Haven’t seen much coverage of the standoff over the weekend between US Border Patrol agents and armed Mexican bandits. The El Paso Times reports:

A marijuana-laden dump truck got stuck in the Rio Grande on Thursday evening in Hudspeth County, leading to a standoff between U.S. law enforcement and what appeared to be the Mexican military, sheriff officials said.

“It’s a very serious incident,” Hudspeth County Chief Deputy Mike Doyal said.

“We are very fortunate (Thursday) night no one got hurt,” Doyal said. “Everyone had the presence of mind not to cause an international incident, or start shooting.”

The incident began when Border Patrol agents tried to stop the dump truck on Interstate 10, sheriff’s officials said. The truck fled to Mexico in the Neely’s Crossing area.

The truck got stuck in the riverbed, and the driver took off running. Agents “started to retrieve the bundles (of marijuana) when the armed subjects appeared,” said Agent Ramiro Cordero, a Border Patrol spokesman.

The Border Patrol called Hudspeth County sheriff’s deputies and Texas state troopers for backup, both agencies confirmed.

Doyal said the truck driver returned with the armed men, including men who arrived in official-looking vehicles with overhead lights and what appeared to be Mexican soldiers in uniform and with military-style rifles.

KRGV-TV and WND have additional details. Rep. Tom Tancredo has been reporting on armed Mexican military incursions into the US. See here and here.

So, what’s Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff doing? Hyping the Bush amnesty plan and telling reporters about his promises to the Border Patrol to “equip them with whatever they need to make sure they are adequately protected and they can respond and defend themselves.”

More border/enforcement blogging over at The Immigration Blog.

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