http://www.friendsoftheborderpatrol.com/PRDHBill.html

FBP announces support for Duncan Hunter's True Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2005

Comments by NBPC leaders against will of American people

Date of Release: November 9, 2005

Congressman Duncan Hunter, House Armed Services Committee Chairman introduced a bill on November 3, 2005 called the True Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2005.

This bill is a great step in the right direction. It does not just pay mere lip service when it comes to border security, and infrastructure, but actually does something about the problem and supports the will of the American people. Chairman Hunter, who has long been a leader in the fight to secure America's borders, has again come up with a proactive plan to do something about this problem.

Several publications have recently quoted TJ Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, Rich Pierce, Exec. Vice President of the NBPC, and Chris Bauder of the NBPC's Local 1613 (San Diego) who, though long supported by Chairman Hunter, each blasted the Congressman's bill provisions to provide a fence to protect our national borders. They state that building the fence serves no purpose, and suggested the Chairman focus on interior enforcement. This is the same thing that was stated to me back in April when they suggested FBP not conduct Border Watch, and instead focus on employers of illegal aliens.

Now FBP respects these gentlemen for their service to our nation as US Border Patrol agents. However, it is safe to say that their assessment is wrong, and reeks of a sell-out by these leaders against the millions of Americans across this nation who have continued to support the Border Patrol's agents in their battle with the Bush Administration. We want secure borders, and interior enforcement. We will never regain control of this national emergency without both.

This past July, Sheriff Lee Baca called on the Congress to finish the fence along our borders in order to protect the American people as the fence in San Diego was a joke. He also said we need a triple fence similar to what Israel has used to keep terrorists out of their nation, as a way to improve US National Security.

Therefore, FBP condemns the assessments of the NBPC's leadership as out of step with the will of the American people. These leaders appear more concerned with politics than supporting the will of the people. FBP was informed that Congressman Hunter's office fully detailed this legislation to the NBPC leadership and was not informed that the NBPC's leaders had no problems with the bill.

Many Americans stopped their lives and spent countless days, nights, and weekends to stand a post along our dangerous borders in support of the Border Patrol. There have been a number of statements that are derogatory against the American people for their border watches. FBP suggests that the members consider new leadership in their national council. Long-term incumbency has proven to be a problem in the political arena by leaving individuals too long in a position of leadership resulting in losing touch with the American people.

Fences may not stop smugglers from crossing our borders, but it is a deterrent. Smugglers would have to use tunnels, which they already do, or try pole-vaulting the triple fence. Chairman Hunter's other provisions will also serve as a deterrent such as increasing manpower across the board by adding USBP agents, detention center beds, immigration law prosecutors, judges, speeding up removal/deportation processes, reimbursement of costs, employer sanctions enforcement, alien smuggling/trafficking enforcement, etc.

This bill in fact does the following, which FBP has long called for including:

Border Security - through the triple fence built along the entire US border
Visa Reform/Enforcement - by monitoring aliens who overstay their Visas
State, Local, and Tribal Enforcement - to ensure enforcement of immigration laws along the border and within the interior of the United States
Workplace Verification and Enforcement
Overhauling, Streamlining Judicial Process and Implementing Fines/Penalties

As a result, Friends of the Border Patrol fully supports Chairman Duncan Hunter's True Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2005 and asks the American people to do the same. The only immigration reforms needed are those provided in this bill, which improves US National Security and public safety. This results in improving the quality of life for our citizens, legal resident immigrants, and guests known to be within our nation through the permission of the US Government. We call on the members of the NBPC to demand that your national leadership support this bill, which is a step in the right direction and consider that this bill, if fully implemented, has the support of the American people. Failure to do so would lead us all to question if the NBPC leadership has not sold out the American people in a backroom deal with the Bush Administration in order to maintain leadership positions financed by the membership.

Visit FriendsOfTheBorderPatrol.com for more information.