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Chertoff at the Border: Don't stop with security; consider workers

08:22 AM CST on Friday, November 4, 2005


Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff this week received what sports guys call an "up-close and personal" look at the Texas/Mexico border. If it's not drug gangs turning Nuevo Laredo into Little Baghdad, it's the futility of catching and releasing illegal immigrants.

Mr. Chertoff already had received an earful about the extreme conditions. Twenty Texas congressional reps had "shared their concerns" in September with the administration. That's Washington talk for "Are you guys asleep, or what?"

The 20 were particularly worked up about the "other than Mexican" practice. Immigrants from nations other than Mexico often are caught and released because of the lack of detention beds in South Texas. Many "OTMs" come from Brazil. But others are from nations like Pakistan. If that reality doesn't get you thinking about terrorism, what does?

To his credit, Mr. Chertoff has hopped-to, not only making this trip but also outlining to the 20 representatives what the administration is doing to make the border more secure. The list includes:

• Adding 1,800 detention beds along the border.

• Sending illegal immigrants home more quickly.


• Moving more agents into corridors with large numbers of illegal crossings.


Those are good security changes, as was Mr. Chertoff's call Wednesday for better security technology along the border. And we say that as a page that supports a more open approach to immigration. The folks down there can't sit still until Congress finally takes up an immigration bill.

But there are not enough guns, planes and agents in the world to safeguard the long stretch from Brownsville to El Paso. Washington needs to create a program where workers from foreign countries, including illegal immigrants already here, can qualify for a legal work visa and apply for citizenship.

We were pleased to hear GOP Rep. Kay Granger advocate a dual approach during an immigration panel in Dallas on Saturday. The Fort Worth legislator pressed for security changes but said Congress can't stop there.

We hope Secretary Chertoff came away with the same understanding. Border problems will get solved only by dealing with security and workers.