Pinal sheriff cites Yuma border successes
March 23, 2011 8:12 PM
BY JAMES GILBERT - SUN STAFF WRITER

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu has been in Yuma the past two days to gather support for a border security plan aimed at combatting illegal immigration, drug and alien smuggling, and violent activity along the Southwest border.

Babeu has been talking to local leaders and civic groups about the 10-point plan from U.S. Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.

Babeu said the drug cartels have become even more violent over the years and that the price of leaving the U.S.-Mexico border unsecured is far too high. He even called the destabilization of Mexico by the drug cartels the gravest national security threat to America.

“This is a huge problem from a public safety perspective,â€