Operation Jump Start, which brought National Guard troops to the nation's southern border in the summer of 2006, is expected to come to an end in July, and the Border Patrol's Deming Station, at least, says it's ready, the Deming Headlight reported.

"When this started, the program was designed to be a stop-gap measure, to give us time to hire and train and deploy more agents," Rick Moody, agent in charge of the Border Patrol's Deming Station, told the Headlight.

The Border Patrol has said the Guard's presence, along with an expanding Border Patrol, has resulted in a 70 percent decrease in cross-border activity, the Headlight said.

But Moody told the paper he doesn't expect large numbers of would-be illegal immigrants lining up to make a run for the border when the Guard leaves. 

Since Operation Jump Start got started, the Deming Station has grown from 100 to 300 agents, said Moody, who added, "We receive new agents continually from the (Artesia) academy. They're continuing their training and orientation. We still have fencing going in. We're in a good position."

The federal operation, which sent Guard troops to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California to act as eyes and ears for the Border Patrol, and New Mexico's congressional delegation has asked for Operation Jump Start to continue so there can be a smoother transition to the Border Patrol alone, the Headlight reported.

Moody also said efforts to protect the border have received some unexpected help -- from the Mexican army, which has been sent to Palomas and other parts of northern Chihuahua state to deter drug-fueled violence along the border.

"The Mexican military has already made an impact," Moody told the Headlight. "Any time you have a ramped-up operation by Mexican authorities, it is certainly conducive to pushing activity out of the area."

While it's unknown how long Mexican troops will be on the border, one Palomas businessman has told the Headlight he expects it will be for about four months. 

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