Domenici Seeks To Extend Guard's Duty at Border
By Michael Coleman
The Albuquerque Journal (NM), March 6, 2008

Washington, DC -- Hundreds of National Guardsmen deployed to New Mexico's southern border two years ago to help control illegal immigration will remain there indefinitely if Sen. Pete Domenici has his way.

Legislation introduced by Domenici, R-N.M., on Wednesday - part of a broader package of 15 immigration initiatives sponsored by Senate Republicans this week - would temporarily thwart a Bush administration plan to extricate 6,000 Guardsmen deployed to the Mexican border in 2006 as part of Operation Jump Start.

Deployment of troops along the border in New Mexico peaked at about 725 in November 2006 and has included National Guardsmen from New Mexico as well as other states.

The New Mexico deployment was cut in half by September 2007 as Border Patrol agents became trained and were transferred into the region.

Domenici said the Guard's presence on the border has helped in the fight against illegal immigration and that it makes sense to keep the remaining troops there, at least for the foreseeable future.

The White House is concerned about costs, Domenici said, but he said the Guard presence is worth the expense.

'I just don't want to fool around with begging (to have) the National Guard at the border,' he told the Journal on Wednesday. 'We know the National Guard has done a great job. The system is working much better now.'

A Department of Homeland Security official confirmed that Guardsmen sent to the border are gradually being reassigned to jobs unrelated to the border as new U.S. Border Patrol agents are hired.

'From the very beginning, (Bush administration officials) have all talked about how Operation Jump Start was intended to be temporary support for the Border Patrol,' said Russ Knocke, a spokesman for Homeland Security.

He said Bush is on track to increase the number of Border Patrol agents during his administration - from 9,000 to 20,000 - when he leaves office.

Domenici's bill would give new life to Operation Jump Start, authorizing the program at its 2006 strength of 6,000 Guardsmen deployed along the entire Southwestern border. Guard personnel assist the Border Patrol with duties such as surveillance and vehicle barrier construction.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said he supports keeping the National Guard at the border, but not indefinitely because it is needed for other tasks, such as disaster relief.

'The Guard should stay in place until the promised number of Border Patrol agents are actually on the job, not simply in the training academy,' Richardson said in a statement.

'The Guard should not be permanently assigned to the border,' he said. 'That is the job of the federal government and the Border Patrol.'

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