Posted on 02/11/2006 11:33:33 AM PST by NormsRevenge
While Congress holds hearings on the security of the U.S.-Mexico border, states along that uneasy divide are looking for ways to take matters into their own hands.
Even though a ballot initiative to create a border police force in California failed to qualify for the June election, its backers hope their cause is bolstered by similar movements in other states.
"Although I still think it's the feds that should be doing it, but the Bush administration doesn't seem to want to do anything," said Andy Ramirez, executive director of Chino-based Friends of the Border Patrol. "We need something ... be it from state, the county. We'll take if from where we get it."
In Arizona, a Democrat governor and Republican legislator are both pushing for the state to be involved in multimillion dollar border enforcement plans.
Gov. Janet Napolitano wants to create state police forces to combat human trafficking, while Rep. Russell Pearce's plan would provide $20 million to build a border protection unit.
Police Chief Mark Gilmore of Brawley, a city located 25 miles from California's border with Mexico, said his officers are accustomed to coordinating with other agencies.
"We work together with other law enforcement agencies, we have a good working relationship with our Border Patrol," he said.
But adding a state force into the border enforcement mix would "be a huge help," Gilmore said.
On Thursday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry proposed moving state officers in response to increased border violence, but only to augment the federal presence of Border Patrol agents.
The National Border Patrol Council President TJ Bonner said he has misgivings about creating a new police force. The National Border Patrol Council serves as the border agents' union.
Instead of building a new agency from the ground up, Bonner said he'd rather have the Border Patrol bolstered with more resources and personnel.
"The idea of creating an additional bureaucracy to do the same job is somewhat troubling," he said.
Enforcing immigration law is a tricky task that requires Border Patrol agents to undergo nearly a year of intensive training, he said.
Taxpayers should not have to pay both the state and federal government to do the same job, Bonner said.
"If you're going to spend the money, spend the federal money," he said. "I'm unaware of any state law making it illegal to cross an international boundary. It's a federal one."
Bonner said the most helpful use of local police and sheriff's deputies was backing up Border Patrol agents without enforcing immigration laws.
The California Border Police Initiative, sponsored by Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Murrieta, would amend the state constitution to create an agency of 2,000 to 3,000 officers on the border and throughout the state.
The initiative failed to collect enough signatures to make the June ballot, but its supporters hope to get it to voters in November.
If it could make its way before voters, Ramirez said he believes they would support the measure.
Although he has not taken a position on Haynes' initiative, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger believes border security is a federal problem the government is failing at, according to a spokeswoman.
"The governor has asked the federal government on several occasions to provide more agents along the border," JulieSoderlund said.
Efforts to create a state border force would be expensive and accomplish little, said Louis DeSipio, professor of political science at UC Irvine.
"In an era when the U.S. government has quintupled its investment in border control, the unauthorized migrant flow has doubled," he said. "I think the goal is more to make a statement than to actually have an effect on unauthorized migration."
Solving the problem will take more than adding people or technology into law enforcement "because the end result of that is to reroute the flow into more dangerous areas," he said.
Law enforcement officials along the border have said intensified efforts have created a criminalized industry out of human smuggling and significantly increased violence.
Adding California, Arizona and Texas to federal enforcement of the border won't solve the real problem or stop people from crossing illegally, Bonner said.
"That would essentially solve 98 percent of the problem and allow Border Patrol and law enforcement to deal with that other 2 percent: The drug smugglers, criminals and terrorists," he said.
The California Border Police Initiative, sponsored by Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Murrieta, would amend the state constitution to create an agency of 2,000 to 3,000 officers on the border and throughout the state.
The initiative failed to collect enough signatures to make the June ballot, but its supporters hope to get it to voters in November.
If it could make its way before voters, Ramirez said he believes they would support the measure.
Although he has not taken a position on Haynes' initiative, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger believes border security is a federal problem the government is failing at, according to a spokeswoman.
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He could afford to raise money to pay $3 a signature for his initiatives, but.. That's our Gub. :-\
Remind me again who's job it is to protect the borders. Oh yeah, it's the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S.
The Constitution says it's Congress' job.
I have no idea if this even possible, but couldn't a group of concerned citizens bring a class action suit against the Federal government for dereliction of duty?
On this count we have no one to blame but the President who continues to push a moronic amnesty plan that various polls show Americans being against.
Perhaps illegals should be put to work in chain gangs until they have earned enough to pay for their re-patriation to the country they came from.
There's plenty of litter to be picked up, both along the highways and in the desert.
I've never figured out why the border states have waited so long to do something on their own. The states have the authority to protect their borders, why have they been sitting on their hands waiting for the federal government to do something?
But adding a state force into the border enforcement mix would "be a huge help," Gilmore said.
Can we call this the understatement of the year?
No one measure will fix this problem, it is too pervasive. We need to seal the borders tight, fine the employers until it hurts, and deport the illegals whenever and wherever we can.
But where ever shall we get the workers to do the jobs Americans won't do? /sarc
This issue has been on Napolitano's plate for how long? And just NOW she moves on it?
Oh, yeah, its an election year for her.
It's amazing what gets proposed during the election cycles. Are you paying attention to all the stuff coming out of the Legislature? It's unreal...
Sometimes I wish we weren't the guys in white hats...just for a moment, mind you, but sometimes...
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant!
The states have it within' they're power to call forth the citizen militia.
Good ideas!
My gosh,is that true?I remember Puff,but I am a little behind in current military hard ware.
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