Arizona to deploy National Guard troops to secure border
53 replies, posted
[QUOTE=USA Today]National Guard troops assigned to the Arizona border will begin to arrive Aug. 1, and the federal government is sending other reinforcements to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and narcotics entering the state, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said.
Napolitano announced that hundreds of additional Border Patrol agents and customs officers are being deployed to prowl the Arizona outback and operate inspection stations. She said Immigration and Customs Enforcement will open a new office in Ajo. And the Department of Homeland Security is sending a new team to Douglas.
"We are also reassigning major technology assets, including mobile surveillance systems, thermal-imaging binocular units, and trucks equipped with detection scopes, as well as observation and utility aircraft," Napolitano said in a guest column in Monday's Arizona Republic.
A government official, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to divulge details, said the secretary is assigning more than 300 Border Patrol agents and port inspectors to the Tucson Sector. In addition, 100 ICE personnel will be added statewide. The official said the staffing increases will result from personnel shifts and do not represent new positions.
He said six aircraft and dozens of mobile surveillance, thermal-imaging and other smuggling-detection devices also are being reassigned to the Tucson Sector.
This spring, the Obama administration announced its plan to deploy the National Guard soldiers. During a meeting with Brewer in June, administration officials said up to 1,200 troops would be assigned, with 524 of those operating in Arizona. They will be used primarily in port-screening operations and as criminal analysts.
The beefed-up enforcement is expected to begin just as Arizona implements a controversial new immigration law that is under assault in federal court on constitutionality grounds.
Napolitano's announcement also comes amid statewide political campaigns dominated by immigration-related issues, with Democrat and Republican leaders complaining about Arizona's status as a smuggling corridor.
Gov. Jan Brewer, Republican Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl, and Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords have been among the outspoken elected officials clamoring for heightened enforcement. Because Napolitano's announcement was provided to The Republic under an agreement to not publish a story until today, reaction from members of Congress, border sheriffs, immigrant-rights groups and others could not be immediately obtained.
Amid a national furor over illegal immigration and drug-cartel violence, the Obama administration has sought to demonstrate its commitment to border security by beefing up enforcement. At the same time, the president and Attorney General Eric Holder have advocated immigration reform and challenged the legality of Arizona's new law.
The law, scheduled to take effect July 29, makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally. It states that an officer engaged in a lawful stop, detention or arrest shall, when practicable, ask about a person's legal status when reasonable suspicion exists that the person is in the U.S. illegally.
Napolitano repeated previous assertions that the U.S.-Mexico border has become more secure, not less, in the past few years. "Despite what those looking to score political points may tell you, the numbers show we are moving in the right direction," she wrote. "Last year, illegal crossings along the Southwest border were down 23%.. .. And, by all measurable standards, crime levels in U.S. border towns have remained flat for most of the last decade."
However, Napolitano conceded that the Tucson Sector, which covers most of Arizona's southern flank, is a funnel point for human and drug smuggling because of heightened enforcement elsewhere along the border.
The administration is still seeking congressional approval for an additional $600 million to enhance Southwest border security: 1,000 new Border Patrol agents (500 in Arizona), 160 additional ICE agents (50 in Arizona), two unmanned aerial- detection systems and a dozen temporary teams of agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The House has approved funding; Senate consideration is pending.
Arizona's border with Mexico spans about 360 miles, with security fencing along 306 of those miles. About 17,000 Border Patrol agents are assigned in the Southwest, double the number of seven years ago. Arizona has nearly 10 agents for each mile of boundary with Sonora.[/QUOTE]
This is unneeded, Arizona.
I would hardly call it unneeded
Minefields are cheaper.
Fucking Great!
Not sarcasm.
How about they simplify immigration and let people become legal citizens/residents and get them to pay taxes
That'll help a lot more
Fighting illegal immigration at the border is pointless unless you are going for drugs...
Did you people even read the article? This is in cooperation with the federal government. I don't really agree with the Arizona law but there's nothing wrong with this.
[QUOTE=Murkrow;23479398]How about they simplify immigration and let people become legal citizens/residents and get them to pay taxes
That'll help a lot more[/QUOTE]
Why can't politicians be as smart as you.
Ugh, I hate politics sometimes.
[QUOTE=DamagePoint;23479498]Why can't politicians be as smart as you.
Ugh, I hate politics sometimes.[/QUOTE]
Because it's not as easy
Especially in democracy. Especially in bipartisanship where one party just shits on whatever the other suggests, no matter how good.
[QUOTE=Murkrow;23479576]Because it's not as easy
Especially in democracy. Especially in bipartisanship where one party just shits on whatever the other suggests, no matter how good.[/QUOTE]
No kidding, everything is so black and white in American politics. I wish the independents were voted for more often but that'll never happen.
This whole matter rolls deeper into the realms of idiocy every day.
Arizona is like our mini version of Australia.
America - The land of opportunity, if you can avoid the armed guards.
And even then you just provide cheap labour for a few years and get deported.
Clone t-rexes.
Put on border.
Illegal immigrant free America.
And I figure if you can get past those you deserve to like in the US.
[QUOTE=Murkrow;23479398]How about they simplify immigration and let people become legal citizens/residents and get them to pay taxes
That'll help a lot more[/QUOTE]
Did you know that people [i]actually CAN[/i] do this? These illegals can apply for citizenship any time they want, and become proud, tax-paying Americans.
Oh wait, but they don't want to do that because they're either too lazy, or don't want to pay taxes/have responsibility. The reason the illegal immigrants are such a problem is because they don't want to give back to America.
Good. If the Federal Government isn't going to do shit we'll do it for ourselves.
[editline]03:38PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=leadpumper;23480568]Did you know that people [I]actually CAN[/I] do this? These illegals can apply for citizenship any time they want, and become proud, tax-paying Americans.
Oh wait, but they don't want to do that because they're either too lazy, or don't want to pay taxes/have responsibility. The reason the illegal immigrants are such a problem is because they don't want to give back to America.[/QUOTE]
Wrong.
Even being the village idiot I can tell you that.
The problem with immigration is the fact it's a pain in the fucking ass to get into America. Want to know something though? America is considered easy with immigration. If you illegal immigrate to a country like Thailand they have the rights to kill you.
The main issue with the double I's is that they can't get opportunities across the border other then being thieves, pick pockets, drug horses... Why? Cause a good majority of states a long the border have a small handful of laws restricting anyone without citizenship to having any chance of getting a job. It's sickening really. They wish to come over, and become Americans but the huge problem is they can't come over without waiting 7-25 years or they could just jump the border, but have no form of opportunity in anything. I try to remain very midway on this subject, but that's the truth really.
No one really can get into America anymore, and hope for a life of prosperity.. America truly just can't supply the jobs, opportunities, or otherwise.
Uh, unneeded? A friend's neighbors turned up dead in the desert, killed because these guys wanted to steal their car while driving to Mexico.
[editline]04:00PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=Murkrow;23479398]How about they simplify immigration and let people become legal citizens/residents and get them to pay taxes
That'll help a lot more[/QUOTE]
It isn't the bloody fucking immigrants that are murdering people. That's why we're having [b]ARMED[/b] forces come to our aid.
[editline]04:02PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=leadpumper;23480568]Did you know that people [i]actually CAN[/i] do this? These illegals can apply for citizenship any time they want, and become proud, tax-paying Americans.
Oh wait, but they don't want to do that because they're either too lazy, or don't want to pay taxes/have responsibility. The reason the illegal immigrants are such a problem is because they don't want to give back to America.[/QUOTE]
Partially true but imigration is a long tedious process. It could take months to years.
Legalize and regulate drugs, and we won't have this problem. Republicans are fuck ups. Keeping drugs illegal like marijuana is just fueling the fire.
[QUOTE=JDK721;23481568] Republicans are fuck ups.[/QUOTE]
I love how you always manage to slip something like this into your statements. It's only the far right that doesn't like the idea of legalizing drugs, nearly everyone republican I know including myself are fine with legalizing marijuana.
Put robotic .50 calibers every 1000 feet along the border that shoot anything that enters the country through illicit routes.
Oh, and give the border troops RFID tags coded to keep them safe from said robotic guardians.
Illegal immigration goes down to nearly 0.
[QUOTE=dogmachines;23481640]I love how you always manage to slip something like this into your statements. It's only the far right that doesn't like the idea of legalizing drugs, nearly everyone republican I know including myself are fine with legalizing marijuana.[/QUOTE]
Most Republicans DO NOT support the legalization of drugs. Learn what they stand for please.
Illegal immigration gives us more than we lose. Most illegals pay taxes and don't get returns. 9 billion dollars a year from illegals in Arizona. The cheap labor and under-the-radar services provide for cheap efficiency. Sure, some people may lose their jobs or it may be harder to get some, but we wouldn't have any problems with this if we weren't damn hard to legally get into.
We practically fucked their country over anyhow, it's our fault, for a large chunk of issues. First with our cold war political influence, the officials we supplied, aided, and fucked over. Then our private industry moves down there, feeds off the corruption and exploitation and makes shit even worse.
I love how Americans are the first to bolster how great our nation is and the first to be xenophobic and hateful of all others once they step foot in our country. For a nation built of immigrants, based around freedom, equality, and potential success for all, we sure have a shitty way of showing it all.
Continue to build your Berlin Wall, federal government and Arizona. See where it gets you. The more we outlaw immigration, the harder we make it, the more immigrants will become outlaws. You see you drug rates, murders, and the like go up, but it's your own actions that are causing it to increase- as border defense increases, demand for guns, drugs, and border hopping does too.
[QUOTE=the_KMM;23482011]Put robotic .50 calibers every 1000 feet along the border that shoot anything that enters the country through illicit routes.
Oh, and give the border troops RFID tags coded to keep them safe from said robotic guardians.
Illegal immigration goes down to nearly 0.[/QUOTE]
Yes, let's just shoot everyone for crossing the border.
You're a terrible person.
[QUOTE=JDK721;23482052]Most Republicans DO NOT support the legalization of drugs. Learn what they stand for please.[/QUOTE]
Drug laws aren't exactly a cornerstone of the republican party. The far right, once again, is where this comes from. Moderate republicans and right-leaning independents (AKA the majority of the party and its voters) don't share this view.
[QUOTE=JDK721;23482066]Yes, let's just shoot everyone for crossing the border.
You're a terrible person.[/QUOTE]
Hey, you risk being shot if you cross the border illegally into Mexico. I like the concept.
[QUOTE=dogmachines;23482144]Drug laws aren't exactly a cornerstone of the republican party. The far right, once again, is where this comes from. Moderate republicans and right-leaning independents (AKA the majority of the party and its voters) don't share this view.[/QUOTE]
Yes, they do share that view. 90% of the republican party in the House and Senate, and in state legislatures fight against drug laws.
[QUOTE=the_KMM;23482155]Hey, you risk being shot if you cross the border illegally into Mexico. I like the concept.[/QUOTE]
The Mexican government is quite hypocritical when it comes to the issue of illegal immigration.
[QUOTE=the_KMM;23482155]Hey, you risk being shot if you cross the border illegally into Mexico. I like the concept.[/QUOTE]
Not sure which is worse, killing them just for crossing or not enforcing the laws.
[QUOTE=dogmachines;23482144]Drug laws aren't exactly a cornerstone of the republican party.[/QUOTE]
every single 2008 election candidate was for the war on drugs
these are the people that registered republicans voted as their candidates
unless you count ron paul
[QUOTE=thisispain;23482294]every single 2008 election candidate was for the war on drugs
these are the people that registered republicans voted as their candidates
unless you count ron paul[/QUOTE]
Not sure whether to count him or not. But seeing as support for the war on drugs is slipping (down the side of a fucking mountain) the actual voters are not for it as much as they were.
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