Posted on 08/22/2005 8:13:48 AM PDT by Happy2BMe
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Culberson Introduces Border Protection Corps Act of 2005 |
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Today, U.S. Representative John Culberson and 47 original cosponsors introduced H.R. 3622 to create the Border Protection Corps made up of citizen volunteers working as sworn law enforcement officers under the command of the Governors of the border States and working “in cooperation with State and local law enforcement officials…and the United States Border Patrol.” Border Protection Corps operations and the costs of detaining, housing and transporting foreign nationals taken into custody by the Corps or by state and local law enforcement would be paid for using the $6.8 billion in Homeland Security first responder funds that have been sitting unspent and untouched in the U. S. Treasury for over two years. The Border Protection Corps Act invokes Congress’s power under Article I, Section 8 of the U. S. Constitution to “provide for calling forth…organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia… to execute the Laws of the Union,” which H.R. 3622 defines as “patrolling and defending the international border” of the United States “in order to prevent individuals from crossing the international border…at any location other than an authorized port of entry.”
Congressman Culberson said, “H.R. 3622 is necessary because federal authorities do not have the manpower or the resources to protect America's international borders, and we now have sworn testimony by top federal law enforcement officials that potential terrorists from countries with known Al Qaeda connections are entering the United States in significant numbers by assuming false Hispanic identities and hiding among the flood of illegal immigrants pouring across our southern border. “Extremely violent and dangerous criminal gangs like MS-13 and drug smugglers are also crossing our southern borders in growing numbers, and lawlessness in the area around Nuevo Laredo has grown so severe their Chief of Police was shot dead. “9/11 deputized all Americans, but not all Americans can serve in our military or join the FBI or Homeland Security and fight the war on terror in the front lines. H.R. 3622 enables law-abiding American citizens to help defend our country as a member of a lawful militia force organized into a modern neighborhood watch border patrol program under the direct control of the State's governor and working in close cooperation with State and Federal law enforcement authorities. “America's best defense against terrorists trying to sneak into our country is to trust the good hearts and the good sense of American citizens who have stepped up over and over again since the days of Lexington and Concord to protect their neighborhoods and their country by filling every breach in our national security as members of the militia until federal authorities could come forward to relieve them.” H.R. 3622 states that Border Protection Corps members “shall include only United States citizens with no criminal history and no history of mental illness.” Corps members must “take an oath to uphold the laws and Constitution of the United States and of the State… and shall have the right to keep and bear arms… [and can] use any means and any force authorized by state law to prevent individuals from unlawfully entering United States [or] to take into custody individuals who have so entered the United States.” H.R. 3622 would only take effect in those border States whose Governors call for volunteers to serve, and eligible citizens from any State in the Union can serve in the Border Protection Corps of that State. The Governor who called for volunteers to serve must follow State law “to equip, train, discipline, and otherwise control the operation of such militia forces in defense of the international borders of the United States…” Foreign nationals entering the United States illegally who are taken into custody by the Border Protection Corps or by State or local law enforcement authorities must be “promptly delivered to a federal law enforcement authority.” The foreign national cannot be released in the United States but must be removed to the country from which they entered the U.S., but “only after federal law enforcement authorities are fully satisfied that each individual so removed is not a violent or dangerous criminal, a terrorist or a potential terrorist, in which case that individual shall be prosecuted in the United States to the fullest extent provided by law.” Original Cosponsors: Todd Akin, Roscoe Bartlett, Henry Bonilla, Henry Brown, Michael Burgess, Dan Burton, John Carter, Barbara Cubin, Jo Ann Davis, Nathan Deal, John Doolittle, John Duncan, Scott Garrett, Louie Gohmert, Virgil Goode, Gil Gutknecht, Ralph Hall, JD Hayworth, Wally Herger, Ernest Istook, Sam Johnson, Walter Jones, Ron Lewis, Michael McCaul, Patrick McHenry, Kenny Marchant, John Mica, Jeff Miller, Sue Myrick, Charlie Norwood, Butch Otter, Mike Pence, Joe Pitts, Ted Poe, Tom Price, Mike Rogers (AL), Dana Rohrabacher, Ed Royce, Joe Schwarz, Mike Simpson, Lamar Smith, John Sullivan, Tom Tancredo, Zach Wamp, Lynn Westmoreland, Joe Wilson, Don Young Text of H.R. 3622 |
Deputize American citizens to enforce existing law - a historically tried and proven solution.
When up against the wall by crime waves in the past, deputized Americans were the only solution.
History repeats itself. This one looks like it is going to fly - in spite of the OBL.
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Congressman Culberson said, “H.R. 3622 is necessary because federal authorities do not have the manpower or the resources to protect America's international borders, and we now have sworn testimony by top federal law enforcement officials that potential terrorists from countries with known Al Qaeda connections are entering the United States in significant numbers by assuming false Hispanic identities and hiding among the flood of illegal immigrants pouring across our southern border.
I have mixed feelings about this one.
There is nothing that prevents volunteers from policing the border - as is being done now. This bill may serve as a means of reigning in the Minutemen.
OTOH - This may present a means of getting the ACLU off of the Minutemen's backs and may also pump some idle (already collected) cash into the effort.
I concur with your skeptism, although I see Tancredo, Nathan Deal and Charlie Norwood as co-sponsors which on this issue is encouraging to me. It may be that the intent is not to rein in the Minutemen, but that will almost surely be the effect.
Let's hope there are protections included.
Don't want to detain some illegals and have them end up owning your ranch.
The idea of Federal enforcers working with local enforcers to solve the problem will be doomed to failure. The problem exists because there is sympathetic representation in these localities.
Bush should name Tom Tancredo Border Czar and give him anything he needs to get the job done, problem solved.
#1 - We are under an illegal alien invasion from Mexico.
#2 - The invasion is a crime against Federal and State law.
#3 - The enforcement of laws against illegal aliens is beyond the scope of the Federal government to enforce and requires the recruiting of American citizens to police the border.
I am concerned about what will happend to the minutemen here. Are they just trying to do away with Jim Gilchrists' crew?
Outstanding!!
After this is passed, where do we sign up?
Semper Fi
I don't recognize all the names on that list but quite a few of my favorite conservative Republican Representatives are on it.
Perhaps they will be integrated into the Corps itself. Who knows, but there's nothing preventing the Minutemen from continuing to march.
Wake up in The WhiteHouse!
Another state taking matters into their own hands!
Border Security, not Iraq, will hurt Republicans in 06 & 08, party leaders better figure this out and fast.
border security, or lack thereof will devastate the republican party if they fail to act.....and the pandering for votes will have been for nothing
On top of that, Arizona and New Mexico have Dems for governors who would rather create a do-nothing program than solve the problem. Rather than preventing illegals from entering the country, these Dem Governors would probably build programs to make sure the kids of illegals go to college, get free medical care, etc, all under the guise of protecting us.
This bill won't work because it involves federal bureaucracy and democrats. The real solution is simple: pass laws making this an unfriendly country for anyone here illegally, and enforce the laws. Then add 2000 border patrol agents. Then land mines.
This bill may serve as a means of reigning in the Minutemen.
I agree. ANYTHING the government becomes involved with it "regulates" - look at the educational system. I think this would be a very effective method of having control over citizen groups.
Wait just a cotton-pickin' minute here. The proposed legislation states that these folks" shall have the right to keep and bear arms".... Haven't I read that line somewhere else? Lemmee see.....oh yeah, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. So now we need THIS to authorize a right spelled out already? Something stinks here...SSZ
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant ~ Bump!
This part sends out warning signals to me:
... citizen volunteers working as sworn law enforcement officers under the command of the Governors of the border States and working "in cooperation with State and local law enforcement officials…and the United States Border Patrol."
The Minutemen are volunteers, don't have to answer to some pinhead bureaucrat and they retain their autonomy.
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