Thread: Barnett proposes training to fight illegal immigration

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cct ... 567054.htm

Posted on Wed, Sep. 20, 2006

Barnett proposes training to fight illegal immigration

JOHN MILBURN
Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. - Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Barnett said Wednesday he would seek more training for state and local law enforcement to crack down on the flow of illegal immigrants coming through Kansas.

Barnett, a state senator from Emporia, said he would sign an agreement as allowed by a 1997 federal immigration law. It allows federal officials to provide locals with training to detect and combat illegal immigration activities, and Barnett said Kansas must be a good partner with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"We will always welcome those who enter our country legally, but we should not stand by idly and do nothing while illegal aliens are in our state, and particularly if those illegal aliens have committed crimes, if they are smuggling drugs or have committed such atrocities such as rape," Barnett said.

The additional training would give law enforcement the tools to investigate and take into custody illegal immigrants, then hand them off to federal officials for prosecution and deportation.

Col. William Seck, the superintendent for the Kansas Highway Patrol, met earlier this year with an ICE representative to talk about immigration issues, patrol spokesman Lt. John Eichkorn said.

Eichkorn said illegal immigration has been an issue for years, and the frustration has been the federal government's lack of resources, making it difficult for federal officials to respond when illegal immigrants are caught.

Eichkorn said that since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, the federal government has been more committed, but added that resources remain limited.

"Stopping them is not the issue. Once you find them, what then?" Eichkorn said. "One of the big issues we've found is that the federal government has not generally had the resources to come and take those folks from our custody and work to get them back out of the country. Many times, what happens is we're forced to let them go so that ICE can be looking for them down the road."

During a conference call with reporters from Wichita, Barnett reaffirmed his support for requiring all voters to present a photo identification when they go to the polls on election day.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius vetoed a bill requiring such documentation, and similar laws recently have been ruled unconstitutional in Missouri and Georgia.

Barnett said he would sign the bill if it came back to the governor's desk, calling it a matter of preserving the integrity of the state's election system.

Barnett made his comments on immigration the day after he began airing a television ad comparing his stance on illegal immigration with that of Sebelius. He acknowledged that he has needed time to raise the money to afford TV ads, citing the financial demands of winning the Aug. 1 primary.

"We worked hard, we spent ourselves down. We had to reload. We're coming back," Barnett said.

In contrast, Sebelius has aired five television ads and two radio spots touting efforts to bring civility to the school finance debate, improve the state economy and lend support to the military and its families.

Sebelius spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran said it was "unfortunate" that Barnett's first ad would have a negative tone.

"Kansans have seen this variety of politics before and it's not very helpful," Corcoran said. "One would hope that a candidate for governor would paint a more positive picture for the future.

"Political desperation sometimes leaves candidates to do unfortunate things," Corcoran said, referring to recent polls showing Sebelius holding a significant lead with less than two months before the Nov. 7 election.

Barnett said the ad is designed to show the governor's lack of leadership on immigration and other issues, saying Kansans are hungry for change.

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On the Net:

Barnett campaign: http://www.barnettforgovernor.com

Sebelius campaign: http://www.ksgovernor.com

This campaign may get interesting.