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Bush Budget Scraps 9,790 Border Patrol Agents(Repost 2/9/05)
Houston Chronicle ^ | February 9, 2005 | Michael Hedges

Posted on 05/15/2006 7:42:23 PM PDT by JerseyHighlander

Bush Budget Scraps 9,790 Border Patrol Agents Houston Chronicle

President uses law's escape clause to drop funding for new homeland security force. Washington -- The law signed by President Bush less than two months ago to add thousands of border patrol agents along the U.S.-Mexico border has crashed into the reality of Bush's austere federal budget proposal, officials said Tuesday.

Officially approved by Bush on Dec. 17 after extensive bickering in Congress, the National Intelligence Reform Act included the requirement to add 10,000 border patrol agents in the five years beginning with 2006. Roughly 80 percent of the agents were to patrol the southern U.S. border from Texas to California, along which thousands of people cross into the United States illegally every year.

But Bush's proposed 2006 budget, revealed Monday, funds only 210 new border agents.

The shrunken increase reflects the lack of money for an army of border guards and the capacity to train them, officials said.

Retired Adm. James Loy, acting head of the Department of Homeland Security until nominee Michael Chertoff takes over, said funding only 210 new agents was a "recognition that we need to balance those things as we go on down the road with other priorities."

The White House referred questions about the border agents to the Homeland Security Department.

The law signed by Bush had a caveat that went virtually unreported at the time. A summary, published by the Senate Government Affairs Committee, required the government to increase the number of border patrol agents by at least 2,000 per year, "subject to available appropriations."

Democrats were unhappy that the proposed budget used the escape clause so soon after the president approved the huge boost in border agents.

"We know we must do more to shore up security along our borders," said Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, top Democrat on the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. "The president's budget does not even attempt to meet this challenge."

Some Republicans also were displeased.

"This is an area of homeland security that needs to be ramped up in order to increase surveillance and patrols of our nation's vast and often remote borders," said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

A Jan. 24 letter signed by leading Republican lawmakers implored the president to fully fund the new law "in order to secure our borders against infiltration by terrorists."

The lead signer was Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a leader of GOP efforts to toughen immigration laws and anti-terrorism statutes.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: desperation; oldnews; raincloudbrigade; yearoldarticle
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To: JerseyHighlander

Meanwhile, there is a backlog of Section 245(i) applicants in the ICE that has no end in sight. Backlogs that go on for years. The Section 245(i) is the closest thing to the de facto amnesty Bush was pushing before 9/11, yet even this program has horribly long delays.

Yet this President has just asked to have another 20,000,000 applications added to the ICE tasklist.

It doesn't compute. What does he want, a Monster.com visa system put in place? That goes back to discussions about the disproportionately high level of criminal activity committed by illegals. It could take the equvalent of the entire workforce of Rhode Island or Wyoming just to process and police and ejudicate "guest worker" application systems. Does that make any sense?

Tonight might be a a small turning point, but the Senate steadfastly refuses to take corrective action, Bush didn't help himself or the country with the rhetooric tonight.


21 posted on 05/15/2006 8:05:57 PM PDT by JerseyHighlander
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To: Mr. Mojo
Are the facts reported in this article at odds with what he said tonight?

I think one could say he has one upped bill clintoon, with his BS speech tonight and what he has really done.

22 posted on 05/15/2006 8:06:28 PM PDT by org.whodat (Never let the facts get in the way of a good assumption.)
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To: xrp

bttt


23 posted on 05/15/2006 8:07:19 PM PDT by AnimalLover ( ((Are there special rules and regulations for the big guys?)))
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To: xrp

bttt


24 posted on 05/15/2006 8:07:20 PM PDT by AnimalLover ( ((Are there special rules and regulations for the big guys?)))
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To: JerseyHighlander

President Bush, Teddy Kennedy, John McCain and Presidente Fox seem to be in the same camp on "immigration reform" more commonly known on this forum as the illegal invasion. Which one of this cast of characters should wise up and ditch the other three as quickly as possible?

a. Teddy Kennedy
b. John McCain
c. President Bush
d. Presidente Fox


25 posted on 05/15/2006 8:07:36 PM PDT by Biblebelter
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To: JerseyHighlander

Could you give me the name of American president who has reduced illegal immigration more than President Bush?

FYI- Bush has sent back more than 6 million illegal aliens and nearly eliminated the massive problem of OTM illegals. He has reduced from 62 months to 21 months the average court time for deporting illegals.


26 posted on 05/15/2006 8:10:23 PM PDT by lonestar67
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To: JerseyHighlander
a Monster.com visa system put in place?

Actually, that's pretty close.

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

Now, the third phase is getting into the land borders and that's where we think we have some flexibility to utilize some other types of documentation. So, in addition to the passport, what we're proposing is the popular use of four different documents.

The first would be what we call a BCC, or Border Crossing Card, which is issued to Mexican nationals and requires a passport. And it's similar to applying for a visa, but instead of getting a visa you would actually get a Border Crossing Card. It's utilized by Mexican nationals who come into the country on regular basis, to visit family, for work purposes, whatever the case may be. So that's one option at the southern border that we think will be flexible in terms of those document requirements.

The second option is what we call the SENTRI card and the SENTRI card is also used at the southern border. It can apply to U.S. citizens, Mexican citizens or third-party citizens who cross that border on a regular basis. And in order to get a SENTRI card, you do have to present some documentation that verifies your citizenship. And that's really the key: Does the alternative document allow us to verify your identify and where you're from?

The third option would be what we call our NEXUS card, and the NEXUS card is also applicable to U.S. citizens as well as Canadian citizens and then any third-party nationals who might also be interested. But it applies to crossing on the northern border. Similar to SENTRI, there are requirements that would verify your identification and your country of origin. The fourth option is what we call our FAST Card, Free and Secure Trade, and that applies to commercial truck drivers on both the northern and the southern border. So if you're crossing routinely -- we have, actually, many FAST Cards already in use and that is one document where we think we have the right level of security and could utilize that in lieu of a passport for those commercial drivers.


27 posted on 05/15/2006 8:10:27 PM PDT by nicmarlo (Bush is the Best President Ever. Rah. Rah.)
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Comment #28 Removed by Moderator

To: Mrs Zip

ping


29 posted on 05/15/2006 8:13:54 PM PDT by zip (((Remember: DimocRat lies told often enough become truth to 48% of all Americans (NRA)))))
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To: lonestar67
Could you give me the name of American president who has reduced illegal immigration more than President Bush?

Sure. President Eisenhower

30 posted on 05/15/2006 8:14:20 PM PDT by SUSSA
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To: lonestar67

Yet at the same time the number of illegals across the country has boomed, and the number of employer prosecutions has dropped dramatically.


31 posted on 05/15/2006 8:14:48 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: lonestar67

Bush has sent back 6 million illegals??? But I thought he said it would be impossible to send em back!! Keep on drinking that Kool-Aid


32 posted on 05/15/2006 8:20:22 PM PDT by Luigi Vasellini (60% of Saudis, 58%of Iraqis, 55%of Kuwaitis,50% of Jordanians married 1st or 2nd cousins. LOL!!!)
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To: SUSSA

Evidence?


33 posted on 05/15/2006 8:23:54 PM PDT by lonestar67
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To: lonestar67

Under a "repatriation" program created by President Herbert Hoover that ran from 1929 to 1940, 1 million Mexican Americans were deported. 60 percent of the deportees were U.S. citizens; 400,000 were California residents.

Completely ineffective, populist, and scapegoating Herbert Hoover removed more illegals, legals, residents and citizens by percentage of population than GW Bush. It was a horrible act in response to the "American Jobs for Americans" campaign during the Depression.


34 posted on 05/15/2006 8:24:15 PM PDT by JerseyHighlander
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To: Luigi Vasellini

He said that where?

Maybe you should start adding water to your kool-aid mix. you seem to be sniffing the powder directly.


35 posted on 05/15/2006 8:25:00 PM PDT by lonestar67
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To: lonestar67

I'm at the point where I'm going to have to chalk off a lot of FReepers as hysterical conservative counterparts to the DU.

1) Bush can only authorize an increase in the BP based on the appropriations for such increases that Congress decides and passes.
2) Bush has been proactive in those areas where he actually has discretion to effect changes.
3) Bush wants to solve the problem over the long term with the minimal cost, rather than throwing a ton of money at the problem and creating a new "security entitlement" that will be corrupted and politicized by the Dems once they get their hands on it.

But enough conservatives are more concerned with getting grand gestures than with actual solutions. During the run-up to the Iraq war, conservatives were upset that Bush spent so much time "talking" rather than invading immediately. In fact, most of them are still upset over it, along with the fact that Bush wants to reform the U.N. rather than scrap it and turn Turtle Bay into a condominium complex. The grand gesture of invading Iraq too soon would've been bad for the mission in the long run. The grand gesture of dismantling the U.N. would result in taking away the simplest method of keeping track of our friends and enemies are.

So much anger is directed at the President, but without Congressional support - the President is over the barrel when it comes to domestic policy.


36 posted on 05/15/2006 8:26:05 PM PDT by coconutt2000 (NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))
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To: lonestar67

That was in the speech. "6 million have been returned." Don't come to champion if you come emtpy handed.


37 posted on 05/15/2006 8:27:12 PM PDT by JerseyHighlander
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To: JerseyHighlander

Herbert hoover!

Well good for you. Now we are getting some political honesty from border crowd.

Hmmm . . . what can we say about Herbert Hoover?

I wonder why more Republicans don't admire Hoover for the great leader he was -- and so obviously better than Bush :)


38 posted on 05/15/2006 8:27:17 PM PDT by lonestar67
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To: coconutt2000

You speak the truth.


39 posted on 05/15/2006 8:28:50 PM PDT by lonestar67
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To: lonestar67

"and over the past five years, we have apprehended and sent home about 6 million people entering America illegally." G.W. Bush 05/15/2006


40 posted on 05/15/2006 8:28:59 PM PDT by JerseyHighlander
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