Thread: Border emergency declared in New Mexico

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/12/newmexico/index.html

Border emergency declared in New Mexico
Governor says area 'devastated' by human and drug smuggling

(CNN) -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson declared a state of emergency Friday in four counties along the Mexican border that he said have been "devastated" by crimes such as the smuggling of drugs and illegal immigrants.

The declaration says the region "has been devastated by the ravages and terror of human smuggling, drug smuggling, kidnapping, murder, destruction of property and the death of livestock. ...

"[It] is in an extreme state of disrepair and is inadequately funded or safeguarded to protect the lives and property of New Mexican citizens."

The move makes $750,000 in state emergency funds available to Dona Ana, Luna, Grant and Hidalgo counties.

Richardson pledged an additional $1 million in assistance for the area, his office said in a news release.

Richardson -- a Democrat who served in President Clinton's Cabinet -- criticized the "total inaction and lack of resources from the federal government and Congress" in helping protect his state's residents along the border.

"Recent developments have convinced me this action is necessary -- including violence directed at law enforcement, damage to property and livestock, increased evidence of drug smuggling, and an increase in the number of undocumented immigrants," Richardson said in the statement.

The governor announced the move after a helicopter and ground tour of the border near Columbus, New Mexico, the statement said.

He called on Mexico to "bulldoze the abandoned town of Las Chepas, which is directly over the border from Columbus.

"Las Chepas is a notorious staging and resting area for those who smuggle drugs and immigrants into the United States."

Some of the pledged funds will be used to create a field office for the New Mexico Office of Homeland Security to focus specifically on the border.

There will also be new efforts to protect livestock in the area near Columbus, "along a favorite path for illegal immigration where a number of livestock have been stolen and killed," the statement said.

Richardson said he wanted residents of the four counties "to know my administration is doing everything it can to protect them."

Alejandro Cano, secretary of industrial development for the Mexican state of Chihuahua -- which borders New Mexico -- pledged to support Richardson's efforts, the statement said.

HEY!! This is outstanding news!!

Could this be Tide is Turning?

Could this be a Race to the Top to prevent our Race to the Bottom?

WE may have a political competition to "outdo" each other to please US NOW!!

I really like the sound of this "state of emergency".

I mean, why now, when this sort of border crime has been going on for almost 20 years? True, that thanks to most of the Nancy Grace's out there, border violence as well as negative effects of illegal immigration along the border has gone mostly unreported, but why now? Is it because the corporate elite who have gotten away with hiring illegals have stopped paying up to corrupt politicians and/or contributing to political campaigns? I find it kind of funny that they all of a sudden are declaring the situation an emergency when it has been going on since NAFTA was signed.

The "cat" is out of the bag. They will all be jumping ship on this Administration. They will all be ducking and running right into our arms. Not because of illegal immigration, that is just where they hope to distance themselves from this White House and this Congress and win our hearts.

You are going to see a Tidal Wave of "defections" from Open Borders, Illegal Immigration, and Globalism because the truth about 9/11, the War in Afghanistan, and the War In Iraq, and so called "al-qaeda, al-qaida, or al'qa'ida" alias BUSH TERRORISM is about to spill.

Connect the dots.

And Quickly.