Test run of Texas border cameras to catch illegal immigrants apprehended 10, newspaper says

Sunday, January 7th 2007, 3:50 pm

By: News On 6

EL PASO, Texas (AP) _ A test run of a Web site allowing users to monitor the Mexican border helped authorities catch 10 illegal immigrants of the more than 12,000 who officials said were apprehended in November, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The El Paso Times obtained state reports about the results of the November trial of Gov. Rick Perry's Texas Border Watch online camera program. Through a public records request, the newspaper also received a sampling of the 14,800 e-mails viewers sent through the Web site.

The Web site also helped authorities make one drug bust and interrupt a smuggling route, the newspaper said.

During its test run Nov. 3 through Nov. 30, the site received nearly 28 million hits. About 220,000 users are registered on the site.

During the test, eight to 12 cameras along Texas' 1,200-mile border with Mexico operated in four counties, said Texas Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw.

McCraw said some e-mail reports helped law enforcers chase back people who were trying to cross illegally.

State officials said making apprehensions wasn't the goal of the camera tests. The point was to see whether the idea was feasible _ and whether the software and technology worked, McCraw said.

But some lawmakers said the results made them doubt the efficiency of Perry's plan to put $5 million worth of cameras on the border. He is to ask lawmakers to approve the money during the legislative session beginning Tuesday.

The tests cost $200,000.

``It seems to me that $20,000 per undocumented worker is a lot of money,'' said state Rep. Norma Chavez, an El Paso Democrat.