LatinaLista — The argument all along from Republicans as to why they will not move forward on immigration reform has been their contention that not enough is being done to secure the border.
Even after President Obama pledged to send 1500 National Guard troops, it wasn’t enough. So Senators McCain and Kyl submitted their own border security plan last week. Titled the 10-Point Plan To Better Secure The U.S.-Mexico Border In Arizona, it does exactly that — secures only Arizona.
Some of the measures proposed in their plan entail:
Immediately deploy 3,000 National Guard Troops along the Arizona/Mexico border, along with appropriate surveillance platforms, which shall remain in place until the Governor of Arizona certifies, after consulting with state, local and tribal law enforcement, that the Federal Government has achieved operational control of the border.
Complete the 700 miles of fencing along the border with Mexico and construct double- and triple- layer fencing at appropriate locations along the Arizona-Mexico border.
Provide funding for additional Border Patrol stations in the Tucson Sector and explore the possibility of an additional Border Patrol sector for Arizona.
Require the Federal government to fully reimburse state and local governments for the costs of incarcerating criminal aliens.
Aside from requiring the federal government to reimburse for the incarceration of criminal aliens, the two senators from Arizona seem to think their’s is the only border with Mexico that counts.
Considering that it’s Juarez, Mexico that has been the scene of not just the biggest jump in real violence but the only border town where U.S. Embassy officials, or family of embassy employees, have been murdered by Mexican violence, McCain and Kyl’s plan serves as a glaring example of how the GOP continues to politicize this issue to the detriment of constructively combatting it.
Today, the Democrats released their own border security plan. While I’m not a cheerleader of this plan, and frankly see it as nothing more than another waste of time pandering to a group who has exhibited no intention of delivering on any promises to move forward with immigration reform, the Democrat’s plan does take into account the whole U.S.-Mexico border.
It’s the kind of approach that is needed for there to be serious talk and headway, in not just securing the border, but making it safe for the border agents who have to confront drug smugglers and human traffickers, the innocent immigrants who get caught in the crossfire of either drug smugglers and U.S. law enforcement or Mother Nature and geography and the residents who live along both sides of the border.
It’s time politicians stopped playing with border security because in the end, it’s playing with human lives — and that never turns out well.
Comment(6)
alvin cortez
Isn’t that just how you are treating the politicians that you want to support CIR; putting their feet to the fire by threatening to vote against them? Our citizens have the right to call their representatives in government to account for their actions, and the witholding of votes is how this is done. If the will of the constituent is to oppose illegal immigration then he has the right to put pressure on his congressmen and senators to do his bidding. To argue that congressmen and senators should ignore the majority of their constituency to accommodate those who are not, i.e. illegal aliens, or citizens who hold a minority view, is absurd on the face of it.
Stu
Good analysis of what the Republican proposal would actually do. I think people sometimes get so wound up in the demagoguery that they lose sight of the details and facts surrounding these proposals.
I’ll be interested in seeing what the Democrats come up with for immigration reform.
Marisa Treviño
Alvin, Closing the eyes and pretending the issue of illegal immigration will solve itself is not just delusional but harmful to the nation. Just because I advocate for the humane treatment and consideration of the current situation with undocumented families does not mean I’m an “open borders” advocate. I’m a realist who knows that if the situation isn’t addressed in the official capacity, it will get worse because there are no guidelines that work. So what if the GOP doesn’t want to tackle this issue – they need to just like everyone needs to open their eyes and realize what the current situation is and how the absence of reform of the system doesn’t help the situation.
alvin cortez
Your idea of reform does nothing to solve the problem, but much to encourage illegal aliens with the idea that if they should come, you would always be there to argue for their amnesty. Humanity would be to rebuke Mexico and fight for the rights of 80 million Mexicans in Mexico. Instead, reserve your abuse for fellow citizens who oppose your idea of humanity. Your left wing view that somehow the solution is save those those who are here is not humane, but in fact cruel, because it gives false hope to those who cannot possibly be granted what they desire, special dispensation from our laws, something that has no hope of happening.
alvin cortez
Maris,
The illegal alien question can be remedied in a humane way. Repatriate these people and force the Mexican government to change it economic policies. We should sanction the country of Mexico and shame it into taking care of these people. It has never been an obligation of the U.S. citizens to care for the victims of Mexico’s bade economic policies. There is no doubt in my mind that these people would eventually become an extraordinary burden on the people of this nation when they receive the right to obtain welfare. As has happened with other minority groups, political factions like the Democrats and the progressive liberals like La Raza will instill a feeling of entitlement into amnestied illegal aliens, making them feel comfortable in becoming wards of he state. The universities who promote revisionist history and demonize America as country of oppressors who owe everything to minority groups.
karen
Re: “Humanity would be to rebuke Mexico and fight for the rights of 80 million Mexicans in Mexico.”
Isn’t that the truth? But there is never any mention of changing Mexico.
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