Posted on 07/24/2005 9:42:43 AM PDT by BenLurkin
If the state is to form its own police force to guard the U.S.-Mexico border, it will be up to citizens to make it happen. No, not via a force of civilian volunteers like the Minuteman Project, but through the signature-collecting initiative process.
State Assemblyman Ray Haynes' (R-Murrieta) proposed constitutional amendment to create a force called the California Border Police was killed in the Legislature, but the initiative just went into circulation after its ballot title and summary were approved by the state attorney general.
The Antelope Valley's representatives support the effort, with state Sen. George Runner (R-Lancaster) and Assemblywoman Sharon Runner (R-Lancaster) endorsing the initiative and Sharon Runner serving as an honorary co-chairwoman for the push.
On Friday, L.A. County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich said he also supports the concept of creating a state border police force.
"Illegal immigration has taken a profound economic toll on Los Angeles County," said Antonovich spokesman Tony Bell.
"While legal immigrants provides a benefit to our culture and our economy, illegal immigrants cost county taxpayers upwards of $360 million annually for health care and $150 million annually for criminal justice. That's not to mention other costs, including education and other public services."
The initiative "should accompany the federal government moving forward to secure our borders and reimburse local governments for unfunded mandates," he said.
Statewide, the fiscal costs associated with the state's 3 million illegal immigrants are estimated at $9 billion a year.
Registered voters who want to circulate or sign the initiative can go to www.CalBorderPolice.com to order petitions. A minimum of 598,106 valid signatures are required by Dec. 12 to place the initiative on the June 2006 ballot.
Supporters envision an agency similar to the California Highway Patrol, with trained, sworn officers patrolling the border to stem the tide of the estimated 500,000 illegal immigrants who enter the United States each year.
The agency would cost the state some $300 million a year, but could save California $4 billion to $5 billion, according to the Web site for the initiative. Along with patrolling the border, the agency would be charged with investigating employers who put illegal immigrants on their payrolls.
Nope, but a shoot to kill order might do the trick.
Defense in depth...fence/wall, border patrol at the wall, border patrol checkpoints on major highways, and internal employment practices enforcement.
In California I have seen hundreds of miles of freeway walls at the cost of a million per mile. Why can't my state build these on the border just bigger? In fact the illegals could be hired to build them for us. Wouldn't that piss off the unions and CalTrans?
We have American troops in the DMZ, but none on our borders.
Our deluded leaders are soon to issue a proclamation from their safe gated communities which will in effect eliminate the border between Mexico and places with high Mexican migration such as LA. It will be short term gain for the profiteers both business and political, but in the end it will just move Mexico north and begin the elimination of American culture.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.