Thread: El Paso border chief urges immigration reform

I think we all know what "comprehensive" reform means.
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El Paso border chief urges immigration reform

04/30/2008
By ALICIA A. CALDWELL / Associated Press

The key to curbing illegal immigration rests in the hands of Congress, the chief of the U.S. Border Patrol's El Paso Sector said Tuesday.

Chief Patrol Agent Victor M. Manjarrez Jr., in an interview with The Associated Press, said without comprehensive immigration reform border agents continue to split their attention between "economic migrants," criminals, and potentially terrorists.

"Most of these people are economic migrants but we have to deal with them between the ports of entry because we have not, in terms of a legislative fix, determined what we do with these people," Manjarrez said. "I think it's pretty obvious that the country has a need for economic migrants. To what degree, I don't know. That's for the country to decide and for the politicians to decide."

In the El Paso Sector, an area that encompasses 268 miles of border stretching west from Hudspeth County in far West Texas to the Arizona state line, agents arrested about 75,000 border crossers in fiscal year 2007. Manjarrez estimates that at least 87 percent of those were just looking for work.

Immigration reform stalled in 2006 amid a flurry proposed bills that included everything from criminal sanctions for illegal immigrants to guest worker programs to paths to citizenship for the millions of illegal immigrants already living in the United States.

Approved were efforts to build a fence at the Mexican border and hire thousands of new agents to patrol vast stretches of open desert separating the U.S. from Mexico and the thick woods and lakes that divide the U.S. and Canada.

And with the Border Patrol's new focus on terrorists and weapons of mass destruction — the agency changed its official focus with the creation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security — Manjarrez said agents need help.

"When you look at the series of events that have happened over the last five, six years ... our mission changed," Manjarrez said. "Our primary mission changed from our traditional focus. Our primary mission now is terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. That's what we should be focused on. We can't focus on that as much as we would like because of all the other issues that we deal with."

The chief said agents "have encountered situations which lead us to believe there is a terrorism nexus." He declined to provide specific details.

Manjarrez, a veteran agent who has served in various sectors including Tucson, Ariz. and the Washington D.C. headquarters, said based on intelligence received "by the DHS family" and hunches based on experience, he believes the threat of a terrorist or weapon of mass destruction being smuggled across the border exists.

And by reducing "the clutter" of immigration issues his agents respond to every day, agents could focus their attention more closely on looking for would-be terrorists, criminals, and weapons.

"If there is anything that can reduce that flow, and those stresses" it would help, Manjarrez said.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... SBAO0.html

Chief Patrol Agent Victor M. Manjarrez Jr., in an interview with The Associated Press, said without comprehensive immigration reform border agents continue to split their attention between "economic migrants," criminals, and potentially terrorists.

The only thing economic about them is they are econimically-dependant illegal aliens.

And by reducing "the clutter" of immigration issues his agents respond to every day, agents could focus their attention more closely on looking for would-be terrorists, criminals, and weapons.

"If there is anything that can reduce that flow, and those stresses" it would help, Manjarrez said.

How about enforcing our laws and building a double-layered fence across the entire border.

Personally, I don't see how placing 20-30 million illegal aliens on a path to citizenship is going to reduce the influx of illegal immigrants. Actually, rewarding illegals with a path to citizenship will encourage more to come in search of the same. Geez, this isn't rocket science guys!

Originally Posted by MW

And by reducing "the clutter" of immigration issues his agents respond to every day, agents could focus their attention more closely on looking for would-be terrorists, criminals, and weapons.

"If there is anything that can reduce that flow, and those stresses" it would help, Manjarrez said.

How about enforcing our laws and building a double-layered fence across the entire border.

Personally, I don't see how placing 20-30 million illegal aliens on a path to citizenship is going to reduce the influx of illegal immigrants. Actually, rewarding illegals with a path to citizenship will encourage more to come in search of the same. Geez, this isn't rocket science guys!

Brother you said a mouth full SALUTE

How can these people be so stupid, do they really believe giving amnesty is going to stop the flow of illegals who want to work or is he so stupid to think all of these people are just from Mexico.

And once you do that how many are you going to let accross the border legally ? everyone who wants to come?

Gawd how can people be so narrow minded and stupid??

I would like to know just how many illegals and visa holders are in this country using our resources (Gas) especially since Americans are catching all the blame for using the oil....I do know they gave out 2 1/2 million visa's in 2007. Do they have an exit program yet or are they just going to forget about these people so before we know it we are globalized and it has gone to far to stop, ( like illegal immigration, seems to have worked well for globalists)

12245 Pine Springs Dr
El Paso, TX 79936
(915) 859-6454

Another sympathetic putz!!! He probably has family in Mexico! Another putz sits in Washington and was appointed by Nancy Pelosi. He is non other than Sylvester Reyes, who also is a sympathizer to illegals, he also was a border patrol agent at one time.
He has been lobbying against the border fence as well. Unfortunately many border patrol agents do have sympathies for the illegals, many of them here in El Paso do have family living in Mexico. Why can't we just get people to do their DAMN jobs!!!!!

The El Paso Border Chief calls for amnesty!!! Are you kidding me??? Let's contact this traitor and tell him WHAT WE THINK!!!

Dear Secretary Chertoff,
RE: Chief Patrol Agent Victor M. Manjarrez Jr.
El Paso Sector

Agent Manjarrez gave an interview to AP. I was astounded that he advocates amnesty for lawbreakers. This would appear to be a conflict of interest as his job description is law enforcement.
I read the interview several times. I question his commitment to securing the border. His expressed views are make everybody legal and therefore we have no crime.
He expressed the absurd idea that amnesty would solve the problem. I suggest that he lacks the IQ necessary for this position.


Sincerely,

Originally Posted by shelvapreston

Dear Secretary Chertoff,
RE: Chief Patrol Agent Victor M. Manjarrez Jr.
El Paso Sector

Agent Manjarrez gave an interview to AP. I was astounded that he advocates amnesty for lawbreakers. This would appear to be a conflict of interest as his job description is law enforcement.
I read the interview several times. I question his commitment to securing the border. His expressed views are make everybody legal and therefore we have no crime.
He expressed the absurd idea that amnesty would solve the problem. I suggest that he lacks the IQ necessary for this position.


Sincerely,

Nice work, shelvapreston. Thanks.