Breaching The Border
Border intrusions to protect drug loads occur regularly...
[Bill Morrow] 2/1/06

Last Thursday night I appeared on Rita Cosby’s national show on MSNBC, debating the need for a border fence with Juan Hernandez, former director of Mexico’s “Presidential Office of Mexicans Abroad.”

Basically, Mr. Hernandez oversaw Mexico’s official coordination with Mexican citizens living both legally and illegally in the United States.

We discussed the following topics:

• Cross-border mass smuggling of drugs into the U.S.
• Entry into the U.S. by anti-American terrorists sympathetic with Al-Qaeda.
• Border incursions by well-armed, Humvee-driving groups wearing Mexican military uniforms. (We still aren’t sure whether these entities are the Mexican Army on official business, rogue soldiers engaging in illegal side business, or nattily dressed paramilitary forces.
• Elaborate tunnels into the U.S. built from the Mexican side of the border.

For the past 13 years I have been fighting illegal immigration in California. In fact, just last year I introduced three bills that would have helped to secure our borders, since failure to do so has brought many unwanted consequences to California and the entire nation.

But, we continue to reap what we sow through inaction. Most recent dialogue in California has focused on the impact of illegal immigration on Californians’ state budget, taxes, wage suppression and job displacement.

As you may have read in recent news articles, violent incidents occur regularly along our nation’s southern border with Mexico. Loose borders greatly contribute to crime, including the contribution of much of the illegal drugs sold in the United States.

Earlier this week, Mexican soldiers and civilian smugglers engaged in an armed standoff with nearly 30 U.S. law enforcement officials on the Rio Grande in Texas. According to Texas police and the FBI, military Humvees with mounted machine guns were discovered 200 yards deep into U.S. territory while towing thousands of pounds of marijuana across the border into the United States.

On November 17, 2005, agents from the Fort Hancock border patrol station in Texas called the sheriff's department for backup after confronting more than six fully armed men dressed in Mexican military uniforms. The men who were carrying machine guns and driving military vehicles were trying to bring more than three tons of marijuana across the Rio Grande. According to press accounts, early this month, U.S. Border Patrol had warned agents in Arizona of border incursions into the United States by heavily armed groups.

With Border Patrol agents facing continuing threats of being killed by rogue elements protecting drug smugglers and human traffickers, some people may elect to exhaust diplomatic actions, some will suggest additional funds with bureaucratic red tape attached, and even others will quietly desire for the status quo.

The federal government has the responsibility and obligation to secure our borders. It is also up to the individual states to share part of that responsibility, which is why I authored legislation, SB 693, that would require the California National Guard to develop a contingency plan to support the U.S. military in major border securing operations. Also, I am authoring new legislation this year that will make recommendations to the President and Congress to secure our borders and require the State of California to verify the legal residency through the INS and SSA of any applicant prior to hiring that individual.

California’s social diversity is rich and vibrant. Our economy is continuing to thrive, but we must encourage legal behavior and demonstate punishment for those who avoid the law or exploit those to who want to come here to live the American Dream by placing them in harms way. We must uphold our laws, defend our Constitution, protect our citzenry and secure our borders. CRO

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