President Barack Obama will deploy up to 1,200 more National Guard troops to the U.S. border with Mexico, an administration official told CNN on Tuesday.
In addition, Obama will request $500 million in supplemental funds to current spending for enhanced border protection and law enforcement activities, the official said.
The National Guard troops will help with drug enforcement efforts and intelligence efforts until Customs and Border Patrol can recruit and train additional officers and agents to serve on the border, the official said.
The news followed Obama's lunch meeting with Senate Republicans, where Sen. John McCain of Arizona raised the issue of increased border security. McCain and fellow Arizona Republican Sen. Jon Kyl, as well as Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, have called for Obama to send more troops to the border region.
"It's simply not enough," McCain said Tuesday on the Senate floor. He called for 3,000 more National Guard troops just for the Arizona-Mexico border.
Giffords, who had called for the National Guard's deployment immediately after the March 27 murder of Cochise County rancher Rob Krentz, said Obama's step was "the right thing."
"Arizonans know that more boots on the ground means a safer and more secure border," Giffords said in a written statement. "Washington heard our message."
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There is always a way in. No matter how many guards we have.
Very simple folks...The National Guard are cheaper to use for border conrol and patrol then hiring hundreds of border patrol agents. The duty gives them vital training in recon, patrol, command and manuever tactics etc... This is actually a smart idea for once.
Combat maneuvres? I'm guess the only combet service you've seen is a video game.
Police work =/= combat duty.
Law enforcement D-A** . When you have militray units out there, do you think the cartels are gonna mess with them after they start rounding up the drug mules and the folks that traffic in illegals? they get into one good firefight with a NG unit, and guess what...they will thing twice.. You have to realize Border patrol agents (alone or small teams of 2 to 4 agents) have to cover so much territory per man it is impossible for them to stop what is going on. NG is already trained to do most of what Border Patrol does. There is no ramp up time needed other than to stage and deploy....Manuver, that is what I said...they are not going to just stand at a guard post and pick their nose....get your head out of your butt.
Wow.....How redundant.....ECHO........echo.....Great story.
Hey Dan, this is no fiesta just our tax dollars being put to good use! Finally.
Wow, you Liberals are geniuses. How about you go to Google News and query George Bush Mexico Border. Read for a change, and you'll come across dozens of stories regarding troop elevation and orders to move forward with wall building by President George W. Bush.
It's astounding how you jump to conclusions without the slightest bit of research. "Gee, I despise George Bush, so I'll just assume he didn't do anything like Obama just did."
Sheep.
People have been complaining that the federal government is not securing our borders. Now that Obama wants to send troops to the border, people are STILL complaining. I guess people are more interested in complaining just to complain than in actually solving problems.
I wonder if it's the same ones complaining about AZ policing their own state. Some people live to complain, and the gov't is an easy target.
For everyone that keeps saying Bush never did anything, go look back in 2006, he sent thousands to the boarder!! i know cause i was there with my unit!! Waste of Money and time ......Once again the Government proves that they can waste money so they can get votes!! Dem or Rep doesnt matter, Staying on top for them is all that matters (kinda hard to do anything in the Government when you are bought and paid for before you step into the office!!
I moved to the border in Oct. '68. El Paso, TX. Fort Bliss army base is there. Saw people walking across the river with their belongings over their heads. Asked my friend, "Why isn't the border patrol getting them." The answer is the same as now. "We need those cheap laborers for the jobs Americans won't do." Moved to L.A.(80's) Same situation. Then to Salt Lake City..(90"s).same...now back in Tucson, AZ. We just have to stop the illegal flow across the border. If I went to Mexico without my proper papers, I would get 5 yrs in jail. In Mexico.!!!
Drug traffic, human traffic, arms, terrorists. I think he should send enough Guard to see each other for the entire length of the border. The illegal crossings need to be slowed down if not eliminated completely.
You could wall off this country and there would still be a drug supply. Why? Because America has an unstoppable demand for them. But we have decided that certain plants are somehow illegal to consume...
And the illegal guns are going INTO Mexico to arm the cartels. Bought and paid for by drug money we so readily provide them.
Ignorance is bliss.
The story doesn't say what roll the guards will play.
If Obama has his way, maybe they are going there to shoot
Arizonians who support SB 1070
THe ORDER is to PROTECT the illegals from the US Citizens as they come across the border. Give them food, water, medical care, maps, compasses, and guns if they don't already have them.
Sheesh. I thought there might actually be some information here. Here's the story in the Tucson Weekly for anyone interested :
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/TheRange/archives/2010/05/25/giffords-national-guard-troops-headed-for-arizona-border
Thanks for posting this. It sounds as though the troops are meant for the AZ-Mexican border in response (belated) to requests from AZ's gov.
I wonder this time if they will be armed or just targets like last time Bush did it.
We were armed the last time we did it but we were not authoried to do anything unless under fire, if we say anything we had to call boarder partrol and if they couldnt pick them up...well later and had to let them go.
your right blue!! DEport all of them!!
it's funny that people believe the Obama adminstration has been doing nothing about illegal immigation. here is an article, from Time w/ some interesting facts. http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1988149,00.html
note some tidbits: the Obama Administration has exceeded Bush Administration efforts on border control. Last year saw the highest number of people ever deported: 387,790, up from 116,782 in 2001 and 349,041 in 2008. Thus far this year, some 185,887 people have been deported, a record pace that, if maintained, will nearly double the number of deportations in 2010 to 604,133. The Administration has also doubled the number of agents assigned to the Border Enforcement Security Task Force and tripled intelligence analysts along the Southwest border.
In fact, the Obama Administration has gone so far to the right on enforcement that some immigrant-rights groups, already peeved at the lack of action on comprehensive reform, are calling for a boycott in the 2010 elections.
yep, sounds like until now, he's been sitting there doing nothing!