Posted on 03/05/2004 4:18:04 PM PST by yonif
EL PASO, Texas - The head of the U.S. Border Patrol on Friday promised more officers with better training and access to technology on the nation's Southwest border, but said that doesn't mean militarization.
"With militarization, you're looking at tanks, aircraft and bombs," said Gus De La Vina, U.S. Border Patrol chief, in an interview. "We're not in that mode by any stretch of the imagination. We have a law enforcement mission."
However, De La Vina said more officers will receive combat-style training, cooperation with National Guard units will be increased and use of technology will be expanded.
"We do need to be armed," De La Vina said. "It's a dangerous border."
De La Vina, who was in El Paso to talk to staff, said the patrol's priority is to detect terrorist activities. No terrorists or evidence of weapons of mass destruction have been intercepted by Border Patrol officers on the Southwest border.
De La Vina said problems with access to a comprehensive FBI fingerprint data base are a concern, but added that there still are ways to detect known criminals and terrorists. A recent Department of Justice report said the problems mean thousands who could be prosecuted or detained as security risks might be returned to their home countries, free to try to re-enter the United States.
The FBI's fingerprint database contains some 43 million 10-finger sets of known criminals' prints. Ten-finger sets are considered superior because police often find only a single print at a crime scene.
Although Border Patrol agents can check detained people against the FBI's database now, the process is slow, and the agents must select who will be checked.
De La Vina said there are about 30 stations with access to the FBI database on the Southwest border now, a number that soon will be expanded. He said the problems will be fixed sooner than the four years anticipated in the report.
De La Vina said there was no spike in apprehensions of illegal immigrants that could be traced to the announcement of President Bush's guest worker proposal.
A survey done by Border Patrol officers of immigrants arrested for illegally entering the country indicated many were encouraged by the announcement.
"We did a survey that unfortunately was publicized," De La Vina said. "Once it becomes public, it becomes compromised."
Gloria Chavez, a Border Patrol spokeswoman, said there was a spike in apprehensions at the time, but that it was nationwide and attributed to a seasonal cycle. She said the survey was canceled and no results were tabulated.
"There are people in Mexico, especially the smugglers, who will want to take advantage of this," De La Vina said, explaining that they often misrepresent details of the proposed program to entice people to cross.
De La Vina said there has been some friction as the Department of Homeland Security absorbed the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Customs and the Border Patrol, changing some of the agencies' roles. He said the problems are minor, mostly jurisdictional issues related to narcotics cases.
"Change comes hard," said Luis Barker, the Border Patrol's El Paso Sector chief. "There are no great issues. Cooperation is the key."
All it'll take is one terrorist slipping across the border and creating havoc, Deputy Dawg, and you'll see how fast your ass is displaced by a tank.
"MODE?" What mode? Mode he says . .
Tell "MODE" to the people down in Cochise Country, Arizona . .
What a pile of sh*t! I am sick and tired of leftspeak.
I don't think so, Wasnington won't even acknowledge the Mexican Military incursions into this country, one terrorist slipping through will be covered up.
But you should be. Your job is to protect this country!
Clinton-speak. Maybe there was no spike in apprehensions, but, there was a spike in crossings.
Ah HA! Simple solution, just plant a couple million land mines and we're done. I think the "bombs" they're referring to are those that drop from aircraft.
Why? Feds can shoot worth a DAMN. Oh yeah, I forgot, rattlesnakes don't shoot back.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.