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Arizona-Sonora duo tackle immigration


Dennis Wagner
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 20, 2005 12:00 AM

NOGALES, Ariz. - Govs. Janet Napolitano of Arizona and Eduardo Bours of Sonora launched a two-prong attack on illegal immigration Friday while taking jabs at their federal counterparts for failing to deal with smuggling, drugs and other border problems.

"The U.S. Constitution states that border security is a federal responsibility," Napolitano said, "but as a state governor, I must acknowledge that our federal government is falling short. . . . It's time for us to act at the state level until the federal government acts."

During a news conference in Nogales, Napolitano, who declared an emergency Monday in Arizona's four border counties of Cochise, Pima, Santa Cruz and Yuma, thus freeing up $1.5 million for border enforcement, described how some of that money will be used. She also signed an executive order establishing the Arizona-Sonora Border Security Council, an agency that will foster coordination among law enforcement officers on both sides of the line.

The objective of the accord, which Napolitano said is a historic pact between border governors on enforcement and protection, is to make the 389-mile Sonora-Arizona line "the safest border between the United States and Mexico."

Bours joined in by declaring that Sonora state police will set up checkpoints in September along key smuggling thoroughfares and beef up security in tourist areas.

"This is the path we have to take to give the border security it needs," Bours said.

Friday's news conference, staged just a short distance north of the international line, carried a mix of political and economic implications.

Napolitano decried Arizona's dramatic rise in border deaths, vehicle thefts and assaults on border agents in the past year and added that the state is No. 1 in undocumented-immigrant apprehensions. Sonora shares that burden, she said, adding, "Our states are bearing the brunt of a failed immigration policy."

Napolitano began coordinating immigration plans with Bours this past spring as part of larger efforts to develop the economies of both states. In June, the governors issued a joint statement declaring that federal policies in both countries are "ineffective and underfunded."

Arizona's Democrat governor criticized the Republican administration of President Bush for failing to fulfill border protection promises.

She said the state Department of Public Safety recently offered to share a dozen officers with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, and "we got a stonewall."

Finally, Napolitano said, border problems are endangering billions of dollars in trade and commerce between Arizona and Sonora.

Bours, a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party that is trying to reclaim Mexico's presidency next year after losing it in 2000 after 71 years in power, declined to point a finger of blame directly at the administration of Mexican President Vicente Fox, whose six-year, single-term presidency ends next year. He is a member of the National Action Party.

Bours said that crime and social problems associated with immigration evolved over many years and that culpability is shared by many. Asked whether his accord with Napolitano will be viewed as an embarrassment to Fox, Bours said he prefers to view his efforts as helpful to Mexico's federal government.

However, federales will not work with state police at checkpoints. Bours seemed nonplussed during the news conference when Napolitano disclosed that a high-ranking official in the Fox administration, Geronimo Gutierrez, Mexican foreign relations undersecretary for North America, had just advised her that four units of Mexican federales are being sent to Sonora in the next two weeks to deal with immigration-related issues.

"I would like to thank Governor Napolitano for informing us of this," Bours said, flashing a sardonic smile.

The roadblocks along highways in northern Sonora represent an unusual move by authorities in Mexico to curb illegal immigration into the United States.

Beginning next month, Bours said, state police will operate checkpoints on highways near the cities of Altar, Agua Prieta, Sasabe and Nogales.

Ernesto Delucas, state coordinator of public security under Bours, said officers will be on the watch for coyotes, as smugglers are known, drug traffickers and stolen vehicles.

In Mexico, state police do not have jurisdiction on highways, and the national constitution guarantees freedom of movement to citizens. Delucas acknowledged that enforcement will be limited but said intelligence will be gathered and shared with U.S. law officers.

"At least they (smugglers) are going to know we are operating checkpoints," he said. "It's a dissuasive measure. . . . And if the federales want to join us, they'll be more than welcome. But we're not going to wait."

Manny Ruiz, a Santa Cruz County supervisor, said immigrants have hurt the county economy and budget because of crime and the county's providing medical care and jail space.

"The local taxpayer winds up covering unfair costs because of illegal immigration," Ruiz said.

Even if the efforts by Bours and Napolitano are mostly symbolic, Ruiz said, "something has to be done."

Luis Guitierrez, 28, a Nogales, Sonora, native who works at Michael's Gift Shop, said that illegal immigration hurts business in Nogales but that those trying to cross the borders suffer more than anyone else.

"Most of the problems are theirs," he said. "They try to cross, they get robbed or they die or they can't get across."

He said he recalled when Nogales streets were safer and cleaner.

"Here in the market, business is terrible. What we need is good publicity. But on the other side all we get is bad publicity. There are narcos and coyotes, robbers. They don't tell people, 'You can come here and shop peacefully.' "

Told of Bours' checkpoints, he said, "If it's a way to stop the criminal organizations, that's good."