El Pasoans tell Demos border is not secure

El Paso Times ^ | June 25, 2003 | Sergio Bustos

[FITZ]

WASHINGTON -- Congress is shortchanging West Texas on money for homeland security needs and is ignoring the potential for terrorism along the U.S.-Mexico border, two top El Paso officials told Democratic House lawmakers Tuesday.

Lt. Ray Resendez III, of the El Paso City-County Office of Emergency Management, and El Paso Police Chief Carlos Leon were among a dozen-plus officials from across the country to testify before the House Democratic Task Force on Homeland Security.

The task force, which has no legislative authority, was created by Democrats to push for more federal spending on homeland security and to monitor the White House's efforts on the issue.

Resendez said El Paso is a "soft target" for potential terrorists who might slip across the U.S.-Mexico border from Juárez.

"A terrorist event on either side of the border will have a serious impact," he said.

Leon told lawmakers he could not afford to fill 230 vacancies on his 1,349-member force because of homeland security costs.

He said that his department spent $39,000 a week on expanded police protection during the latest orange alert and that his officers routinely help federal authorities at ports of entry. "Local law enforcement should be reimbursed for the costs of providing these services," Leon said.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, said the testimony of both El Paso officials is critical to helping Congress understand the financial stress that local communities face in meeting the demands of homeland security.

"Border communities ... provide a unique perspective on emergency preparedness and need to be heard," he said.

Sergio Bustos may be reached at sbustos@gns.gannett.com

[FITZ]

Bush doesn't want to close the border because it might offend a hispanic ---but now some hispanics complain to democrats that the border is too open.

[templar]

Congress is shortchanging West Texas on money for homeland security needs and is ignoring the potential for terrorism along the U.S.-Mexico border, two top El Paso officials told Democratic House lawmakers Tuesday.

Hmmmm... Wonder why? Oh, well it's the Republicans doing it so it must be OK; the right thing to do. No need to trouble our little minds about it.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

The task force, which has no legislative authority, was created by Democrats to push for more federal spending on homeland security and to monitor the White House's efforts on the issue.

If a democrat comes along promising to close the border and enforce immigration laws he might stand a chance of winning nationally. I would never believe he'd actually do it, too many votes crossing that border. The party is more than willing to sacrifice towns like El Paso for the common cause.

[FITZ]

And the biggest irony of all ---it would be many hispanics voting for secure borders and lowered illegal immigration ----Bush would lose the very votes he's trying to get by having open borders.

[FITZ]

If a democrat comes along promising to close the border and enforce immigration laws he might stand a chance of winning nationally.

That's exactly how Silvestre Reyes got into Congress and was elected by an mostly hispanic district ----he was over border patrol and put Operation Blockade and Operation Hold the Line into place. He became very popular with the locals who want the border to be controlled. Bush thinks that all hispanics are in favor of uncontrolled immigration and that really isn't the case.

[Risa]

>>Bush doesn't want to close the border because it might offend a Hispanic ---but now some Hispanics complain to democrats that the border is too open.<<

Absolutely. The Bush administration DOES NOT want the borders closed. But not because he fears offending a few Hispanics. In response to a powerful coalition of business interests, Bush and the Republicans practice an extreme form of free-trade THEORY, called libertarian economics. He needs a lot of cheap foreign labor if our country is to compete in his radical libertarian world. That's why he won't stop the flow of illegals, and that's why he and Congress continue to import hundreds of thousands of H1-B workers to replace our own citizens.

Bush and Congress know that the American populace is extremely anxious about his open border policy--so he employs a "Visibility Strategy" to give the appearance of control (Clinton did this, too), so we will think they are "doing something." (big spotlights at the border, a triple-layer fence south of San Diego.) They stage friendly media events such as INS raids on meat factories for our benefit. The reasons they do this are self-interest--they want to be re-elected. (see reference below for "visibility strategy.")

Reference: Andreas, Peter (1998) “The Escalation of US Immigration Control in the Post-NAFTA Era,”Political science quarterly 113, 4:591

[FITZ]

called libertarian economics

It's a weird form of libertarianism though because at the same the government is paying to provide a living for all the low-skilled NAFTA displaced workers ---many who are immigrants and could return to their native country. Social program spending is higher than ever ---so it seems to be a mix of Socialism and Free-trade Libertarianism.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

That's exactly how Silvestre Reyes got into Congress and was elected by an mostly hispanic district ----he was over border patrol and put Operation Blockade and Operation Hold the Line into place.

Yeah I remember when he started Operation Blockade and Hold the Line, they have been very effective at slowing illegal immigration at those points of entry. That style of enforcement needs to be implemented throughout the border. More barriers, technology and personnel, the sooner the better.