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.

[txdoda]

Great News! Let's hope it can happen. Did anyone see him squirm for 2 1/2 hours Monday night on CSPAN, answering questions from congressman. >>>>>>>>>

No I missed it too. But my question would be, just HOW MUCH
does it cost TAXPAYERS nation-wide every time the *alert*
has gone to Orange ?? (4 times, since 9-11). It's got to be
cheaper in the long run to secure our borders, since gov't
tells us the "war on terror" will take time.

Our "so-called" war on drugs, has been going on for 30 yrs.
yet MORE drugs continue to cross our borders DAILY. Thats
been a waste of BILLIONS of tax-dollars.


Kudos to Glenn and his group for getting a committment for the use of this technology!>>>>>>>

Glenn is GREAT, and he's been getting lot's of time in the media. Pat B's on "Hardball" talking about Glenn's planes
right now.

[FreeReign]

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

The INS will do what the chief executive tells it to do.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Bumpity, bump, bump, bump… except for the "squirm" part, hehe.

[Carry_Okie]

Let me guess: This means that ABP's UAVs will have to be grounded.

[Regulator]

After which, the cameras on the government UAV's will mysteriously malfunction. Permanently.

[Carry_Okie]

Nothing quite like an unaccountable bureaucracy to suck up money in the name of managing ever larger failures.

It's the way to power.

[FITZ]

Yes this is good news. The border can be controlled, trucks can be inspected. At least some fences can be constructed. Corporations bringing in the illegals can be fined, illegals showing up at hospitals for free health can can put down who has employed them so they know where to send the bill.

[Nebr FAL owner]

Bounding anti-personel mines(aka bouncing betties) only cost about $20.00 each. The hard part is getting the political class to go along with the fortifying of the border as opposed to having a brown lumpy underwear moment.

[DLfromthedesert]

Thanks for the alert. We have a big fight going on in Arizona about these issues. Pray for a resolution that blesses all good people without sacrificing our sovereignty and freedom.

Mexico needs governmental reform ... BIG TIME!!!

[princess leah]

SO, if these drones are armed and they spot movement, do they drop missiles? If not, why not?

[Allegra]

This is good news. Now can we start rounding up the millions of illegals who are already here and deport them? (I know...I know...wishful thinking...)

[DLfromthedesert]

I hope you're joking.

[TEXOKIE]

You are welcome, DL. Prayers are certainly with you and all who love this nation living along the border states. Praying for God's solution and guidance to penetrate the densities surrounding this issue at highest levels in both nations. Praying with you for preservation of sovereignty and freedom. Praying for God's guidance and motivation of reform in our neighboring state Mexico. God bless her sweet people and deliver them from the centuries of abuse to which they have been subjected by the power elites of that nation.

[blackie]

Drone ... Bump!

Molon Labe!

[Chemist_Geek]

I hope you're joking.

Nope; they're all for murdering the "hoards" (sp) of Mexicans illegally entering the United States.

If a few Americans get killed, well, heck, you've got to break a few eggs to make the omelet of Securing America's Boarders (sp), ya know?

[F16Fighter]

"I hope they are carrying light machineguns and Hellfire missiles."

Hehehe...

[F16Fighter]

"This will be designed to do nothing to interfere with the invasion of the nation by illegals, just wait n see."

I'm with you Pie Chick...It's more smoke and mirrors BS.

The day Black Hawk choppers and C-130's are patrolling the borders is the day the bogus "Homeland Security" is serious.

I would like to see and hear a few other Republicans besides Tancredo get on the President about this stinking-to-high-heaven fiasco.

[MissAmericanPie]

My question has always been, why don't we get on the President, the Governors of border states, the congressmen and senators from these states? Emails and faxes just won't do, they need to see some discontented faces.

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

The INS will do what the chief executive tells it to do.

So, according to this theory of yours, Bush is to blame for the fact that the INS has been just as hopeless and useless under his administration as under Clinton. How right you are. Bush's first appointment to head the INS was a man openly advocating open borders and de facto non-enforcement. You think that was an accident? Bush wants to suck up to President Fox and Hispanic voters. He may put drones on the borders, but I have my doubts they will be actively used to stop illegal immigration. Hell, I wouldn't put it past them to use the drones to monitor and harrass the American "vigilantes" instead.

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

Nothing, it's no longer their job. Border Patrol works directly for Homeland Security Department now. They are two separate entitites with different functions - this is a good thing.

I'll wager they bag no more illegals under Homeland Security than they did under INS. And those they do bag will simply be returned to Mexico to try to get back across the border later. At most, the Border Patrol will now screen the illegals to make sure none of them are Arabs or other likely terrorists, before returning them to Mexico.

Net change to our illegal immigration problem: zero.