Posted on 08/12/2005 5:23:40 PM PDT by 4.1O dana super trac pak
COLUMBUS, N.M. (AP) - Gov. Bill Richardson on Friday declared an emergency in four New Mexico counties along the border, an action that lets him free up money to be spent on everything from fighting drug smuggling to fencing a livestock yard.
The executive order, issued after Richardson toured the area around Columbus, makes $750,000 immediately available to Dona Ana, Luna, Grant and Hidalgo counties. He pledged an additional $1 million.
The money will aid state and area law enforcement efforts, fund a field office for the state Office of Homeland Security and help build a fence to protect a Columbus-area livestock yard where a number of cattle have been killed or stolen.
Richardson's declaration said law enforcement officials have used all available resources to help with border security. But those efforts haven't alleviated the situation, which he said "constitutes an emergency condition with potentially catastrophic consequences."
"Recent developments have convinced me this action is necessary _ including violence directed at law enforcement, damage to property and livestock, increased evidence of drug smuggling and an increase in the number of undocumented immigrants," he said.
He also ordered the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to work with the state Livestock Board to assess the safety of livestock in the region.
The funds include nearly $50,000 for an 11-foot, razor wire-topped security fence around the stockyards. It will replace a shorter, barbed-wire fence that Richardson said "is so full of holes and gaps that trucks and people can cross with no control."
The new fence will help prevent cattle from Mexico straying across the border, officials said.
"We don't want contagious diseases to contaminate our food supply and disrupt our agricultural economy," Richardson said in a statement before his trip.
Daniel Manzanares, executive director of the Livestock Board, said at least 100 cattle from Mexico have been found in the area. The agency hasn't traced any outbreaks of disease to Mexican cattle, but Manzanares said he suspects some have carried bovine tuberculosis into New Mexico.
The current state of the stockyard fence means people have been able to illegally enter the country as well.
"We definitely have concerns about biosecurity and agroterrorism," said Tim Manning, New Mexico's homeland security adviser.
-ping-
He's just getting situated for a run at the White House in '08 seeing as how Hitlary won;t be running. ;-)
I don't care if it's a political ploy or not, it needs doing. It may be the result of pressure from the people of his state.
I clearly remember him shouting "Viva La Raza" at a rally.
I wonder what he is up to?
Already posted, but I guess the "true conservatives" will now be on the chinagate figure, monica interviewer, pro-gay marriage, anti 2nd amendment, bill richardson bandwagon.
Probably taking a beating from the pro law and order crowd. The open border anarchists are noisy but insignificant.
I don't care what his motivation might be.......someone if FINALLY doing something about our second-worst crisis situation, so I say, "Go, man......and may you inspire those totally pathetic governors of Arizona, Texas, and California to follow suit!!"
Yo, Billy! Instead of protecting cattle, how about protecting the people of NM by building that fence at the border.
Not much with less than $2 million to be spread out so thinly. Remember, he gave sanctuary to the Texas Demwitted Senators who ran out on their duties last year. He's not to be trusted. This is just a lot of hot air to get his name in the paper.
Thanks Dane. Duplicate thread:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1462341/posts
Moving somewhat in synch with Hillary.
Hillary Clinton/Bill Richardson. Tough on Immigration.
"After eight years of dangerous and wide open borders under Bush, we will institute border sanity for our national security."
"We can't be racist; Bill Richardson is Mexican American. And as a border state governor, who knows better how to solve these problems?"
</sarc>
Yeah, I can't believe he is sincere about this. The justification has been there for years.
Why now?
Sounds political but is a step in the right direction, even if its a baby step.
RNC take notice.
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