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Perdue visits Georgia troops on Mexican border

By JIM THARPE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 08/30/06

Deming, New Mexico — U.S. Border Patrol officials today credited the Georgia National Guard with helping substantially cut illegal crossing along a rugged 54-mile stretch of the U.S. Mexico-border.

Carl McClafferty, assistant patrol agent in charge of the Border Patrol's Deming station, said that before the 150 volunteer Georgia Guardsmen arrived here in May his agents were apprehending about 200 to 300 illegal immigrants per day. The number has now dropped to about 50, he said, as Guardsmen have filled in gaps in the border.

"The crossings have almost dried up in this area," McClafferty said. "The Guard has played a big role in the decline."

Gov. Sonny Perdue flew to New Mexico today to get a close-up view of the Guard's role in the growing battle against illegal immigration when he visited the Decatur-based 78th Troop Command.

Perdue, who is running for re-election, arrived in Las Cruces and later visited troops in Deming, about 35 miles north of the border. He was slated to fly in a Black Hawk helicopter to remote observation points later in the day.

"We hope our guys are making a difference out here," Perdue said as he arrived in New Mexico and was greeted by a contingent of Georgia troops. "That's what I came out here to see."

The governor dispatched Georgia troops — all volunteers — here two months ago to help the U.S. Border Patrol. About 40 states have sent troops as part of the effort, known as Operation Jump Start.

About 150 Georgia Army National Guard soldiers volunteered to assist the Border Patrol in its efforts to stem the flow of illegals crossing the border.

Operation Jump Start was introduced by President Bush in May and has put about 6,000 Army and Air Guard members from dozens of states along the 1,951-mile southern border. They are expected to serve as a stopgap measure until the Border Patrol recruits and trains an equal number of new agents, something that could take up to two years.

"Our troops are a presence. They have the right equipment. Just being there has got to have an impact," said Brigadier General Lawrence Ross, commander of the 78th Troop Command.

The Guard monitors the border and alerts the Boarder Patrol when illegal immigrants are spotted trying to enter the U.S.

"We're the eyes and ears for the Border Patrol," said Major Joe Hester of Savannah. "We don't try to arrest anyone."

The immigration issue is especially volatile in Georgia, which has the fastest-growing illegal immigrant population in the nation, more than doubling in the last five years, according to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security report released earlier this month.

From 2000-2005, Georgia's population of illegals jumped to an estimated 470,000, an increase of 114 percent. The increase far eclipsed the state with the next-fastest growth, Arizona, which had an increase of 45 percent. Some believe the numbers are much higher.

The state Legislature earlier this year passed the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act. The measure seeks to prevent illegal immigrants from getting public benefits to which they're not entitled. And by 2008 it would hold punish private employers who hire illegals — those with public contracts would be held accountable beginning next year.

The bill is expected to have little if any impact on the massive cash economy in which many illegal immigrants work. A landscaper who pays illegal immigrants in cash and does not attempt to claim their wages as a business expense on his state taxes would not be affected.

Perdue signed the legislation, which was authored by state Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock), and has touted it in his campaign ads. That has sparked criticism by Democrats, who contend the governor had a limited role in the new law.