Immigration enforcement

Washington Times OP/ED ^ | 6/16/06 | Michael Chertoff

[garbageseeker]

Bump

[Tammy8]

I did not claim to have perfect knowledge of anything - My first post to you was critical of the media that doesn't know the difference between illegals crossing and apprehensions, not critical of you for posting it. I read one of the articles that had the info about the drop. The reporter throughout the article kept mixing up crossers with apprehensions, which are not the same. The reason it is important to know the difference is because Border Patrol higher ups have been known to change operations in the field to lighten up or toughen up on apprehensions so the numbers will come out the way they want. It is a numbers game, just as it is when they talk about numbers deported. The way they play with the numbers they are meaningless. There is no way to know for sure if there are more or less crossing, or why because the truth is they don't really want anyone to know.

I don't claim to know about the whole border, and have always posted what is happening in my area. It is just annoying when so many posters that seem to have all the answers about the border don't live anywhere near it. For you to say there was probably really a 40% drop in crossers is nonsense and that is what tipped me off that you are no where near the border. Sure enough when I checked I saw that you are in NY. I am glad you have an interest in the border issues, every one in America should have an interest, but surely you realize you can not really know what is going on here from just the media or politicians. I would never think I could possibly know what is going on any where in NY as well as you do.

The border did not get this bad overnight, it has been several years getting this way, it will not be fixed overnight by anyone. The media wants everyone to believe putting the National Guard here has already solved the problems of the open border and it is just not true. I am not sure why the big deal over the National Guard being on the border, that is smoke and mirrors. The National Guard has been helping BP on the border for many years, it is not a new thing at all. The truth is the additional NG on the border has not been here long enough for anyone to know what the effect will be.

I could give a daily update- but it would not mean a whole lot either- unless of course the traffic actually stops. The area I live has little enforcement even now, so if the border is tightened in other areas we will see more illegal traffic, not less. We can always tell if what is happening in TX or AZ is effective because they are essentially funneled through here and we will see a huge increase in traffic. I have noticed an increase in illegal crossers in the last 2 months, and have posted that. I noticed the increased traffic when the Senate was debating their bill, the illegals were hurrying in for expected citizenship. It is amazing that our officials even discussing legalizing the illegals will cause a flood, but it does.

These are the reasons I have always promoted securing the border first before even discussing what to do with illegals already here. If the border is not secure no plan will work anyway, because every plan calls for some to be deported that do not qualify for what ever system we implement. Without a secure border those deported simply come right back.

[AFPhys]

Thanks for your polite response to my rather ascerbic, intentionally, comment.

For my bona fides: I grew up in Niagara Falls, NY ... right on the border with Canada, and spend a good deal of time near another Canada-US (rural) border area, too. While in the AF, I was in Del Rio for over a year of pilot training, and witnessed the border situation in TX. This has been a concern of mine for well over a decade.

I first phoned the Bush White House four years ago and engaged in a 25minute conversation about immigration policy, and how I believed President Bush could improve our borders. I expressed my concern about parts of their proposal. However, I must state in addition, that it was completely consistent with the proposal of candidate Bush 'way back in 1999, and probably before that --- he's never lied to us about his thoughts regarding border issues, and has been consistent. During campaign 2000 I wrote many times on this forum that this issue was going to be something we would have to hammer Congress on in order provide the proper checks/balances on Pres.Bush and it was about the only issue I had to disagree with his positions.

I'm not a johnny come lately to this issue, at all.

The thing that has me most concerned right now is how we (conservatives) are not working together on this issue, and instead are being critical of any attempt being made by this administration. They have been swayed in the proper direction. It is yet another issue they are trying to tackle that ought to have been worked on during the 'Toons' administration, but was predictably neglected. As you just stated, the border didn't get this bad overnight, and fixing it is going to take a bundle of energy, approaches, and time - so we need to be patient, and accept the victories we can get, stop caterwaulling about how it's not fixed in a half hour, and continue to apply pressure on the President and the Congress to get it done right.