http://www.svherald.com/articles/2006/0 ... /news4.txt

Hayworth: Border defense critical

BY BILL HESS

Herald/Review

SIERRA VISTA — What Arizonans have known for years but most of the nation doesn’t understand is the problem illegal immigration is causing, U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth told an appreciative audience Saturday.

Speaking at the Cochise County Republican Committee’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner, the six-term Republican congressman from Scottsdale said Americans will be called again to be more active in defending the nation against an invasion at the southern border.

While most U.S. citizens do not understand the impact illegal immigration is having, defense of the nation is at a critical junction, Hayworth said.

The federal government is only required to, as outlined in Article 4, Section 4 of the Constitution, protect the nation and each state against invasion, he said.

“Our founders speak to us across time. You understand this in Cochise County,” Hayworth said. “You have lived through an invasion.”

And the invasion continues, impacting the entire nation, northward to Oregon, eastward to Oklahoma City, up to North Dakota and across to North Carolina, the congressman told 240 people who attended the dinner.

“Across our nation we are seeing an invasion,” Hayworth said.

Most of his speech was welcomed with applause and with people saying “amen,” “yes” and sometimes almost mouthing the words he was about the say.

Before he spoke, Jim Weiers, a Republican and speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, made comments claiming the border is a prime issue the state Legislature has to address.

“We probably will not get it right,” he said, noting it will take all 16 votes in the state Senate and the 31 in the state House to convince one person — Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano. The state Senate consists of 30 members, and the House has 60 members. Both chambers are controlled by the Republicans.

The Republicans in the Arizona Legislature are willing to provide funds for different programs to protect the border.

“The (GOP) leadership is providing $100 million for border issues,” Weiers said, adding some of it would go to a special radar system that will spot and track illegal activities crossing the border.

Weiers earlier said the problems associated with illegal immigrants are spreading across the nation.

He recently spoke with a new resident of Arizona who originally hails from Minnesota. The man told him that today’s border problem is huge because the boundary runs from Mexico to Canada.

Another problem facing Arizonans is trying to come to a conclusion on the English language learning issue, he said.

A federal judge in Tucson has ruled the state has to pay a daily fine until the program is sufficiently funded. To date, the fines in the pot total more than $20 million.

Although the governor is allowing the current Republican bill become law without her signature, she is hoping a federal judge will rule it insufficient, thereby giving her more leverage in getting a law she wants, Weiers said.

Hayworth said the action of Judge Raynor Collins is akin to a non-elected official directing citizen-elected officials to do their bidding.

“Woe to them who allow someone to circumvent the will of the people,” he said.

Hayworth said there are too many people wearing the judiciary’s black robes who act as “philosopher kings” on many subjects that are the purview of an elected body.

The problems facing the country range from border issues, to activist judges, to many unknowledgable members of Congress, including Republicans, Hayworth said.

When it comes to defending the Constitution, the call may have to go out for citizen soldiers to report, especially when it comes to border issues, he said.

“Protecting the citizens requires vigilance on every front,” Hayworth said.

SENIOR REPORTER Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615.