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The Business Journal of Phoenix - 3:00 PM MST Wednesday
Renzi wants state border patrols, border incursions investigation
Mike Sunnucks
The Business Journal
A key lawmaker wants the U.S. State Department to investigate possible Mexican military incursions into Arizona and other border states and also wants to create new state border guard units to help fight illegal immigration and drug cartels.

Arizona Congressman Rick Renzi has sent a letter to the State Department asking the agency to investigate Mexican military troops and police crossing into Arizona and other Southwestern states. There have been media and other reports citing cases of Mexican troops incursions into the Southwestern states. Some corrupt Mexican military units and police are linked with drug cartels, immigrant smugglers and other organized crime syndicates.

"These reports of Mexican military units providing armed escorts to drug and human smuggling operations represent narco-terror in its purest form," said Renzi, a Republican representing a rural swath of the state including Casa Grande, Florence and Window Rock. "Our borders are under attack by sophisticated organizations that have no qualms about firing upon our border patrol units."

Mexican drug cartels and criminal gangs are also linked to ID theft and fraudulent employment documents and identification cards in Arizona. The state ranks first in the U.S. in per capita ID theft; is a top entry point for illegal immigrants and crystal meth from Mexico.

Renzi also wants states like Arizona to create new border guard units to patrol the Mexican border and help federal agencies with security efforts.

Renzi wants the new state patrols to be funded by the federal government.

Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat, has sent Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld a request for federal funding so the state can send National Guard troops to the border.

That has upset some Republicans, who point to the fact Napolitano previously did not support dispatching more guard troops to the border. Some state National Guardsmen are already at the border assisting federal agencies with paperwork and other backline functions.

Spokesman Joe Brenckle said Renzi backs Napolitano's request because it will help precipitate the creation of new federally financed, state-run units.

Also on the immigration front, West Valley Congressman Trent Franks will appear with firebrand Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo at border security-themed events in Phoenix and Surprise on Thursday.

Tancredo is a top advocate of tighter immigration and border controls and has clashed with business groups and the Bush administration over a possible guest worker program and what to do with the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the U.S.

The Colorado conservative is eyeing a longshot 2008 presidential run aimed at highlighting the illegal immigration and border security.

Tancredo will be in Tucson on Friday appearing with former state lawmaker Randy Graf who is running for Congress.

Graf is a top GOP contender to replace retiring Congressman Jim Kolbe. However, Graf and or another Republican will face a tough Democratic challenge in November either from former state senator Gabrielle Giffords or former Tucson television news anchor Patty Weiss.