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| States Boost Border Security as Pleas to Washington Go Unmet |
| 2010-04-02 |
| Border states are looking to take matters into their own hands, boosting law enforcement to patrol for illegal immigrants while their pleas for federal assistance go unmet in the wake of the killing of a prominent Arizona rancher. Local authorities suspect Robert Krentz, found dead on his cattle ranch Saturday night, was killed by an illegal immigrant who fled back across the border into Mexico. Gov. Jan Brewer told Fox News on Wednesday that after repeatedly calling on the federal government to send in 250 National Guard troops, she hasn't ruled out making the call herself. "I can, and I haven't ruled that out," she said. Brewer has also offered state law enforcement help to the county where the killing occurred, while the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Department of Corrections are helping to coordinate the search for the suspect, according to her office. But Brewer stressed that Arizona cannot afford to sustain or maintain the additional National Guard presence. She said border security is a federal responsibility -- and she said the administration simply is not stepping up. "We've been talking to the federal government in regards to our borders and it just seems that they don't want to participate in any shape, form or manner," she said. "They just don't even respond." New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson also announced Tuesday that he's increasing law enforcement along his state's border with Mexico while the investigation is underway. His office said New Mexico state police and local sheriff's offices have stepped up patrols all along the border -- and that the U.S. Border Patrol has increased its presence as well. But officials including Brewer, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and several U.S. representatives out of New Mexico have called for a much bigger federal presence on the border -- a combination of National Guard and Border Patrol -- in the aftermath of Krentz's murder. "The federal government's responsibility is the border. It's a federal responsibility, not a state responsibility," McCain said. "So the federal government should be the ones that pick up the tab for sending the guard to the border." Matthew Chandler, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, told FoxNews.com in a written statement that the department "will respond directly to the members of Congress" who are making the requests. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, formerly the governor of Arizona, "shares these members' concern about the safety of U.S. border communities and is committed to working with our state, local, tribal, and Mexican law enforcement partners to combat threats from violent cartels on both sides of the border," he said. Napolitano, since taking over Homeland Security, has increased the number of intelligence analysts, special agents and canine teams along the border. But critics say Border Patrol teams are ineffective and that hundreds of miles of fencing are either missing or not high or sturdy enough to keep out illegal immigrants. The Krentz killing has served as a rallying cry for those who have long called on the federal government to overhaul its approach to the southwestern border. The Krentz family had personally been airing its concerns about illegal immigrants to federal authorities for years. Though Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just returned from leading a delegation to Mexico City to discuss the offensive against the drug trade and related border violence, the State Department had no comment on the Krentz killing. The White House could not be reached for comment. A few days before the murder, Texas Gov. Rick Perry deployed helicopters to the border to patrol and wrote to Napolitano calling for the federal government to do more to stem border violence. In a letter to Napolitano, Perry asked for the department to use a new drone for surveillance along the Texas-Mexico border -- he complained that the handful of drones currently in operation are split between North Dakota and Arizona. Now watch our beloved president and congress refuse to fund the National Guard for this mission. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #17 would only be a good deal RJ if the Mexicans went to Guatemala first. we do not want to annex that kind of corruption and poverty |
| Posted by: abu do you love 2010-04-02 22:31 |
| #16 Hell, just annex Mexico into Texas, it was Mexico originally, just take the rest. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2010-04-02 21:19 |
| #15 ION CHINESE MILITARY FORUM > GANG LEADER [USA = POTUS Bammer] FACING DESERTIONS [NATO, Allied] FROM THE LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTRE | COALITION OF THE RENTED? PENTAGON PAYS OUT MILYUHNS TO MIL EQUIP SMALLER NATIONS FOR AFGHAN WAR, espec FORMER COLD WAR WARPACT STATES + SOVIET SSRS. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-04-02 21:19 |
| #14 leave it to the federal gubmint to not do what they are constitutionally mandated to do and to do what is constitutionally specious to do. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2010-04-02 20:48 |
| #13 Local authorities suspect Robert Krentz, found dead on his cattle ranch Saturday night, was killed by an illegal immigrant who fled back across the border into Mexico. Krentz was 'prominent' because he was one of the first to leave water supplies for illegals. The irony was that he was killed by a 'coyote' or someone in the cartels, who obviously didn't recognize his humanitarian achievements. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2010-04-02 20:13 |
| #12 There's still the Mark 1 Eyeball, John. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2010-04-02 20:06 |
| #11 previwe is yoru firend wen previwe is werking O.K. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-04-02 14:27 |
| #10 looks like I messed up the closing DEL tag (should be there after then in "Stain") As said before "previwe is yoru firend |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2010-04-02 13:38 |
| #9 Mc |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2010-04-02 13:35 |
| #8 The White House could not be reached for comment. of course not Everyone is having to tighten their belts, how about using the money used for illegals benefits in healthcare and other welfare programs and transfer it to use for the National Guard. And stop this stupid PC crap of punishing our guys for enforcing the laws! |
| Posted by: Jan 2010-04-02 12:42 |
| #7 "We've been talking to the federal government in regards to our borders and it just seems that they don't want to participate in any shape, form or manner," she said. "They just don't even respond." They don't want to pi$$-off the undocumented Demonrat voters? You can damn sure bet that if a few Americans along the border killed a few illegals while defending themselves there would be Federal hell to pay. There would be criminal and civil lawsuits. Hey Joe, "it's a big fvcking deal." |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-04-02 12:02 |
| #6 But critics say Border Patrol teams are ineffective' ...and if they're effective, put them in jail! |
| Posted by: Willy 2010-04-02 11:33 |
| #5 nice to see McAmnesty braying and outraged over this. He and Lindsey Grahamnesty have done their best to keep the illegals coming with hopes of legalization. A** |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-04-02 11:00 |
| #4 "So the feds don't have enough money for border security, but they do have enough money for univeral health care." Speaking of which, the Federal Government refuses to do their job as outlined and secure that border while at the same time making "healthcare" top priority. Does that mean they plan to cover every person that crosses that border too? Can we afford "healthcare" for the whole world? Do you see how illogical these people are? |
| Posted by: newc 2010-04-02 10:46 |
| #3 Washington DC no longer represents America. |
| Posted by: wt 2010-04-02 10:27 |
| #2 So the feds don't have enough money for border security, but they do have enough money for univeral health care. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-04-02 10:13 |
| #1 Krenzt....was killed by an illegal immigrant who fled back across the border into Mexico. One man, in and out. I've found no reporting on the weapon used. Probably a targeted hit, the first of more to come. No coincidence Mr. Krentz was a wealthy, large tract land owner. The African National Congress (ANC) uses the same Plaas Moorde (farm murder) technique against farmers and land owners in Zim and South Africa. Like the Obama administration, Robert Mugabe of Zim and Jacob Zuma of South Africa ignore it as well. After all, they are only white farmers. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-04-02 09:04 |