and claim that the situation is improving because border agents stopped the truck. I look at such an event and wonder how many trucks we didn’t stop. If our borders are really as secure as Ms. Napolitano and Mr. Locke claim, then no smuggler would be so bold as to use our highways to carry weapons by the score straight through our checkpoints.

While those in Washington want to talk about “the progress we’ve made over the past two years,” I don’t have that luxury. As long as I see fear in the eyes of my constituents, I will hold our leaders to a higher standard.

Rep. Steve Pearce (R., N.M.)

Hobbs, N.M.