The Reaper's Line: Life and Death on the Mexican Border

As a 19 year veteran of the Border Patrol, with my first 10 years in Douglas, AZ I can say for a fact that the book is completely true. I was there! For the Record I do know Mr. Morgan very well. These events actually happened, occasionaly I was involved also. Other reviewers may doubt the authencity I don't. As for putting the USBP in a bad light, maybe maybe not. We get what we deserve. I find no fault with Lee on this. He did not portray all BP agents as inept nor did he portray all Customs agents saintly. The truth is the truth. Great Book

After hearing about this book, I immediately ordered it to read about life along the border in SE Arizona. I found the book to be a very good read. However, I wasn't necessarily pleased about the author's broadbrushed description of the Border Patrol. Like all law enforcement agencies, there are "bad apples" that tarnish the reputation of others. This shouldn't take away from the many "good" people who bust their butts everyday as agents.

Most of us have only vague notions about what goes on at the border between the United States and Mexico. I had no idea how violent, dangerous, and corrupt it is. The author of this book, Lee Morgan II, is a retired Special Agent who spent his career fighting the drug traffic in and around Douglas, Arizona. His tales will shock and amaze you. Yet, you will also get frustrated and angry that our government (at all levels) is either not serious or unendingly inept in dealing with the issues at our border. Morgan lays out how officials of the Mexican government and its military are deeply involved in protecting and even running the drug trade. He shows us the corrupt officials on both sides of the border and how he some on the American side came to justice and how others continue to avoid conviction and punishment for their crimes. The story includes crazy chases and wild gun battles as well as patient and detailed investigations. However, I felt the most frustration and even anger at the careerists who thought more of advancement than getting their job done, of politicians on the take, and others who were more interested in all manner of issues than securing our border with Mexico and cutting off the drug trade. Many simply throw up their hands in the face of the tidal waves of drugs coming in. After all, they must say to themselves, if Americans want these drugs nothing can stop this flow, so why pay the price to try and end up failing. Easier to fail in a way that makes one look good, huh? While this is a book of non-fiction, the stories share are the stuff of action movies (although I think they are better told in these pages than Hollywood would end up portraying them on screen). The language is pretty rough, but sounds pretty much as if it is Lee Morgan's normal speech. Maybe, rough as it is, it is even toned down a bit. Even so, it is very much worth reading. So, I overlooked the swearing. I haven't found anyone in the media, anywhere, sharing the truth as it is told here. It is as if the media, the politicians, and others all want us to not understand what is happening. This is especially so because the vast majority want the border secured. If the stuff in these pages were actually explained publicly, that the drug problem and political corruption are MUCH worse than the millions of illegals streaming in, public opinion would catch fire and force the politicians to shut the border down. I hope it happens. So, I say, get and read this book. Educate yourself, and then get on your politicians and don't let go until they do the right things. Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI Another book you might want to read on a related subject: The Deporter: One Agent's Struggle Against the U.S. Government's Refusal to Expel Criminal Aliens

"The Reaper's Line" is not only an eye-opener; a revelation, but a thought-provoking true story about law enforcement on the border as well. The author's style of writing makes the reader feel as if he or she is sitting on a rocking chair in front of Lee Morgan II, the author. Literally speaking, he sits opposite the reader on a rocking chair, as well, telling his story as he whittles away a piece of wood. However, his story has long been carved. Lee Morgan II is a former Marine Vietnam Veteran. The experiences in Vietnam landed him a job with the US government. The author received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart during his military service. He received many awards for outstanding achievement during his 31-years as a federal law enforcement official with the Department of Justice, the US Treasury Department, Border Patrol, Custom's Office, and Homeland Security. The author used the expertise he learned in Vietnam during his tenure as an undercover Custom's officer. The Vietnam experiences helped him stomach the animalistic atrocities performed by the corrupt Mexican police and Mexican corrupt Army and the drug cartels. The gut-wrenching, vile, repulsive, and abominable acts done against drug runners, and informants, when they were arrested, and their drug loads were seized by the Border Patrol and Custom's Officers makes the reader want to throw up. The author presents the reader with facts about the unbelievable corruption, not only on the Mexican side of the border, but with lawmaking and supposedly, law-managing officials on the American side as well. These officials included a chief of police, a judge, prominent members of the community, and even some of the authors' co-workers who could not resist the temptation of easy, dirty money. The readers' stomach will turn on finding out, firsthand about all the inhumane atrocities and how badly corruption runs amok and out of control on both sides of the border. Even though, most of the authors' story deals with the drug enforcement efforts and the constant interference of REMF'S who sit on their plush offices in Washington, D.C., the author also deals extensively with the current problem of illegal aliens (REMF's is an acronym for words that cannot be printed here). The reader will be well-informed, and become less misconceived and ill-conceived about that everlasting human problem of the illegal alien, which at times the author presents it as being humane, compassionate, caring, kind and gentle as well. Nevertheless, as the author says, "The law is the law and must be enforced." The reader will know that despite the horrible corruption, on both ends of the border, the greater percentage of Untied Stated of America men and women in uniform who solemnly swear to keep justice and the law, do so honorably. As the author, Lee Morgan II did for 31 years. "The Reaper's Line is a must read for all Americans concerned with the illegal alien problem and Homeland Security. A f

Having lived with the problems of a border community for years, it is refreshing to see the problem brought to light, removed from the shadows of politics and media hype. This story clearly shows how certain governmental agencies are playing "games" with number and budgets with little or no concern for the impact on the citizen. The citizens of both country are caught in the crossfire. Read the book -- It is outstanding!