Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Congressman Asks For Study On Rio Grande Patrols[by Coast Guard]
KRGV ^ | 10/24/2009 | Lisa Cortez

Posted on 10/25/2009 3:32:50 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch

MCALLEN - The U.S. Coast Guard patrols the coasts, and a limited stretch of the Rio Grande, but a bill in the works would change that.

Congressman Henry Cuellar wants the coast guard to work out a plan that would help secure the 1200 miles of the river.

It's aimed at addressing drug and human smuggling along the river.

Right now, the river is only patrolled by local law enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.

The bill is called the Coast Guard Authorization Act.


TOPICS: Mexico; News/Current Events; US: Texas; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: coastguard; mexico; riogrande; wod
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-29 next last
With .50 BMGs?
1 posted on 10/25/2009 3:32:50 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

What Coast Guard vessel draws a draft of four inches?
Are we putting Coast Guardsmen in flat bottom john boats these days.


2 posted on 10/25/2009 3:36:41 PM PDT by em2vn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

How bout we send John Kerry with a swift boat. He can make a Christmas eve raid into Honduras all by his lonesome.


3 posted on 10/25/2009 3:36:51 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Seniors, the new shovel ready project under socialized medicine.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

How much of the river is navigable? Certainly not all 1200 miles.


4 posted on 10/25/2009 3:38:33 PM PDT by downtownconservative (As Obama lies, liberty dies!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
...And I dont ever want to hear any "Shallow Water Navy" Jokes!

The last swim call I took was in over 22,500 feet of water.

5 posted on 10/25/2009 3:41:07 PM PDT by Delta 21 (If you cant tell if I'm being sarcastic...maybe I'm not.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Squantos

Coasties in hip boots ping.


6 posted on 10/25/2009 3:41:25 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Live jubtabulously!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: downtownconservative

The Rio Grande is like John Kerry, 6 inches deep and a mile wide at the mouth.


7 posted on 10/25/2009 3:42:24 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Live jubtabulously!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

The wife and I were Big Bend National Park last week at looked out over the Rio Grande at a number of viewpoints. It really isn’t necessary to have thousands of people patrolling the river. The area inland is very wide open and very inhospitable. I think it would be very difficult for large groups of illegals to escape detection. We did pass through one checkpoint about thirty miles or so north of the park. On a trip to the southwest two years ago, we noticed a lot more border patrols around southern Arizona.


8 posted on 10/25/2009 3:44:48 PM PDT by driftless2 (for long term happiness, learn how to play the accordion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: driftless2
From the entrance to Santa Elena Canyon, just above Big Bend, down to the Amistad Reservoir above Del Rio, the countryside is rugged and forbidding -- tough going.

Above Big Bend and below Del Rio, not so much.

9 posted on 10/25/2009 3:49:55 PM PDT by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
Swinney, could the Coast Guard even get a johnboat as far as Laredo? Rio Grande City?
10 posted on 10/25/2009 3:51:07 PM PDT by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Delta 21
The last swim call I took was in over 22,500 feet of water.

Kinda freaky to think about I imagine but I'd still like to say I swam over the Challenger Deep.
11 posted on 10/25/2009 3:55:40 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Seniors, the new shovel ready project under socialized medicine.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
With .50 BMGs?

At least!

All joking aside, that is the direction of the "invasion" and this would at least solve the problem of troops on private property.

12 posted on 10/25/2009 3:55:50 PM PDT by SouthTexas (Obama to send an additional 40,000 troops, not to Afghanistan, but to fight FoxNews.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: downtownconservative

“How much of the river is navigable? Certainly not all 1200 miles.”

Actually not much. Probably a few stretches of a couple of miles or so. But . . .

I’m not so sure that it’s a bad idea. Given the level violence that’s been going on near the border - a bit more fire power on a few strategically placed “coast guard” stations might be a good idea.


13 posted on 10/25/2009 3:57:26 PM PDT by crescen7 (game on)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: crescen7

If we’re going to do that, we should just get the TNG to do it. Coast Guard has enough jobs without having to monitor an internal river, and I wonder if it might violate the Passe Comitatus Act.


14 posted on 10/25/2009 4:05:38 PM PDT by sig226 (My President was President of the week at the Norwegian Slough Academy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: okie01

They’d have to carry it over Falcon and Amistad dams.


15 posted on 10/25/2009 4:13:40 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch (Mexico - beyond your expectations!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: DirtyHarryY2K; GOPsterinMA; woerm; bert; altura; bunster; waterhill; FlyingEagle; Playa Pete; ...

Ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.


16 posted on 10/25/2009 4:42:05 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch (Mexico - beyond your expectations!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
Apparently this is requesting a study be done to see what if anything the CG can do to help along the Rio Grande. From the bill which passed the House, 10.23.09 by a vote of 385 - 11. The Senate will have to take up this bill or their companion bill. Any help that they could provide would be a deterrent to illegals I'd hope.

SEC. 1324. MISSION REQUIREMENT ANALYSIS FOR NAVIGABLE PORTIONS OF THE RIO GRANDE RIVER, TEXAS, INTERNATIONAL WATER BOUNDARY.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall prepare a mission requirement analysis for the navigable portions of the Rio Grande River, Texas, international water boundary. The analysis shall take into account the Coast Guard's involvement on the Rio Grande River by assessing Coast Guard missions, assets, and personnel assigned along the Rio Grande River. The analysis shall also identify what would be needed for the Coast Guard to increase search and rescue operations, migrant interdiction operations, and drug interdiction operations.

17 posted on 10/25/2009 4:56:47 PM PDT by deport
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: deport
Which Coast Guard mission don’t we do if we have to patrol the Rio Grande?
18 posted on 10/25/2009 5:26:09 PM PDT by GAB-1955 (I write books, love my wife, serve my nation, and believe in the Resurrection.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: sig226

CG is not part of the Defense Department. They are part of Homeland Security and is chartered with protecting water boundaries of the US. Rio Grande fulfills that definition. They would prolly use aircraft anyway.


19 posted on 10/25/2009 5:36:51 PM PDT by ArtyFO (I love to smoke cigars when I adjust artillery fire at the moonbat loonery.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
No Country for Old Men --BUT FOR REAL
20 posted on 10/25/2009 5:38:58 PM PDT by gaijin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-29 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson