Arizona Border Patrol gets 534 new permanent agents
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Arizona Border Patrol gets 534 new permanent agents
March 31, 2005, 07:13 AM CST
The Border Patrol says it's sending more agents and aircraft to protect the Arizona border.
Robert Bonner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner, says, "As daunting as it is, the Department of Homeland Security is determined to establish greater control of the Arizona border."
Bonner says his plan includes "adding more boots on the ground." He says he will permanently assign "534 additional Border Patrol agents to Arizona."
Bonner also is temporarily increasing Arizona's sky patrol.
He says, "We are doubling and have doubled the number of aircraft operating here in Arizona from 19 to 42."
Bonner says the aircraft will be used for "increased numbers of apprehensions as well as for search and rescue efforts."
Bonner calls Arizona the weakest link along the U.S. Mexico border. More than half of all illegal immigrants apprehended in this country last year were caught here.
Bonner says come through corridors near Nogales, Douglas, Yuma and desert west of Tucson. Bonner says first he'll target this western corridor.
"We will first shut down and I mean shut down the west desert corridor." Then, he says, as immigrants shift their points of entry, he'll shift his resources.
Bonner cautions, "If you think this is an easy challenge, it isn't an easy challenge. But the point is we're determined to take control of the Arizona border. And we are going to keep at it until it's done."
Bonner's plan is phase two of an enhanced Arizona border effort that began last year.
