Thread: CA. Governor praises National Guard during border visit

Governor praises National Guard troops during border visit

By Janine Zúñiga, UNION-TRIBUNE
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 4:14 p.m.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger toured a hot and dusty U.S.-Mexico border Wednesday as he welcomed the support of the California National Guard, whose members are preparing to begin their mission of reinforcing border security.

The first of 224 National Guard soldiers have been trained and will within days begin aiding Border Patrol agents mostly with observational duties, officials said. The effort is part of President Barack Obama’s directive to support federal efforts to combat drug smugglers and undocumented immigrants.

Flanked atop Arnie’s Point in Otay Mesa by officials for the National Guard, Border Patrol and California Emergency Management Agency, Schwarzenegger praised Obama’s action. After taking a brief tour along a recently reinforced border fence, the governor described the area as challenging and said he wants to be part of the solution.

“We here in California are ready to help in any way possible,â€

National Guard troops deploy to border Wednesday

Governor to greet first wave of California troops today, urge immigration overhaul

By Michael Gardner, UNION-TRIBUNE
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 12:01 a.m.

SACRAMENTO — California National Guard troops will take up their posts along the U.S.-Mexico border today, becoming the first to hit the ground in response to President Barack Obama’s directive to reinforce Border Patrol agents overwhelmed by drug smugglers and illegal immigrants.

They will be part of the first wave of California troops who will be deployed as they complete training. All 224 committed by the governor will be on the ground by Sept. 1, officials say.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to meet with some of the troops today and tour the border to mark official deployment.

In remarks prepared for the visit, Schwarzenegger will praise the troops and once again urge the president and Congress to set aside partisan differences to pass an immigration overhaul.

“These men and women will provide much-needed assistance to help secure our border, but it’s important to remember that this is only the beginning,â€

RELATED

AZ. Guardsmen to be on Arizona-Mexico border by end of month
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-209722.html

Texas Border deployment 'on track,' Guard says
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-209739.html

He toured the border. wew wew wew.

State's Guard troops headed to border duty will have focused mission
The 224 California National Guard members are to act as "a visible deterrent … and additional eyes and ears" in the San Diego area, says a spokeswoman. They are part of Obama's effort to bolster security on the border with Mexico.


By Richard Marosi, Los Angeles Times

August 19, 2010

Reporting from San Diego —

The contingent of National Guard troops scheduled for deployment next month at the California-Mexico border will be smaller and more narrowly focused than past missions, aiming at front-line deterrence rather than building fences and roads, according to federal officials.

The 224 California National Guard members are part of President Obama's move to bolster enforcement efforts along the entire U.S-Mexico border, first announced in May. Most of the 1,200 National Guard troops heading to the frontier, about 550, are going to Arizona, the major illegal immigration corridor into the U.S.

The California contingent will be posted at strategic areas across San Diego County and will drive U.S. Border Patrol vehicles, using binoculars and night-vision goggles to spot incursions and report them to federal agents, according to Kim Holman, a National Guard spokeswoman.

They will also scan the ocean from coastal outposts to help stem a recent surge of immigrant-laden boats trying to land on area beaches. The troops will be armed, but won't be making arrests of illegal immigrants, she said.

"They're a visible deterrent … and additional eyes and ears in the field," Holman said.

The deployment comes as arrests of illegal immigrants in California, an indicator of overall crossing activity, have dropped to record lows. About 60,000 immigrants have been arrested in the Border Patrol's San Diego sector since the federal fiscal year began Oct. 1. In 2009, 118,000 immigrants were arrested.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, after a brief tour of the San Diego-Tijuana border Wednesday, expressed support for the Obama administration's decision to send troops, calling it a "good effort," but said much more needs to be done to secure the border.

"It is probably true what Secretary [of Homeland Security Janet] Napolitano says that it is secure as it ever has been, but it has never been secure, so therefore it becomes irrelevant," he said at the news conference.

The Obama administration's move has been criticized as a politically motivated effort to look tough on border security in the hopes of gaining backing for more comprehensive immigration reform.

Schwarzenegger took a swipe at lawmakers in Washington for refusing to push immigration reform. "When can we touch the subject if it is always a pre-election year or election year? It's crazy," Schwarzenegger said, urging lawmakers to take a stand.

"You have to be courageous because you have to make decisions many times that are not popular," Schwarzenegger said, "and I can tell you this firsthand."

When the California National Guard contingent reports for duty on Sept. 1, it will represent a scaled-back version of Operation Jump Start, the guard deployment from 2006 to 2008, when 1,500 troops in California focused primarily on infrastructure construction projects.

www.latimes.com

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, after a brief tour of the San Diego-Tijuana border Wednesday, expressed support for the Obama administration's decision to send troops, calling it a "good effort," but said much more needs to be done to secure the border."

These states have more than 60% of their jurisdictions enrolled in the I.C.E. Secure Community Program.
All other states don't.

AZ. 11 of 16 - 68%

CA. 35 of 58 - 61%

DE. 3 of 3 - 100%

FL - 67 OF 67 - 100%

TX. 193 of 260 - 74%

VA. 129 of 129 - 100%

Fingerprint Sharing Led to Deportation of 47,000

http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-1102104.html#1102104

In remarks prepared for the visit, Schwarzenegger will praise the troops and once again urge the president and Congress to set aside partisan differences to pass an immigration overhaul.

“We must find a permanent solution to our broken immigration system.

First place to start with fixing the "broken immigration system" is to deport his old globalist ass back to Austria.

So California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas are sending National Guard Troops to the border.

What are the other states doing?

New Mexico Troops training for border duty
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-209800.html

National Guard begins to arrive along southern border
August 20th, 2010 10:39 am
Kimberly Dvorak


The troops have arrived. The Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger announced 224 National Guard troops have reported for duty along the California/Mexico border and will assist Border Patrol in the San Diego region.

Many critics say the 1,200 National Guard troops sent to four southern states' 2,000 miles zigzagging U.S./Mexico border is completely inadequate for a number of reasons. First, the National Guard will not be making any arrests and will be slotted with Border Patrol agents off the front lines acting more like “spotters,â€