Posted on 12/06/2005 1:06:04 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
AUSTIN, December 6, 2005 — Rio Grande Valley sheriff’s offices will receive a combined $1.1 million in the coming weeks as part of a statewide program to strengthen border security, Gov. Rick Perry announced Monday.
Cameron, Hidalgo and Starr are among 16 border counties that will each receive $367,500 to deter illegal immigration and prevent border-related crime, according to Perry’s office.
Perry first announced he would send more money to the border earlier this year after the ongoing string of violent deaths in Nuevo Laredo put law enforcement agencies along the border on alert.
In all, $6 million will go to border sheriffs. The money comes from a federal criminal justice grant and is administered by the governor’s office.
“My border security plan will lead to a safer Texas — and a safer America — because it not only focuses on what happens at the ports of entry, but what happens between them, too,” Perry said.
The money will be released to each county after each sheriff’s office determines its needs and their respective county commissioners approve a grant contract with the state.
The Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition will also receive $120,000 to help coordinate the programs among counties through its “Operation Linebacker” program, which it developed to improve security efforts among border sheriffs.
Each county will determine how to spend its grant money, said Rachael Novier, spokeswoman for Perry.
“The coalition is there just to coordinate the strategy along the border,” she said. “Each county has unique needs.”
Neither Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio nor Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño returned phone calls on Monday seeking comment about how they would use the funds.
Commissioners in Hidalgo County are scheduled to discuss the grant today, and Cameron County is scheduled to discuss it Thursday.
The money can be used for departments to hire more deputies, buy specialized equipment and add other resources, for example. They will also support citizen police academies to train local volunteers and strengthen community awareness and involvement in border protection, according to Perry’s office.
State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, attended a meeting of the border sheriffs earlier this year in Alice when they detailed their wishes. He said he supports the money to help them deal with the results of illegal immigration because violent gangs and possible terrorists have had an increasing presence among those crossing in recent years.
“We’re not going to be arresting illegal aliens; we’re not going to be turning people over to Border Patrol,” he said. “We’re going to be arresting people who commit crimes.”
epierson@link.freedom.com
It is a federal crime to enter this country illegaly, "Chuy"!
Operation Linebacker Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
Yet another candidate for the Darwin of the Year Award.
Did Governor Perry clear this with the President first?
You know Vincente likes to approve these kinds of actions.
bump for later
We’re going to be arresting people who commit crimes.”
Well, that should keep them busy for a while. I thought, I remembered Perry saying that border security was a federal matter? Now it's coming out of state monies?
No, all U.S. taxpayers contribute to this.
The money comes from a federal criminal justice grant and is administered by the governor's office.
From Perry's press release:
'The Linebacker funds will be distributed in the coming weeks through the federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, which is administered by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division (CJD). Each year, CJD provides more than $130 million in grants to help reduce crime. CJD funds a variety of juvenile justice, criminal justice, and victim services programs – all aimed at making Texas a safer place."
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