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/
Obviously he must know he's lying. But how can people shamelessly lie like that? I don't know much about Ridge. Is he a RINO or a ball-less wimp?
I don't live near the Mexican border, but I read a lot of articles on FR about Muslims and Arabs coming in illegally.
Is Ridge trying to make us think he's telling the truth, or is it just the Big Lie technique?
He's also pretty whacked if he thinks everyone will buy his load.
The phrase "gutless gelding" would be appropriate.
"The best have lost all conviction
While the worst are full of passionate intensity."
Or words to that effect.
Johnnie, I frequently talk to the Border Patrol guys out there on the ground along the border, I am here to tell you Ridge is either uninformed, or lying.
Well it has to be asked.. How in the hell would he know since there's obviously noone watching a border that millions of illegals are crossing!??!
The lady you are referring to is Farida Ahmed. She is Pakastani. She was using a south African passport. She was convicted by a federal grand jury in Houston for being in the country illegally, altering her passport and lying to federal agents. Her trial is scheduled for October 10, a week and a half away.
It is hard for me to believe we are spending so much money on a federal grand jury and now a federal trial if she is not connected to terrorism. We also have to pay for her lawyer.
This will be an interesting trial as evidently one of these charges must be a felony to warrant such action. Is lying to the feds a felony? Is being in the country illegally a felony? Is altering your passport a felony? At least she had a passport which most illegals don't have.
IMO, if she gets jail time, you can bet she is connected to Al Quaeda. Otherwise, she should have been turned over to an immigration judge and deported.
Hopefully, all of you will keep an eye out for this trial. If I hear or see anything down here, I will let you know.
I honestly think Ridge is a good man who is playing a league or two beyond his game. He is a RINO ... but a strong Right-to-Life-Advocate. He is also a dummy who handed Pennsylvania to the Democrats on a silver platter.
Perhaps spore and broken twigs is not what you should be looking for.
You see, they can lie to us continually (see Ridge's comment above), but if you lie to them, they have every right to kill you if it suits their purposes.
Hey Tom! There's no sign of the tons of dope that come across either, you want to deny drugs aren't FLOWING ACROSS?
There simply aren't any words.
How about with enemies trying to take over a good portion of our country (IF not all), the Southwest, by inundating the citizens with illegal immigrants that BOTH partys seem to be pandering to.
In other news, if Al-Q wanted to come across the southern border...... They're already among us.
Thanks for your generous assessment of Ridge.
IMO, currently good intentions but being clueless will get us into worse trouble. There is no substitute for wisdom combined with courage.
You know what the path to hell is paved with.
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