Thread: TX: White, Perry camps spar over border security

White, Perry camps spar over border security

12:32 AM CDT on Friday, March 19, 2010

By CHRISTY HOPPE / The Dallas Morning News


AUSTIN – Democrat Bill White pressed for help with federal border security in a call to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and he said Thursday that Republican Rick Perry, the governor he is challenging, also should have picked up the phone.

In a critical statement issued by his campaign, White said that solving problems and protecting against spillover violence from Mexico is better accomplished by talking and coordinating with local and federal counterparts.

White said he asked Napolitano for more resources and airborne surveillance along the border – requests similar to those that have been made by Perry.

"Secretary Napolitano told me this request would receive serious consideration," White said. "She also told me she would give a similar response to the Texas governor if he talked to her about it, which he has not."

Allison Castle, the governor's press secretary, said Perry has spoken to Napolitano on numerous occasions. Scheduling records show he talked to her soon after she assumed office in January 2009 and called her again last March 26 to personally ask for 1,000 National Guard troops for the border.

She asked for more information, and he sent a follow-up letter on April 2. He also sent letter regarding troops to President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Last Friday, he sent another letter to Napolitano, this time to ask for drone aircraft.

"We have tried to schedule a call with Secretary Napolitano within the last several months, and they have refused to schedule it," Castle said.

Napolitano spokesman Matt Chandler said that she had "previously received Gov. Perry's correspondence regarding airborne surveillance, is giving it consideration, and looks forward to communicating with the governor directly."

Chandler said Napolitano talked to White, the former Houston mayor and Democratic nominee for governor, and told him aerial surveillance is "one of the many issues being considered."

The secretary has stepped up border patrol inspections to intercept drugs, money and weapons and is keenly aware of the drug cartel violence.

"We are not, however, seeing any indications of similar violence here in the U.S.," Chandler said.

On Thursday, the governor announced that he was deploying Texas Military Forces helicopters to the border as part of a contingency plan to battle spillover violence from Mexican drug cartels.

Perry has released only broad outlines of the contingency plan because of security concerns.

Some of the plan includes increased surveillance by state and local law enforcement; heightened ground, air and maritime patrols; and the readying of rapid deployment forces, including reconnaissance and state troopers' SWAT teams.

Perry has asked Washington for unmanned military drones for surveillance, as well as the troops, and has criticized the lack of federal response.

On Thursday, White said Perry should do more to work with local officials in border cities instead of launching secret plans.

"An uncoordinated, secret plan is not an effective plan," White said. "Our approach to the tragic violence in Mexico should be firm, alert and targeted to the precise threat."

White quoted Del Rio Mayor Efrain Valdez, chairman of the Texas Border Coalition, and Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas as saying they had not been told that the spillover plan was being implemented and had not been consulted about it.

"Mayors along the border deserve the courtesy of being consulted for input regarding border security," Salinas said.

"Enough with the rhetoric; the time for action is now."

Castle said the mayors should be knowledgeable about the contingency plan.

"The plan was created in consultation with local law enforcement and federal partners," she said. "And that plan was created in January of last year."

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One thing is certain, Bill White will turn Texas into a sanctuary state.