Return to Article: Border security will loom large for Obama administration
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65865
"But enforce the law lady.. and don't make me pay the costs." Ah... the consumer/bail out mentality again; someone else asking for something for nothing. "Please put that on this plastic for me, would you? And wrap it up nice and prompt while you're at it!"
While I know I can't (and really don't care to) speak for the nominee, I must ask "Who pays for anything around here anymore?!" When we were a consumer culture, if we wanted something done we had to pay for it. If you wanted criminals locked up, you better pass a budget with a jail in the cost. If you want those illegals deported; you best figure on more Patrol agents, more detention holding cells, more food as they wait, more processing clerks, more buses/planes to get their butts home, more gas for those buss/planes, and a slew of other mores... smores of mores!
Perhaps she was being more of a bean pusher or a bureaucrat but she was upfront about the horrendous cost and herculean effort that the deportation of every illegal would require. I THINK that is what she was saying; but then I've been wrong before. IMHO, this article is picturing her as a realist in the nature of his majesty, Shrub II; why else do you think he was for "comprehensive immigration reform" (CRI)? It WAS one of his election promises. Unfortunately he found only the Blue Dogs willing to broker a deal with him, while his own Party Pachyderms rioted and trumpeted their outrageous indignation. This is not just a one-party albatross here.
Whatever the answer is, and once more I surely do not know what that is, "Please, PLEASE DEAR LAWD, let us pay for the damn thing before my grandchildren must!" I'd really rather leave them a different legacy than I currently foresee. For if most of the folks who commented here have their way, I can see my little bambinos now; broke, poorly educated, and non-healthcare-covered but at least every one on their block speaks perfect American! (Oh, I've been to England and whatever we speak... it ain't their English!)
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65864
Anyone who argues the merits of a border fence is delusional, and ignores the international evidence that repeats itself with increasing frequency. No one has suggested that a border fence is the ultimate solution. What has been argued, and is presently proving to be the case, is that a combination of physical barriers, employer sanctions, and stepped up enforcement can and will reduce inflows. One can only surmise that eliminating the jobs and benefits magnet would also apprecaiably reduce inflows. Attrition through enforcement is anathema to politicians who refuse to accept the will of America's Citizens (that our borders be secured and our immigration laws be enforced) as guidance for our own governance. Indeed, unable to make inroads with America's Citizens, these politicians seemingly hope to supplant America's voters with more compliant, easily manipulated populations.
One need look no farther than the constant sundry refugee crisis afflicting other nations to appreciate the value of a border fence, with controllable choke points, as a responsible deterrent to similar refugee crisis in our own nation. Increasingly, we're seeing that the slightest economic or political unrest, often results in chaotic, disasterous refugee inflows into neighboring nations with dramatic negative social, economic and environmental consequences.
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65786
And we have shown the illegal aliens the fence, and it worked. Napolitano was WRONG! Was wrong again.
A criminal act was accomplished. The question is very clear; do the American Taxpayers have to pay for that criminal act, or does the criminal have to pay for that criminal act? You get a sick feeling she is going to force the American Taxpayer to do the paying.
And if you look at the processes, as these people discover they cannot get jobs, they are going home. That is the kindest thing we can do. And if we need to provide money to help them get home, that is fine with me. But enforce the law lady.. and don't make me pay the costs.
I would finally point out that the Governor was not doing well in her political career in Arizona. If she forces her will on the people of this country, and the people have made it clear they do not want her policies made law, I think Obama will not do well at all.
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65766
"That responsibility does not include an administrative amnesty through an (illegal) bureaucratic directive, or refu[s]als, to not enforce laws that she dislikes."
While I must agree with these sentiments being a requirement for working as a civil servant, and IMHO think they should apply to elected officials and their appointees as well, I must point out that it wasn't all that long ago we were having serious discussion on presidential signing statements; as if those pronouncements from that position exempted legal compliance. Considering his experience with constitutional law, I would hope the president-elect will avoid some of the worse constitutional violations of his predecessor.
"I think Governor Napolitano is the joke! Does she mean that the brightest and best nation in the world cannot enforce their immigration laws? [...] Our forefathers would get rid of them, then run this country by the laws they laid out."
As is the case more often than I'd like, I do not know the answer to our border problem. But what I do know is:
1. Our forefathers weren't about keeping folks out of America. They knew we were a land of immigrants. The few times we fought immigration we had terrible conflicts such as was loosely depicted in the movie "Gangs of New York".
2. The folks who argue most vehemently against immigration often rail against NAFTA as well. And if anything has slowed the invasion, it's been the creation of jobs on the other side of the border.
3. We have to do something, but becoming a mirror, or rather reverse, image of the Bamboo or Iron Curtain doesn't appear a smart move for "the brightest and best nation in the world".
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65734
I believe that Napolitano will be just like having my old friend Doris Meisner. We all talked alot about illegal immigration, but we never did anything. I can certainly feel yall's pain. Let's let these hard working fellow travelers experience the American dream. In this depressed economy, these poor folks will do jobs the average American won't do.
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65730
All you folks who chant, "enforce the laws!" seem woefully ignorant of the fact that EVERY industrialized nation with any wealth at all suffers from illegal immigration. Go to England, Germany, Japan etc, etc, and tell them, "just enforce the laws!" and see what response you get. It's obviously a problem way beyond a simplistic solution, so stop yelling out your simplistic mandates. Learn a little more before you pop off next time.
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65728
What this country has done wrong and needs to amend is to stop giving citizenship to illegal's children born in this country.If your parents did't come here legally, then the child cannot be an automatic legal citizen, they would need to come to the country under legal terms and apply for citizenship also. Futhermore, the country should amend the citizenship law to read, if you come to the country legally and are not a citizen, your child born in this country becomes an "honorary citizen", meaning they can get some extra privileges as an honorary citizen moreso than what a non-citizen would get, but need to apply for legal citizenship at age 18, as their application process would be much different than if they didn't live in this country at birth. There application would be approved faster as long as their life was uneventful as far as crime, gang activity or terrorism was not a part of their life.
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65688
We will have an illegal alien running this country on 1/21/09. How did we ever get to this point? Right, we elected self-serving people and the bulk of you never did your due diligence! Obama made many promises, and we all know election promises are nothing but a play for votes, so why did so many of you vote for someone who would NEVER even pass a background check to be a security guard? He promised "There will be no place for any lobbyist in my administration" yet he has 2 directly from la raza on his cabinet now, and most the rest are well known for their obl ideals. America is gone people, get used to it or do something about it! FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!
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65679
E-Verify is a proposed solution to a problem that simply creates more problems. Mandates for use of the system simply fuel the market for identity fraud.
E-Verify proponents - get real.
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65664
This DHS is joke, morale its worst than previous and the water cooler small talk is, and "Hope the merger be undone".
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65663
Undo the MERGER and you'll notice MORALE improve.
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65662
Undo the MERGER ?
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65661
Let's not forget about the SA'a, they need to be more focus in human smuggling and document fraud, not terrorist, the FBI is in charge of that.
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65639
I have never seen a Gov Exec story that resulted in such a unified response of the opinion posters. Just representative of how the majority of Americans feel. OK Mr Obama, let's see if you can create and enforce policies that are the will of the American people.
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65632
This woman had better wake up and smell the roses or should I say smell the trouble already brewing. The illegals need to be stopped either at the border with security or in their tracks on American soil and deported. Saying we don't have the administration and legal infrastructure to handle a mass exodus is admiting she'll do nothing and let the problem build even greater. This piece of land we all take for granted cannot withstand the population and trash much longer.
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65627
The open-borders lobby needs to recognize: Game over.
Their Orwellian "solution" to illegal immigration, establishing the rule of law through anarchy, has long been recognized as a cruel hoax by ordinary Americans, but not the single-digit IQ folks that populate the US Senate.
Well, with the economic downturn, "comprehensive immigration reform" (aka legalized anarchy) is now political suicide. Sure, open-borders zealots in safe districts will still push the abomination as if nothing has changed. There are too many moderate Democrats, however, especially in the House of Representatives, that are not ideologues on this issue and will go with what is both in the public interest and in their own political interest.
And Rahm Emanuel, while an open-borders supporter, has made it clear in the past that he understands the political disaster that would befall the Democrats if they were to push CIR. That is exponentially more the case today in the economic downturn.
The open-borders lobby no longer has any change of passing immigration legislation that dismembers what is left of our economy and social safety net.
We may be headed back to the stone age due to other factors, but CIR will not be a nail in our coffin, because CIR is dead.
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65625
DHS needs to continue to enforce the E-Verify Program whereby employers can check electronically in seconds whether or not an alien is authorized to work in the US. The Dems are threatening to kill it come Mar.,09. US Chamber of Commerce is lobbying to kill it (cheap labor!). Currently, it is estimated there are 10-12 millions illegals in our country. Our political mandarins say nothing. Time to take back our country!
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65623
One problem with the porous border is that the 9-11 hijackers found a group of illegal immigrants that assisted them in gaining drivers licenses and otherwise blending into the landscape prior to their attacks.
Why does Janet N. think that the 'self-deporting' are a major problem? Since they have their own schedules, they're not overloading particular flights.
I also take exception to the idea that someone who is not born to citizen/s (either/both Mother/Father) should become a citizen because s/he was born across a border.
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65621
Napolean is entitled to her opinions but the American voters don't want to hear her drivel. 80% say they want enforcement of our laws and deportations. Let Janet donate her salary and personal assets to pay for illegals health care
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65591
BO and his cronies will do absolutely nothing about the border. They should issue stamps to some "good old boys" and only allow shots below the belt. That would solve the problem.
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65588
Typical Democratic approach....talk an issue to death. I certainly agree with the first part of the Republicans' proposal...that all documented workers return to their own country. Let's hope Mr Obama will take a stand against illegal immigration but I'm not going to hold my breath.
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65581
Just as a matter of clarification for the ersatz journalist: Governor Napolitano was less than eager to bring troops to the border to protect the citizens of the United States and only signed the order after she had previously refused to do so. To insinuate that Naplitano has worked to secure our borders on behalf of American citizens is so much "Pelosi".
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65580
Go to Digital Technology Group LLC (dtg-llc.com) and look at ROBOCOP brochure. This was originally designed for the border, but they don't want it. If each border Patrolman had this on his vehicle, I guess we would have the whole border on tape.
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65579
Go to Digital Technology Group LLC (dtg-llc.com) and look at ROBOCOP brochure. This was originally designed for the border, but they don't want it. If each border Patrolman had this on his vehicle, I guess we would have the whole border on tape.
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65578
Oh yeah, what border? The Canadian one where millions of people are crossing? Please, the democrats will flood this nation with Mexican Nationals and take glee in doing so to the detriment of the American poor and middle class. Just my opinion having watched Reid and Pelosi in action for a few years now.
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65573
Janet Napolitano is a joke!
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65572
I think Governor Napolitano is the joke! Does she mean that the brightest and best nation in the world cannot enforce their immigration laws? Seems many in government believe this. What a bunch of spineless traitors we have elected. Our forefathers would get rid of them, then run this country by the laws they laid out.
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65570
STOP THE INVASION!!!
BUILD THE FENCE!!!
MANDATE E-VERIFY!!!
Southwest Border Patrol Sector Apprehensions (Source DHS/CBP) Fiscal Year-------------2005---------2006---------2007-------2008 (ends 9/30) San Diego------------126,879-----142,104---- 152,460--- 162,390 El Centro--------------55,725-------61,465----- 55,883----- 40,961 Yuma-----------------138,492-----118,549----- 37,992------ 8,363* Tucson --------------439,053-----392,074---- 378,239--- 317,696 El Paso---------------122,624-----122,256----- 75,464----- 30,312 Marfa ------------------10,532--------7,520------- 5,536------ 5,391 Del Rio -----------------68,547------42,636----- 22,920----- 20,761 Laredo -----------------75,268------74,840----- 56,714------43,658 Rio Grande Valley --134,136----110,528------ 73,430----- 75,473 Apprehensions----1,171,386--1,071,972-----858,638----705,005
*The Yuma Sector now has a total of 94 miles of fencing. The difference is apparent.
Yuma Border Patrol Sector Apprehensions - The Yuma Border Patrol Sector is under control: ----------Oct.---Nov. FY2009---338---406 FY2008--1094---955 FY2007--3478--3240 FY2006--9428--8913
The El Paso Border Patrol Sector will soon be under control El Paso Border Patrol Sector Apprehensions ---------Oct.---Nov. FY2009--1468--1159 FY2008--3605--2648 FY2007--6183--5098 FY2006-11027--8191
*The El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol is currently in the process of constructing 80 miles of vehicle fencing in New Mexico and approximately 56 miles of pedestrian fencing in New Mexico and Texas, officials said.
KEEP BUILDING THE FENCE!!!
IT'S WORKING!!!
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65566
I must say that if Napolitano is confirmed, she has the responsibility to protect everyone; citizen, legal immigrant and even illegal alien.
Protecting criminal aliens does not include interjecting her personal desire of an amnesty for thoes illegal aliens into the lawful performance of her duties; only, that the illegal aliens are provided Due Process in all stages of government action against all criminal aliens, from their arrest through detention, civil/criminal court proceedings and eventual deportion.
That responsibility does not include an administrative amnesty through an (illegal) bureaucratic directive, or refuals, to not enforce laws that she dislikes.
The oath that she must take, as a prerequisit to obtaining the powere of the office, does require one so appointed to enforce all the laws; discretion to choose between laws to enforce and not enforce is not in the job description.
It is apparent, by her previous pronouncements, that she is more than willing to participate in conduct that must be described as active Misfeasance; or more correctly, Malfeasence in carrying out the duties of the offict to which she has been nominated by Obama.
But then, she was nominated by Obama; a person of questionable backgroung and intent.
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65562
I invite Gov. Napolitano and John Mayer to attend my presentation on border security at the National Press Club at 9 am on Jan. 15, 2009. I will present the results of a two-year-long aerial survey of the border aimed at documenting the progress of the Strategic Border Initiative. The results contain some significant findings.
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65561
Merger????????????????????????????????
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65555
All suggestions in dealing with the problem of illegal immigration and border control are just toying with the edges. Is there any doubt in any thinking persons mind that a national biometric ID is in our near future. That combined with the sending of Social Security match letters and the mandatory implementation of e-varify will have only criminals and terrorists challenging our borders illegally. Then and only then will we be able to implement a guest worker program. Remember that an illegal who starts or reconstitutes a family in America is no longer cheap labor but a low income worker with a tax payer benefits program.
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