Posted on 11/03/2005 4:58:07 AM PST by Borax Queen
The Department of Homeland Security announced a new plan to secure the nation's borders with Mexico and Canada, hinging its latest effort on a temporary worker program, more agents and more resources on the border.
The Secure Border Initiative was announced by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff in Houston. And in Washington, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales stressed the need for a temporary-worker program - something President Bush has been pushing for nearly two years.
The immigration and border enforcement initiative comes just days before President Bush is scheduled to attend the opening day of the Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina, where he is expected to discuss trade and economic growth with a group of Latin American leaders.
The Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill approved last month provides funds to increase the number of agents on the border and increase the bed space for illegal entrants it captures. The money will allow the department to eliminate its policy of releasing detained border crossers with a promise to appear in court, a policy called "catch-and-release."
Last spring, the department promised the same kind of "operational control" along the border but by the end of the fiscal year, it became apparent that federal agents had dropped the number of illegal entrants moving through its Tucson Sector only to see them crossing through the surrounding Yuma and El Paso sectors.
Analysts say the Bush administration is under pressure to produce real results because it hasn't accomplished anything toward controlling the border.
Members of Arizona's congressional delegation were satisfied to see Chertoff's Secure Border Initiative, but in a statement released Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., said such proposals have been seen before with little to show for them.
Unlike last year's Arizona Border Control Initiative, which placed reinforcements along the border but did little for interior enforcement, Chertoff's plan would add 250 criminal investigators and 400 new immigration agents to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Michael Jackson.
The department plans to add 1,000 Border Patrol agents and provides an 11 percent budget increase to $7 billion for Customs and Border Protection, Jackson said.
Detention bed space was also increased by 2,000 to about 20,000 beds for illegal entrants who are held in custody.
Illegal entrants are generally held for an average of 34 days before they are deported, said Randy Beardsworth, a strategic planner for Homeland Security. The agency hopes to cut that number in half. The expedited removal process does not usually apply to Mexican nationals, the vast majority of the illegal entrants captured, who are normally given the option of immediate voluntary removal to Mexico.
What the feds will do for work-site enforcement of the immigration laws was less clear.
Beardsworth said there would be attempts to hold employers more accountable while Jackson said the passage of a temporary-worker program would eventually lead to more aggressive enforcement since workers and employers would then be registered.
"Clearly the administration has taken the offensive on this but I don't see enough new ideas," said Demetrios Papademetriou, president of the Migration Policy Institute, a think tank in Washington.
"This is more of the same with more resources and I think it is legitimate to question whether that is going to be enough. What I was looking for in this announcement was that new idea."
One new idea was the temporary-worker program, an idea pitched by Bush in 2004 that has never been made specific beyond stating that illegal entrants would be able to obtain three-year work visas twice.
Attorney General Gonzales told the Latino Leaders Luncheon in Washington that a temporary worker program is needed, but did not give any specifics about what the program will entail.
"Usually the less you say as a politician, the better off you are but here, they really needed to explain what they intend to do," Papademetriou said.
Kolbe said he believes the plan is a good one because of the emphasis placed on the need for a guest-worker initiative.
"Actions speak louder than words, and in order to successfully stop the flow of illegal immigration, we need to execute this new strategy - not just talk about it," Kolbe said in a statement. "We have heard plans from DHS before yet seen few results. However, I am pleased DHS is addressing the issue of illegal immigration in a comprehensive manner."
Sen. Jon Kyl was more receptive to the initiative, saying "This kind of sweeping reform represents a change in both tactics and attitude," adding that it is "the kind of leadership that we in Arizona have long been waiting for from the federal government."
Ping.
bttt
what part of "close the border" is proving so difficult to understand?
They obviously need a 'special' bureaucracy to deal with this
complete with it's own trillion dollar budget and many experts
from various universities.....
I shudder to think what the President might give away/promise at this summit.
I'm not too hopeful, myself.
The part about the government representing "We the People" not just a select few corporate interests.
He'll tell them it's only a little over four years until we merge with Canada and Mexico, then South America will be next.
nooooooooooooooooooo!!!
lol
No. I've seen so many people post over the last few days how they would choose Muslims over Mexicans. While I can see the point to a certain degree, the sheer numbers of illegal invaders (and yes, they are mainly from Mexico) are overwhelming the fabric of our society. It soon won't matter where they came from as we degenerate into those same third world conditions. Many places in the U.S. already have.
why do these DC politicians have such a difficult time
understanding?
could it be the DC politicians are ..... STUPID?
take a hard look at Paris,
and view the United State's destiny,
if the DC politicians remain in
STUPID mode.
"could it be the DC politicians are ..... STUPID?"
........................................................
They are not the stupid ones, they benefit by doing nothing and keep the Gov jobs and perks coming in
The stupid ones are the voters who let this happen see my tag line.
And in Washington, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales stressed the need for a temporary-worker program - something President Bush has been pushing for nearly two years.
Just another Bush Administration delaying tactic!
sorry I have to disagree.
the people aren't stupid.
the people want the border controlled.
the people are the smart ones.
the DC politicians are STUPID.
Most people do, it's our leaders who are more concerned with PC than this country who pretend they don't. Face it, we have lost this battle and might as well start planning on living in secure, walled communities (like people do in many parts of the world). Get caught outside the walls and you're dead meat.
This guy is worse than Carter and Clinton if that is possible.
We need to take his toy airplane away from him and tape his mouth shut!
This is treason.
lol
Bush will use the flu scare to control the (former) US population so they can sneak this through.
Totally.
...why do these DC politicians have such a difficult time
understanding?...
They understand quite well, they are traitors and enemies of this Republic.
"we have lost this battle and might as well start planning on living in secure, walled communities (like people do in many parts of the world). Get caught outside the walls and you're dead meat"
........................................................
Yep the elites can always afford security, see any illegals camping at BUSH's ranch? We must control this problem NOW before we turn into what the French are dealing with today. The story of Haiti is a warning to all of us, and the rich may not be as far out of reach as they may think.
anything this chertoff idiot says is pure bureaucratic b.s.
Pinging for your morning reading pleasure...
Well, morning for those of us on this border...
I see your point.
Thanks, HiJinx!
November 3, 2005
www.NTEU.org
Action Alert
Oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative
Email your Members of Congress asking them to oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative
In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the creation of a new Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) position and the “One Face at the Border” initiative. Under this plan, a new position, the CBPO, would combine the duties of legacy inspectors from Customs, the Immigration and Nationalization Service (INS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) into a single front-line border security position. With 41,000 employees, CBP is in control of 317 official ports-of-entry for travelers and cargo.
Essentially, the “One Face at the Border” initiative was aimed at unifying the inspection process that travelers entering the United States have to go through. Instead of making three stops – an Immigration Inspector, a Customs Inspector and an Agriculture Inspector – travelers would meet with a single primary inspections officer who was specially trained to do the job of all three.
Consolidating these three organizations has caused logistical and institutional chaos and has taken attention away from critical homeland security priorities. It is true that all three of these organizations deal with front line border and port security, but they do so in very different capacities.
Please email your Members of Congress asking them to oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative and support a detailed, independent review of the proposal.
There's really no other way to describe it. We have an American president traveling to foreign countries promising their citizens that he'll allow them to illegally invade America while ignoring the cries of American citizens for border security. You'd think after Harriet Miers he'd stop his great America-give-away aspirations but he seems more emboldened. Who's pulling his strings on this and why doesn't he feel that even more Americans will stand against him than those that stood against the Miers nomination. No president has the right to just give this country away. President Bush needs to listen to his citizens instead of Vicente Fox's. If President Bush doesn't immediately put an end to this treasonous amnesty/guest worker plan he should be impeached.
In which case, this "latest effort" is DOA
I don't know if you remember the poster, RLK.
He predicted this in the run up to the 2000 elelctions, that Bush would preside over the final destruction of this nation, following the orders of his Transnationalist masters.
He was totally right. Of course he was banned for being right.
"President Bush needs to listen to his citizens instead of Vicente Fox's. If President Bush doesn't immediately put an end to this treasonous amnesty/guest worker plan he should be impeached."
....................................................
He does not know what real America thinks on this issue..How can we get through to him?? I refuse funding to GOP and still they call for money- I tell them not until the border is secure will you get one red cent. And months of this and the GOP is still blind- No sane man can explain the position of our elected ELITE.
How stupid do these people think we are? There's nothing "new" about temporary or guest worker programs, we've had them before and they all failed. Illegal immigration significantly increased each time they were tried and it will again.
Both parties are continuing to follow the policy laid out by the Council on Foreign Relations, which stated that they wanted an open border policy. Both parties have decided that they are going to allow this to happen. All actions since that policy have been in name only, since there has been no improvement in the situation.
Actions speak louder than words, and the new initiative does not even begin to address the probl;em.
We need to close the border to all but the legal immigrants and remove the incetives for all of the stake-holders to continue the process.
IMHO, it will never happen.
I would not vote for anyone unless this issue is addressed in a meaningful way, meaning a real reduction in illegal immigration.
ping
The part I don't get is the "why". Why is this so important to him in a post 911 world while his country is in the middle of a war? Why is this even up for consideration? It makes no sense. American citizens are not clamoring for a guest worker program, Vicente Fox and his citizens are. Why can't we get President Bush as excited and determined about border security as he is with welcoming Fox's citizens into the country against the wishes of his own citizens? He has to know that this will kill his legacy and support amongst Americans of all stripes, not just conservatives but he doesn't seem to care. He's more concerned with taking care of another country's citizens than his own. I used to think the "New World Order" talk was not on his agenda but how else can you explain this?
He has to know. I thought the Miers debacle would permanently take this issue off the table but for some reason he refuses to let it go. He didn't fight this hard for social security reform, his faith based initiatives or school vouchers but he chooses this issue to make a stand. There has to be more to this than cheap lettuce if he's willing to sacrifice his presidency and the nation's sovereignty for Vicente's citizens.
" There has to be more to this than cheap lettuce if he's willing to sacrifice his presidency and the nation's sovereignty for Vicente's citizens."
............................................
Bush is not alone on this- majority in Washington take this stand - I repeat No SANE man can explain why we allow this invasion of 3rd world.
"And in Washington, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales stressed the need for a temporary-worker program - something President Bush has been pushing for nearly two years."
This guy's job is to enforce the laws of the United States, not make foreign policy. He has done little of the former and too much of the latter.
Gonzales is a disgrace. Another appointment made not on personal merit, but on personal connections - as was attempted with Miers.
Gonzales' blatant symapthy towards illegal invaders is grounds for his impeachment.
Ya think? ;^)
Secure Border Initiative (SBI)
November 2 2005
ping
True, but he's the president and he can stop this. The buck stops with him. How hard can it be for him to go to Vicente Fox and tell him to take care of his own damn citizens. We can give financial and humanitarian aid like we do with every other nation on earth, we don't and can't take them all in. President Bush may not be the only one in Washington who wants to sell out his country, but he's driving the train. This will be his legacy if he successfully goes against the wishes of his citizens and destroys America for generations to come.
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