Cornyn wants $300 million for local cops on border
By ALICIA A. CALDWELL Associated Press Writer April 28, 2010, 5:34PM

EL PASO, Texas — With threats of spillover violence from Mexico's deadly drug cartel war looming, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is proposing new border security legislation that would give local and state police access to about $300 million in federal grants.

Cornyn, a Texas Republican, told reporters Wednesday that his Southern Border Security Assistance Act would give law enforcement within 100 miles of the Mexican border a shot at millions for extra equipment, overtime and new hires.

The announcement of the fast-track legislation comes just days after Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law one the nation's strictest local immigration laws. That law makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally and requires police to question people about their immigration status if they suspect they are an illegal immigrant.

Cornyn insisted Wednesday this his bill, which would fast-track security money to local and state authorities, has been in the works for some time and was prompted by the federal government's failure to adequately secure the border.

"This is something that has been a long-standing problem," Cornyn said of security issues.

The senator also said he was working with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to get more equipment, including unmanned aerial vehicles, to federal agents on the border.

"We need to do everything in our capacity to bring security to our border," Cornyn said.

He said he has long supported comprehensive immigration reform but insisted that border security had to come first.

Three Democratic senators — Harry Reid of Nevada, Charles Schumer of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey — are developing an immigration proposal that would call for more federal agents and other border security measures to be implemented before illegal immigrants could gain legal status in the U.S.

The security goals "must be met before action can be taken to adjust the status of people already in the United States illegally," according to a copy of the draft legislation, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6980372.html