DHS Chief Says Illegal Immigration Has Dropped Amid Heightened Border Security
Changes in border security have cut the flow of illegal immigrants crossing the nation's southern border, Michael Chertoff, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said today. "For the first time, we've reversed momentum," he said.
Just within the past week, the number of Border Patrol agents serving in the department topped 18,000, Chertoff said. That's more than double the 9,000 agents on duty when President Bush took office in 2000. In addition, Chertoff said that the Bush administration will leave office having completed about 90 percent of the planned border fencing project along sections of the 700-mile U.S.-Mexico border.
But the beefed-up security, combined with a public increasingly more preoccupied with the troubled economy than the issue of immigration, shouldn't preclude legislators from crafting a comprehensive fix for the larger issue, he said.
Despite Bush's inability to implement his immigration reform plan, which Congress twice rejected, Chertoff said that a similar effort was still "the right way to go."
At the time, critics questioned the administration's proposal to create a path to citizenship (which opponents dubbed an "amnesty") without first effectively enforcing existing law and stopping the flow of people across the porous southern border. Since the measures' failure, the government has staged a series of high-profile raids on businesses suspected of employing undocumented workers.
Chertoff said it is still unclear if the boost to security and the tougher enforcement will pacify critics enough to enable the Obama administration to tackle the issue.
Reader Comments
Borders Fenced
It is true that we need to fence the USA from illegal aliens from the borders. There are a lot of drug dealers from them and crime offenders like the blacks as most from poverty groups. Protect the quiet and hard working Americans from the abuse of any illegal aliens and Americans who are destroying the country.
Protect the jobs for the American first. But not only illegal aliens are bad there are local Americans that are criminals too. But by protecting the borders will help DHS control what is already in the county.
CHIRLA, SEIU, MALDEF, churches and other groups have lobbied to reward people who've violated our 'Title 8, Section 1325 of our C.F.R. (Entry by an illegal alien)'. There are lots of programs and laws that any person wishing to migrate into the U.S. legally, may petition for and if they qualify, they may be rewarded with either a visa to work legally in the U.S. or with legal residenship. Most choose to ignore our laws simply because (it's easier and convenient) or because they already have a sponsor (close relative, former neighbor or friend) living in the U.S. 'illegally' who is willing to ante the funds to assist with the illegal introduction of this person(s) into our country foregoing any and all laws.
The Mexican government have instilled into their constituents' minds that these lands were at one time THEIRS and that the United States stole them from them. They ignore the fact that the United States paid millions of dollars for these lands and they agreed to sell them. So, they think they're coming to re-conquer and take back what was once theirs. As far as it's been known, these lands had no borders and the Spanish were here first, then came the Mexicans; the Spanish withdrew and the Mexicans stayed and had no contact with their central government. They were ignored by their corrupt and inept goverment since the beginning. In comes the frontier period. We kicked butts, won and paid for these lands. These lands are ours, end of discussion.
One only has to look at the Los Angeles Police Department's Most Wanted and soon will conclude that the majority if not all of the Most Wanted are of hispanic descent and all are suspected of being 'illegal aliens', are still in the area or have fled the country evading apprehension or moved out of the state. Is this what we want in our communities?
Text books and their (hispanic) media tells us that there are 12 millions of them. There are MORE!
My neighborhood used to be quiet. Little by little houses have been rented out to 'illegal aliens' because they have the money and the guts to live 10 to 15 in a three bedroom home, turning our neighborhood into a trash dump almost overnight. Early Saturday or Sunday mornings one is disturbed by their women selling tamales, gold or even Avon items. We no longer enjoy our peace and quiet. Do we have to adapt to these people's mode of living or do they have to adjust to ours (respecting privacy, local ordinances, etc.).
Some might have the best intentions, but the majority don't. They bring gang activity, drugs, and additional members of their older communities and soon we're all infested with crime. Our police departments are overwhelmed and can't handle these people because they (illegals) have the support of the above groups who have filed injuctions against the local police departments. If our country is made up of laws, how come they can't respect our established ones? They want laws convenient only to them. I'll say ship them out!!!!!
This Man Needs to Be Committed Along With Bush
Is this propaganda being swallowed by any American at this point. As a former 45 year Arizona resident, you would have to have agents linked arm and arm across that expanse of desert to have any significant impact on the flow, that is why the needed fencing and physical deterrant is vital to both our national security, and to stop the influx of these illegals and the border hoppers. This man is a joke, and another federal bureaucrat without a clue.
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