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>>> AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER IN
THE HOUR, PRESIDENT TRUMP UNDER
INBE TEPS PUBLIC PRESSURE SIGNED
AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THIS WEEK
ENDING HIS ADMINISTRATION'S
POLICY OF SEPARATING MIGRANT
CHILDREN FROM THEIR FAMILIES AT
THE SOUTHERN BORDER, BUT THAT
STROKE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PEN
DOES LITTLE TO SETTLE THE LONG,
COMPLICATED DEBATE OVER WHO
SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED
INTO THE UNITED STATES.
NBC'S JACOB SOBOROFF WILL HAVE A
SPECIAL HOUR OF "DATELINE" ON
THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE.
HE TAKES US TO THE BORDER FOR
OUR SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT.
>> Reporter: EVERY DAY ON
ARIZONA'S POROUS BORDER, THERE'S
A HIGH STAKES GAME OF CAT AND
MOUSE PLAYING OUT AND I GOT TO
SEE IT FIRSTHAND.
THESE GUYS JUST DON'T STOP.
THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR MIGRANTS
UP IN THE HILLS.
THEY COULD BE SMUGGLERS, THEY
COULD BE MULES, WE DON'T KNOW,
AND THEY COULD BE ARMED.
THE BORDER PATROL'S ELITE FLEX
TEAM HIKES DEEP INTO THE
MOUNTAINS CHASING TWO MEN
SUSPECTED OF CROSSING ILLEGALLY
AND A HELICOPTER JOINED THE
CHA
CHASE.
DO THEY HAVE THEM?
>> YES.
THEY JUST ARRESTED THEM.
>> Reporter: THEY GOT THEM.
>> THEY WORE FULL BODY CAMO AND
CARPET SHOES TO HIDE THEIR TRAIL
TRAIL.
>> Translator: WE GOT LOST A DAY
BEFORE YESTERDAY OVER THERE.
>> Reporter: THEY WEREN'T DRUG
SMUGGLERS BUT THIS MAN HAD BEEN
DEPORTED BEFORE.
A DRUNK DRIVING CRASH THAT
KILLED A CHILD IN TENNESSEE.
MANY LOCALS ARE GRATEFUL TO THE
BORDER PATROL FOR KEEPING THEM
SAFE.
OTHERS NOT SO MUCH.
>> THE MORE ENFORCEMENT, THE
DRONES AND TOWERS AND MORE
AGENTS ON THE GROUND AND
CHECKPOINTS HAS JUST MADE IT A
HARDER JOURNEY FOR PEOPLE.
IT'S CAUSED MORE DEATHS, MORE
SUFFERING.
>> Reporter: MARIEDA VALLET IS A
VOLUNTEER.
SHE BLAMES THE GOVERNMENT ON
DRIVING THEM MORE INTO THE
DESERT.
FOR YEARS THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO
SAVE LIVES BY LEAVING WATER IN
THE DESERT.
MIGRANTS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES
WHO FIND THEIR BOTTLES.
>> LAST JANUARY NO MORE DEATHS
ALLEGED A BORDER PATROL HAD
DESTROYED OVER 3500 GALLONS OF
WATER.
AS PROOF THEY RELEASED THIS
VIDEO.
THE BORDER PATROL SAYS THE AGENT
KICKING THE BOTTLES WAS
SUSPENDED FOR THREE DAYS AND
THIS ONE'S ALREADY RETIRED BUT
ALL AGENTS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED
NOT TO TOUCH WATER LEFT IN THE
DESERT.
AGENT DAN HERNANDEZ OF THE
BORDER PATROL SAYS THEY ARE
TRYING TO SAVE LIVES, TOO.
>> THIS IS A RESCUE BEACON.
WE HAVE 32 OF THESE.
>> THE MIGRANT PUSHES A BUTTON,
SITS DOWN AND SOMEBODY COMES TO
HELP OUT WITH A JUG OF WATER.
>> CORRECT.
OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY
COMING INTO THE COUNTRY
ILLEGALLY.
>> Reporter: THEY HAVE RESCUE
BEACONS.
DID YOU EVER KNOW THAT?
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
YOU CAN'T PUSH PEOPLE INTO THIS
AREA INTENTIONALLY AND THEN
RESCUE A FEW OF THEM AND SAY
YOU'RE A HUMANITARIAN.
>> Reporter: THE HUMANITARIAN
GROUPS SAY THE ENFORCEMENT
STRATEGIES ARE FUNNELING PEOPLE
INTO A DESERT LIKE THIS AND
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE DYING HERE.
>> SMUGGLERS BRINGS THEM HERE.
A PERSON WHO DOES NOT KNOW THIS
DESERT WILL NOT TAKE THAT
JOURNEY THEMSELVES.
>> JACOB JOINS ME NOW LIFE.
WE'VE SEEN THE OUTRAGE ALL WEEK.
HOW DOES WHAT WE'RE SEEING THERE
FIT INTO THAT?
>> YOU DON'T RUN THROUGH THE
DESERT AND TRY TO GET AWAY FROM
THE BORDER PATROL.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST
DESPERATE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN PLAY OUT OVER
THE COURSE OF THE LAST 12 DAYS
WHEN I WAS FIRST DOWN IN
BROWNSVILLE LOOKING AT THAT
WALMART SHELTER IS THE
CULMINATION OF 20 PLUS YEARS OF
FAILED BORDER POLICY.
IT'S ALL AROUND THE IDEA OF
DETERRENCE.
IT CREATES THAT AND KIDS IN
SHELTERS.
>> IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY
COMPLICATED ISSUE NOT BEING
TREATED THAT WAY.
WE'LL GET INTO ALL OF IT
TONIGHT.
>> THANKS, MY FRIEND.
>> GREAT JOB THIS WEEK.
I KNOW YOU'LL STAY ON THIS.