Thread: Sen. Jim DeMint: Speeches and Summits Won’t Secure the Bor

Sen. Jim DeMint: Speeches and Summits Won’t Secure the Border
The State Column | Staff | Monday, May 16, 2011

President Obama’s immigration speech in El Paso today is a poor substitute for the real border security the country still desperately needs. And it was a transparent attempt to keep using illegal immigration as a campaign issue, as President Obama made no attempt to solve this problem during the two years his party held huge majorities in both houses of Congress. His own administration has not done its job to finish the border fence that is a critical part of keeping Americans safe and stopping illegal immigration.

Rather than holding immigration summits at the White House with special interests and making speeches, President Obama should direct the members of his administration tasked with homeland security and patrolling the border to enact measures that have already been made law by Congress.

Five years ago, legislation was passed to build a 700-mile double-layer border fence along the southwest border. This is a promise that has not been kept.

Today, according to staff at the Department of Homeland Security, just 5 percent of the double-layer fencing is complete, only 36.3 miles.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO), Congress’s investigative arm, reported in early 2009 that only 32 miles of double-layer fencing had been built. That means under President Obama, only 4.3 miles of double layer fencing has been built. This is woefully inadequate.

While the border-fence construction lags, Mexican cartels continue to smuggle drugs, weapons, and illegal aliens into our country, attracting violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Annual Statistical Report for Fiscal Year 2009 stated that “violence along the border of the United States and Mexico has increased dramatically in recent years.â€

What's wrong with you DeMint? The time is right for you to join in the presidential race. Being president will give you a lot better chance of getting the things done you want. I'll vote for you!

Personally, if DeMint were to run, I think he would jump to the head of the GOP line. I know the tea party would love him and I believe the majority of us ALIPACers would too.

"I think you're right Mickey!"