Bill to fight border crime gets House nod

Web Posted: 05/07/2007 10:59 PM CDT

Gary Scharrer
Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — The Texas House tentatively approved legislation Monday night designed to slow the flow of illegal drugs and associated crime along the state's southern border with Mexico, but it does not specifically address illegal immigration.
Lawmakers voted 140-5 for the border security bill, which could move hundreds of millions of dollars in state and federal money to the border region over the next two years.

The money would allow the state and border counties to hire hundreds of troopers and deputies and to buy equipment, such as helicopters, to significantly increase a law enforcement presence in the border region.

The state's effort to beef up border security reflects a growing frustration with the federal government's inability to secure the international border.

"The focus of the bill is on the border and border security. We focused on criminal activity," House State Affairs Chairman David Swinford, R-Dumas, said of his bill.

In a rare, blistering personal privilege speech, Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, complained bitterly that Swinford refused to consider any of bills addressing illegal immigration.

"That's not what my constituents want to hear," Berman said.

He criticized "illegal aliens" for costing Texas taxpayers $3.5 billion a year and creating chaos for public hospital emergency rooms and border school districts that have to keep building more schools to handle enrollment growth.

He blamed undocumented immigrants for 70 percent of all births in Houston's public hospitals; for most of the criminal gangs in the state's major cities; and for bringing such diseases as tuberculosis, leprosy, and dengue fever.

Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, rushed to the microphone to respond, scolding Berman for trying to dehumanize immigrants by calling them illegal.

"We are talking about human beings, about mothers," he said. "Let's not forget about the human aspect of our debate."

Rep. Frank Corte, R-San Antonio, emphasized that "border security contributes to our state's internal security and thus to nation's homeland security.

"Texans will have more law enforcement on the streets, where it counts along the border. Our border is long and some parts desolate; at the present (it is) almost impossible to curb illegal activity," he said.

The bill aims to crack down on drug trafficking, human smuggling and other crime, Swinford said.

Berman complained that all references to immigration had been yanked from the bill, including the state's ability to penalize so-called "sanctuary cities" that close their eye on undocumented immigrants.

That's because states lack authority to enforce federal immigration policy, Swinford said.

A border security council appointed by the governor will monitor the state's homeland security policy and operations.

Border residents must make up at least one-third of the proposed border security council after an amendment by Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio.

"It's important that the border be represented when we are talking about border security," Castro said.

The preliminary support for House Bill 13 was expected after a procedural defect with the bill stopped debate Thursday night. The legislation will head to the Senate after a final vote today.

The legislation dilutes Gov. Rick Perry's control of the border security package that he strongly supports.

House members removed a sensitive criminal database from his office, transferring it to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Lawmakers also restricted the state's homeland security director to two-year terms subject to Senate confirmation. Perry currently chooses the homeland security director, who serves at the governor's pleasure without any legislative input.

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