In Operation Stonegarden, sheriffs help secure U.S.-Mexico border
October 2, 10:27 AM
Tucson Conservative Examiner
Andrew Montalbano
1 comment

By now everyone has heard of America's toughest sheriff. Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio has been admonished by numerous border rights, pro immigration groups, and local media for quite sometime. Is it because of his tactics, or is it because he gets the job done? Unfortunately, Sheriff Joe gets a bad rap because of his flamboyant operations to arrest illegal aliens. Illegal aliens and criminal aliens have quietly been rounded up by sheriffs deputies all across the border for quite awhile now.

Since 2005 the federal government has given more than $12 million in grant awards to the four Southwest border states in support of ongoing local law enforcement efforts at the border. The funding, which was given as part of Operation Stonegarden, assists local authorities with operational costs and equipment purchases that contribute to border security.

The funds were distributed as follows:

• Arizona: $6,353,174
• California: $1,000,000
• New Mexico: $1,580,258
• Texas: $3,070,081

Operation Stonegarden began as a program in fiscal year 2005 that involved 14 border states. The initiative gave states the flexibility to use DHS grant funding to enhance coordination among state and federal law enforcement agencies at our borders. The Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has just announced the release of additional funding in support of Operation Stonegarden, “I am proud to announce an additional $30 million in funding specifically for the Southwestern states to ensure our first responders are equipped with the resources they need to confront the complex and dynamic challenges that exist along our Southern border.â€