Bob WilsonSpokane Immigration ExaminerFebruary 20, 2016 9:00 AM MST

Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, and a few other Republican presidential candidates have conveyed a clear message about illegal immigration: Immigration laws will be enforced. Other candidates have watered down or murky plans on this subject, but no matter the candidate, under the Republicans, stricter immigration enforcement is coming.

To implement a stronger stance on illegal immigration, the re-opening or increased staffing of interior Border Patrol stations, along with the addition of uniformed Border Patrol Agents at interior Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices, is vital. The United States Border Patrol is the uniformed arm of immigration enforcement. Their regular presence in an area, combined with a proactive enforcement attitude, presents a deterrent against further illegal immigration into an area.

Interior Border Patrol stations have operated in conjunction with ICE (previously I&NS) for years, yet, over the last decade, most interior stations have been closed or their manpower cut to a bare minimum. The closing and downsizing of an interior Border Patrol presence was due to a ‘big picture’ agreement between the U. S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE). ICE would handle interior enforcement while the Border Patrol would be responsible for the border.

This strategy never made sense. Imagine a city police department that only had a jail staff and a limited number of detectives but was void of uniformed street officers. Street crime would flourish as there would be little, if any, deterrent as the detectives would only have time to concentrate on the more serious crimes leaving the lesser criminals to run rampant. ICE and Border Patrol Agents have different but related enforcement focuses that create a much more effective operation strategy when housed together. ICE Agents concentrate on high-profile, complex investigations along with deportation and removals. Border Patrol Agents are the uniformed arm of immigration enforcement and are authorized to conduct all basic immigration enforcement operations.

ICE currently has offices across the United States which provide little deterrence against illegal immigration to their respective areas of operation. A contingent of uniformed Border Patrol Agents assigned to each of these interior offices would facilitate required enforcement operations and make such offices more effective in their task of enforcing the laws relating to immigration as defined by congress. This would also provide a deterrent for potential illegal immigrants as currently once they pass the thin line of Border Patrol Agents along the border, and reach an interior destination within the United States, they are virtually ignored.

The addition of a uniformed presence of Border Patrol Agents at interior ICE Offices would decrease overall illegal immigration dramatically and provide an enforcement option for the implementation of laws relating to immigration.

New administration should add Border Patrol to interior ICE offices | Examiner.com