Several Texas Congressmen are quietly circulating a proposal to approve 'deputized civilians' as an auxiliary to the U.S. Border Patrol, 1200 WOAI news reported today.
Posted on 08/11/2005 1:13:41 PM PDT by Happy2BMe
Border Patrol "Civilian Auxiliary" Proposed
Several Texas Congressmen are quietly circulating a proposal to approve 'deputized civilians' as an auxiliary to the U.S. Border Patrol, 1200 WOAI news reported today.
The so called "Border Protection Corps" would consist of volunteers who go through a background check and receive training, and would then accompany Border Patrol officers as they search for illegal aliens and drug activity.
"These would be volunteers who go through training, don't have a criminal background, who don't use firearms, and who would serve in a backup capacity to the Border Patrol," said U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), who is one of the backers of the proposal.
The chief sponsor, U.S. Rep John Culberson (R-Texas) compares the Border Protection Corps with the posses which brought in criminals in the days of the western frontier.
Smith says it would make sure that volunteer groups like the Minutemen who have begun border monitoring operations do so legally and receive some training.
"Basically, I think it's just born out of the frustration on the part of a lot of people that we're not doing all we can to secure our borders," Smith said.
The head of the U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security has made a similar suggestion, which was immediately rejected by DHS officials.
Smith and Culberson say civilians who are approved for the Border Protection Corps would be 'deputized' and would provide observation and support to uniformed Border Patrol officers. They would not be allowed to make arrests.
Several Texas Congressmen are quietly circulating a proposal to approve 'deputized civilians' as an auxiliary to the U.S. Border Patrol, 1200 WOAI news reported today.
Sounds like a ride along program like cops sometimes do with teenagers.
"Sounds like a ride along program cops do with teenagers"
Yep and I believe it is mean't to gut any drive or wiilingness to do Minuteman-like operations outside of the perview of the government.
I think this is a terrific idea! There are a lot of concerned citizens out there who would volunteer their time to go watch the border, especially if it was sanctioned. Give all those old retired geezers something interesting to do. :)
MMP isn't' going away - and it is not about to lie down with the coyotes either.
I think the Texas Congressmen should keep out of this..Before you know it they will be taking the credit for any and everything the Minutemen are doing..And all these great men are doing is protecting our borders from the wet backs and terrorist crossing over..
Good idea, but if they have submitted to a backgroung check, why not arm them.
The reason the mess is in the shape it is in is because of their cowardly DO-NOTHING policies.
The gig is up and they know it. Every one of them knows it.
MANY PD's have Reserve Officer programs.
Volunteers receive all regular training, and serve as back-up to otherwise unaccompanied officers. "Explorer" programs are provided for interested youth volunteers. Often older civilians also serve in office as unarmed volunteer dispatchers and paperwork handlers, in order to keep more officers on the streets.
Police work is ultimately a community effort, and these programs build support and important bonds for everyone.
This is a great idea, if they can get past all the political hubris surrounding the issue.
ping
This leaves me out.
When yer going to a gun fight make sure you take a gun. Or two.
Or three.
There is no other way . .
WTF is up with that?
BP Auxiliary Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
I don't agree with this proposal...The Minutemen are legal, whether there's a hundred or a million of 'em...
We don't want the gov't sticking their fingers into the pie and putting restrictions on the numbers or how they operate...
George Bush calls them vigilantes...We certainly don't want the Minutemen answering to Bush...
BTTT
By that I mean the Texas Governor would have to be forced into it, whether they agreed politically or not with the action and that would mean they would lose large votes from the Hispanic sector (the largest voting block in not just Texas, but the entire country as a whole).
These are political facts. It would be a huge risk for the governor to back said action.
For example, as governor, George W. Bush stood firm against illegal immigration. But in his role as President, his position changed to one of complacency:
"This is disturbing, because, like you, I am against illegal immigration.
* * *
* * *
This brings us full circle back to the primary reason why the borders under the current form of government is having such difficulty controlling and reducing the flood of illegal alien immigration from Mexico - mainly politics.
In short, political empire building is taking precedence over the general best interest of the nation as a whole and threatens to undermine the future of the United States in the form it is now recognized in.
H2
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