Ridge says unmanned drones could be patrolling borders by end of the year

SFGate ^ | 5/22/03 | JESSE J. HOLLAND

[IronKros]

Unmanned aerial drones similar to ones used in the war on Iraq could be patrolling the U.S. border by the end of the year to help stem illegal immigration and increase security, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Thursday.

"We are very serious in looking at UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) for both border applications, land and sea," Ridge told the House Select Committee on Homeland Security.

[MD_Willington_1976]

Hmmmm...This guy and Tom Ridge look alike...

[mirkwood]

So we will have all this new intelligence and the INS will do....what?

[SpaceBar]

These are not the droids you are looking for.

[Thud]

They'll figure out a way to turn this into a boondoggle.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Way to go!

[TruthNtegrity]

Ping!

[vpintheak]

I still don't understand the importance of this. Now we can watch the illegals come over on video tape? Big deal! How are we going to stop them without the manpower there? This looks to me like a feel good policy that won't do much.

[Lady In Blue]

ping

[gubamyster]

How much you wanna bet the US drones cost a whole lot more than Glenn Spencer's?

This is good news, but what is the INS going to do when they spot the illegals? Currently the INS catches & releases illegals, and local law enforcement agencies let known illegals go free, or refuse to question the status of suspected illegals.

[mathluv]

And local/state governments keep paying for more - health care, schools, welfare, etc. Didn't CA just pass a bill to give them all free health care?

[upchuck]

I'll bet Tommy's really upset 'cause these guyz beat him to it.

Drones:

[IronKros]

Well, I would say videotaped footage of the corrupt mexican army firing on our INS border patrol would be entertaining.

[putupon]

Unmanned aerial drones similar to ones used in the war on Iraq could be patrolling the U.S. border by the end of the year

Now if we could just get rid of some the human drones that work for the Feds....

[Tench_Coxe]

Yep. Can sse it right now. Unmanned drone spots aliens sneaking across the border. Two men watching the monitors:

#1: hey, it looks like we've got 50 illegals crossing the border. Take a look.
#2: yep, those look like illegals all right.
#1: Shouldn't we call out the mobile units to pick them up?
#2: nah. We'd get too much bad press about the mean old border patrol arresting the poor 'undocumented immigrants'. Besides, the governor use back channels to get us fired. C'mon, time to play some cards.

[Gritty]

Unmanned aerial drones similar to ones used in the war on Iraq could be patrolling the U.S. border by the end of the year...

By the end of the year!!??

Why does it take seven months to start up a program? We have equipment and the military people to run it sitting around practically twidling their thumbs in places like Ft. Huachuca and a dozen other military bases. It's not like we need permission from the UN or lack airfields and OKs from the States! Nor is like we need Posse Committatis to be approved. After all, the Executive Branch is already charged by the Constitution with protecting our borders!

By January, we'll have another 3 million illegals who have swarmed across the border.

[IronKros]

yeah, your right. The current method is better.</sarcasm>

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

ANd when the lefty libs, commie churchs, Hollyweird types, the ACLU, the (gasp) media, La Raza, Mex pres. Fox, and the lefty pols get wind, that is all it will ever be, is taked about, nada, forgedabodit.

[xm177e2]

The real question is whether this is because of American Patrol's efforts or if the Border Patrol really was experimenting with this sort of thing before.

[MissAmericanPie]

To do what? Clue illegals in as to how close they are to the border?