Cornyn takes ‘let’s make a deal’ stance on border crisis

My San Antonio ^ | 8/1/14 | NOLAN HICKS

[jimbo123]

Unlike many of his fellow Republican lawmakers, U.S. Senator John Cornyn sounded a conciliatory note when talking about the border crisis in San Antonio on Friday afternoon.

He complimented the federal government on its response along the border and treatment of the children who have immigrated from Central America, said that he would be open to compromise on his controversial — but bipartisan — proposal that would require the children have a hearing before an immigration judge within seven days of entering the country; and added that he would not touch President Barack Obama’s current policy that allows children of undocumented immigrants brought over before 2007 to stay in the country, known as Deferred Action for Children Arrivals, known as DACA.

[Travis McGee]

Without a serious fence system for the Border Patrol to actually watch and guard, the BP is forced to “defend in depth.” The southern border is 2,019 miles from sea to sea. If the Border Patrol check points are 40 miles from the border, agents must roam across an area of 80,000 square miles seeking illegal immigrants. This is a fool’s errand, deliberately futile. 80,000 square miles is the size of Idaho or Kansas.

The same number of border patrol agents actually guarding a physical barrier means that every inch of the border is under observation at all times. For example, anybody carrying a ladder to the fence will be seen, and stopped by nearby Border Patrol agents who react to their approach. That is why the San Diego fence is so effective. It needs to be extended across the entire border. Or, we can keep play-acting at border security, with the Border Patrol playing Keystone Kops across 80,000 square miles of rough scrub land terrain.

[Uncle Chip]

No Deal —

House Bill — take it or leave it

[Ben Ficklin]

"Has Cornyn switched parties to the Democrats or is he still pretending to be a Republican"

Most people don't know or don't recall that the GOP wasn't the "hate Mexicans party" until recently.

George Bush actually won 44 % of the Hispanic vote in Texas in 2004.

Before becoming a senator, Cornyn was TX AG and quite involved with issues regarding improvements along the border. It wasn't just him, the TX GOP was involved

He prosecuted a number of Colonias developers and Kay Bailey Hutchinson got a lot of federal into the state to deal with those problems

[bgill]

Unlike many of his fellow Republican lawmakers, U.S. Senator John Cornyn

'nuff said.

[TheThirdRuffian]

Well, what happened? He get castrated?

[Ben Ficklin]

"Well what happened"

That depends on who you ask.

A lot of people don't recall this but the GOP senate passed an immigration bill in 2006 and Danny Hastert walked away from it. As I recall the strategy was to play the immigration card in AZ and CO, plus try to save Santorums senate seat.

[BobL]

Cornyn knew just how far left he could veer without getting a credible Tea Party challenger and he went right to that limit. Bummer for us here in Texas.