Thread: Ariz. rep. first to meet border guards

Ariz. rep. first to meet border guards
By: Scott Wong
September 10, 2010 11:04 AM EDT

In an attempt to show her border-security credentials, Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords on Friday will become Arizona’s first elected official to meet with National Guard troops recently deployed to the state’s nearly 370-mile border with Mexico.

She’ll start her morning by meeting with soldiers training in Tucson, then head south to observe troops patrolling the border in Nogales.

Giffords, first elected to southern Arizona’s 8th Congressional District in 2006, is one of three vulnerable House Democrats in the state. She faces a tough matchup in November against former Marine Sgt. Jesse Kelly, the tea party favorite who upset the establishment candidate in last month’s Republican primary.

A poll released last week by the conservative American Action Forum showed the two were even with 46 percent each. Eight percent were undecided.

Representing a district with a slight GOP advantage, Giffords has aligned herself with Republicans, like Sen. John McCain, in calling for tougher border security to combat illegal immigration and drug smuggling.

She stepped up her calls in March after a local rancher in her border district was murdered by a suspected illegal immigrant.

Two months later, President Barack Obama deployed 1,200 National Guard troops to Southwest border states. The first of Arizona’s 532 troops began arriving last week and all should be in place by early October.

“While I have no doubt that these soldiers and airmen will play a critical role in helping the U.S. Border Patrol fulfill its mission, I remain deeply concerned about the length of time it took for them to get here,â€

National Guard in action on the border
Posted - 9/10/2010 at 8:00PM by Greg Dingrando

NOGALES - The first of 532 National Guard troops started arriving along the Arizona-Mexico border and Friday we got our first look at those guardsmen in action.

The National Guard is used to training to go into battle, but training for the border is much different than Iraq or Afghanistan. The biggest difference is they aren't running the show.

Lt. Valentine Castillo said, "Basically we're teaching and training how to serve the border patrol as the extra set of eyes."

And the training was not being done in the classroom. Castillo said, "With scenario based training, we can recognize different groups and how they may approach us and how to handle that situation."

And even though handling the situation does not include physical contact the Guard said that doesn't mean they won't be stopping people and drugs from coming through.

Castillo said, "It acts as a deterrent. We're out there in the open. They can see us and observe us and it can discourage suspicious activity."

Once the National Guard finishes their training in Tucson, they go to the border and it's no longer training, it's real.

We weren't the only ones that got a look at the troops in action. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was along for the ride to see what the Guard is doing.

Giffords said, "The border patrol needs assistance. They're doing the best job they can but they're out numbered, out manned, out gunned, and out resourced so having the National Guard on the border is really going to help deal with that."

The National Guard said training is going well, so all the troops should be on the border by October 1st.

To be balanced, we also spoke with Republican Jesse Kelly who's trying to take Giffords' seat in Washington.

He said Giffords' visit to the border is just a political stunt. As for the addition of the National Guard he has a very different view on it.

Kelly said, "The little that they did send is a waste if they're not given the authority to apprehend illegal immigrants and right now they do not have that authority so it is a waste of our National Guard troops' time. They're time is valuable because they protect this nation."

Kelly said a real solution is needed on the border and that includes a double layered fence and a beef up in man power and resources for the border patrol, not the National Guard.

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