TUCSON — Saying if his and fellow Arizona Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl’s 10-point border security plan had been enacted last year, the U.S. border with Mexico would be in better shape today, the state’s senior U.S. Sen. John McCain said the proposal will be reintroduced next week in the Senate.
 Bill Hess/Wick News Service John McCain talks during a news conference in Tucson Thursday. |
Speaking at a short press conference accompanied by U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar of Congressional District 1, Ben Quayle of CD3, David Schweikert of CD5 and Jeff Flake of CD5, he and the others met with the widow and brother of Douglas-area rancher Robert Krentz, who was killed last year and whose homicide remains unsolved, led McCain to say, “We have a lot to do.”
The ranchers want to be able to live their lifestyle in a fear-free atmosphere, the senator said.
Violence south of the border by those involved in human smuggling and the drug cartels is getting close to the United States and Arizona, McCain said.
Noting he and the four Republican House members from the state — absent but invited to be part of the group was Trent Franks CD2 — the state’s senior U.S senator said he is worried about the decision by the Secretary of Homeland Security — and former Democratic Arizona Gov. — Janet Napolitano, to remove the special National Guard assets assigned to Arizona.
Instead of them leaving — reportedly in June — McCain said more should be assigned, as suggested in the original McCain and Kyl 10-point plan, a proposal McCain mentioned four times during the press conference.
Until the U.S. Border Patrol is increased, the National Guard is needed to help secure the border, the senator said.
Flake said the increasing amount of smuggling of humans and drugs does not bode well for the residents of Arizona.
Schweikert joined in noting Mexico’s crackdown of activities in that country without more border security in the United States “is a danger to all Arizona citizens.”
In the past, Flake has supported a comprehensive immigration plan which could have included an avenue to citizenship, according to various news reports.
However, since he has an apparent interest in running for Kyl’s senate seat, now that the junior senator has announced he will not seek another term n 2012, reports indicate Flake is backing away from a comprehensive immigration overhaul proposal and moving more to the right on the issue.
Possibly complicating the issue is Franks, who also is reported to be looking at running for Kyl’s senate seat.
McCain noted during the delegation’s visit to Douglas — they also went to Nogales and later Thursday went to Yuma — they saw a video showing a confrontation, including some shooting, on a street in Aqua Prieta, which shares the international boundary with Douglas in an area adjoining the Arizona city bringing the violence much closer to American citizens.
Flake said, “We’ve got to be more serious about the border (security).”
The Border Patrol reports that for every one individual apprehended for entering the United States illegally through Arizona, nearly 3 — 2.97 — others are successful, he said, adding the number of successful illegal entries could be higher.
McCain said the people of Arizona are not happy with border security and while here has been some success, more needs to be done and unless Congress, the president and Homeland Security work together the subject will continue to come up time and time again and those who live along the border will remain “skeptical” of the government’s will to secure the border.
Comments
Brittanicus wrote on Mar 30, 2011 3:46 PM:
You have seen the power of TEA PARTY, as currently the new politicians refuse to bow down to the Sen. Harry Reid's or majority speaker John Boehner who are willing to compromise over cutting $10 billion dollars from the US deficit. The Tea Party will not sanction this controversy issue and will stand their ground, in the same old "Business as Usual" diatribe, even if the the US Government has to close down. Republicans have been infiltrated by honest, sincere party members, including lawmakers who have deserted the old party corruption and greed. Currently The TEA PARTY is becoming a giant engine, as millions of delusional Americans are joining the membership. The Tea PARTY believes in Fiscal Responsibility, Limited Government,a Free Fair Market and a Strong National Security That requires each administration honor their oath of allegiance, to protect and defend America from enemies domestic and foreign. This is an ultimatum of the TEA PARTY to Secure tight our border, employ 5000 military personal fully armed and to halt the bleeding of our countries financial welfare resources by illegal aliens. None of these policies are being enforced, as billions of dollars are still being consumed by the education, medical care for foreigners who have illegally residing here. Join the party that will halt every parady of the "Rule of Law" that consumes the United States entitlement programs. Exceptional skilled people can always immigrate here, but we have millions of our own poor, the lowest of income, that need jobs and THE TEA PARTY demands it doesn't go to foreign nationals.
Somebody should ask the question of who did the work in Utah, Texas, Arizona, Illinois or New York or any other location, before the invasion? Who picked potatoes ? My grandfather. Who dug trenches or who was employed landscaping. My uncle. Who laid new roofing down or put up drywall. Two of my cousins. Who worked in the 60's in a restaurant or made beds in a motel that belonged to my other Uncle. My ex-wife. Who run around in McDonald in the early 70's, while at college. ME! I flipped burgers.
ATTN: NumbersUSA member has first-hand experience with H1B visa fraud. The member, who wishes to remain anonymous, used to work for both Oracle and Hewlett-Packard and was an integral part of the companies' abuses of the H-1B visa program.Read about it.
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