Posted on 09/29/2004 4:11:57 PM PDT by Bald Eagle777
Ridge: No sign of terrorists trying to cross border
Associated Press
NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) -Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Monday that he's seen no sign of terrorist efforts to cross the U.S.-Mexico border, and that the United States is not going to start militarizing it.
``We have a long tradition with our friends to the north and south. We're very fortunate that we've never had to assign military to our borders, and we're not going to start that now,'' Ridge said. ``We don't militarize our borders with friends.''
Ridge said that he had seen nothing from any intelligence sources suggesting that terrorists have tried to cross ``this border, this port of entry or any area close to it.''
Ridge, in Nogales to announce two high-tech lanes for cutting waiting times for commercial trucks at the port of the entry here, said the country has made dramatic progress at its ports of entry.
He said the country has also made significant progress between them in boosting security since the Sept. 11 attacks.
``No one is saying it's a fail-safe system,'' he said. ``No one is saying we don't have more work to do.''
But he said the country is safer, that apprehensions of illegal immigrants are up significantly along the Mexican border and that work is continuing to make the situation safer still.
``This is a safer community, but this has been building up. It didn't get done with the Bush administration,'' said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada, who's a Democrat.
Estrada said that since 1995, the Border Patrol has added resources and infrastructure, increasing the number of agents from fewer than 100 to around 500 now, and secured the border with more secure fencing.
``That has made a big difference,'' said Estrada, noting that there had been out-of-control, cross-border crime until the Border Patrol started beefing up and recognizing the problems that communities like Nogales face.
Asked about civilian groups patrolling the border, Ridge said they should leave matters to law enforcement officers who put their lives at risk every day.
Ridge also touted construction of two FAST lanes, standing for Free and Secure Trade, at the port of entry west of Nogales.
The lanes allow for advance clearance of trucks enrolled in the program carrying known low-risk shipments.
Trucking companies, trucks and drivers enrolled in the program use window decals and FAST commercial driver ID cards that are scanned by a reading device, and a Customs and Border Protection officer verifies approval provided on a computer screen.
Manufacturers or producers enrolled in the program are part of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, while truck companies must meet security standards and background checks assure the truck drivers have clearance for the program.
The first such lane was dedicated last December in El Paso, which subsequently added a second lane. Others lanes are operating in Laredo and Hidalgo, Texas.
Other FAST lanes are planned at Otay Mesa and Calexico, Calif., and Brownsville, Texas.
On the Net:
Department of Homeland Security: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/
Um .... "other than Mexicans?" Get a clue you bureaucrat!
SO the first terrorist attack in this country that happens because they came across one of our porous borders I will personally hold Ridge and all the illegal supporting politicians responsible. Not that I don't already hold them responsible for the cost to the American Taxpayer for these illegals already.
"...he has seen no sign..."
Is he playing Sergeant Schultz part or maybe just looking in the wrong direction?
Surely Ridge isn't that stupid.
This must mean that they are already here, ready to vote.
Phew, what a relief!
Let's see...Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican American War...never is a fairly strong word.
We don't militarize our borders with friends<---Laws are for who?
``We have a long tradition with our friends to the north and south. We're very fortunate that we've never had to assign military to our borders, and we're not going to start that now,'' Ridge said. ``We don't militarize our borders with friends.''
Friends? Really?
Completely clueless. Rep. John Culberson of Texas has stated that the US Attorney there has told him that they have stopped those from "hostile" countries at the Mexican border. They must have identified themselves as janitors not terrorists.
Ok here we go. The EXPERT, the guy who has access to far more information the a Wacko Congressman, Talk Radio hosts and hard right pundits is going to be pillored because he DOESN'T agree with the deranged paranoia of the Hard Right ranters.
Don't you people pause for even a second to think that maybe Ridge has it right and the Hard Right Ranters like Tancraddeo, Savage and Buchannan are the clueless ones?
God help us.
wtf ...
If you really belive what you say, I hate to say it but you are just as clueless as Ridge seems to be.
I feel sorry for people that are blinded by what they want to be true.
God help us when a terrorist attack happens and we discover they crossed to border from Mexico because Bush will have NO ANSWERS AND NO OUT.
/end this particular rant
Ridge is a friggin' moron, but this comes from a one issue conservative.(immigration=borders). It's going to take a major assault originating from the South for Ridge to remove his head from where the sun don't shine.
(((::GOPer-Company line:::))), IMO.
Fifteen million (give or take a few million) illegal aliens running around this country scot-free collecting welfare checks, voting, getting free health care, getting drivers licenses, getting their kids born as American citizens, paying no taxes, taking millions of American jobs, sending billions of dollars back home via USPS money orders, bringing in billions of dollars in drugs, forming thousands of criminal gangs and flooding our prison systems must be as invisible to them as it is to our fatuous Federal Government.
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