Thread: Border cameras cost $2 million, led to 3 arrests

Has anyone noticed the increase in stories like this since Obama took office? Seems their strategy now is to flood us with stories about how "ineffective" security measures are? Trying to make people think they are a waste of money? I'm sure they plan to try to buy time for the illegals and CIR by doing this.

Border cameras cost $2 million, led to 3 arrests
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January 26, 2009 - 2:25 PM
The Associated Press

AUSTIN (AP) - Texas officials are criticizing a $2 million security program aiming surveillance cameras at the Mexico-U.S. border as "a waste of time and money" after a six-month progress report recorded just three arrests - or nearly 1,200 fewer than supporters had predicted.

A newspaper investigation published in Monday editions of the El Paso Times showed the program has fallen far short of the objectives set by the Texas Border Sheriffs Coalition, which received $2 million in federal grant money from Gov. Rick Perry last year.

According to the investigation:

- The coalition hoped to make 1,200 arrests the first year from tips called in by citizens watching the camera feeds on the Internet. In the first six months, there were three arrests.

- The coalition expected to report 4,500 suspected immigration violations to the U.S. Border Patrol in the first year. There were six suspected violations reported.

- The coalition planned to install 200 cameras, or about one ever six miles. So far, 13 have been installed and there probably will be just 15 total. That's one camera for every 80 miles of border.

Don Reay, executive director of the sheriffs coalition, said he and Perry agree they set their goals too high.

"We think they might have been a little bit high as we're evaluating," Reay said.

But Reay and Perry staff members defended the program and said it is too soon to judge its effectiveness. Perry spokeswoman Katherine Cesinger said the original objectives, which Perry's administration helped set, are flawed.

"The progress reports need to be adjusted to come in line with the strategy," Cesinger said.

Perry remains committed to the program because it's "utilizing technology so you don't have to pay for an extra set of eyes," she said.

Critics of the plan said the border camera program is more about Perry capitalizing on anti-illegal immigration sentiment among his conservative supporters than about actually increasing border security.

"I think it's a waste of time and it's a waste of money," said state Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, a McAllen Democrat. "It doesn't work."
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/p ... ogram.html



This story seems to be getting a lot of press. This story or related at these links:

Border cameras cost $2 million, led to 3 arrests
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/met ... 30893.html

$2 Million Border Cameras Net Three Arrests
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/38381184.html

Border cameras cost $2 million, led to 3 arrests
http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_ ... rID=230106

Originally Posted by cvangel

Has anyone noticed the increase in stories like this since Obama took office? Seems their strategy now is to flood us with stories about how "ineffective" security measures are? Trying to make people think they are a waste of money? I'm sure they plan to try to buy time for the illegals and CIR by doing this.

I have notice the same thing. I also hear the same thing from those who help elect Obama, "it will cost us so much to stop illegal immigration." So I guess their alternative is do nothing, turn your heads the other way and spend more on social programs so illegals will be ore comfortable when they come here.

I call it a success. Think about how much more than $2 million that 3 illegal aliens would cost us in regards to the many anchor babies they'd spawn, social programs they'd leach and wages they'd further depress.

6 months is not enough time to determine "failure" and 13 cameras are alot less than 200. Put up more of them.