Is It Time for a Military Solution To Border Control?

In light of this article about the Border Patrol facing an ever increasing number of assaults, is it finally time for the federal government to get serious about border security before more men and women are hurt or killed? Wait let me rephrase that and ask the question that I really want an answer to. Has the time come to permanently station either National Guard or active-duty Army units on the border in order to ensure we finally have a secure border? The answer in my mind is a resounding yes and I will explain why.

The sad fact is that the people on Capital Hill know what a problem illegal immigration has become and how it undermines our national security yet they fail to act in any meaningful way. The facts are out there for all to see including Congress since this link comes from testimony before the House Committee on the Judiciary. Some in Congress remarkably have been on point for a few years; one in particular that deserves praise is Rep. Tom Tancredo from Colorado. He has spent quite a bit on time on the extremely porous Arizona-Mexico border and heads the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus.

Given that many news reports as well as eye witness testimony has shown time after time that the Border Patrol are simply outmanned and soon to be outgunned by coyotes, drug smugglers and all other forms of human trash it time to consider out ways to secure the border besides just throwing money at the problem. The recent Minuteman Project has proven that if you place just observers on the border the flow of traffic can be lower and perhaps even stopped. Imagine how much of an impact could be made if the Minuteman volunteers were replaced by trained border patrol or National Guard or Army that actually could make apprehensions.

The Border Patrol while prohibited from commenting publicly has issued a statement of support for the Minutemen and their effort on their union website. Below is the text.

MINUTEMAN PROJECT: We want to make it clear because we've had a lot of questions about this.....we have not had one single complaint from a rank-and-file agent in this Sector about the Minutemen. Every report we've received indicates these people are very supportive of the rank-and-file agents, they're courteous, many of them are retired firefighters, cops, and other professionals, and they're not causing us any problems whatsoever. Reports of them causing "ground sensors" to go off are exaggerated because most of those are being set off by the ACLU sneaking around trying to find the Minutemen doing something wrong. The Minutemen have succeeded in shifting the bulk of the illegal alien traffic out of the Naco corridor. If only President Bush were so supportive of the rank-and-file agents. While President Bush hangs out thousands of miles away in the White House, these people are willing to give up their time and energy to actually do something. While President Bush entices millions of illegal aliens to keep coming with his amnesty proposals and his demoralizing statements that he doesn't want Border Patrol agents chasing "good-hearted people just coming here to take jobs Americans won't do" the Minutemen are trying to get our laws enforced. The Minutemen have made it very clear that they fully support rank-and-file Border Patrol agents. If only we had such support from the politicians we have to work for (aren't we really supposed to be working for the citizens of this country anyway?)!

Amen! The men and women who place their lives on the line everyday to defend and protect this great country of ours deserve our undying thanks and respect. Those that are opposed to placing military units on the border have nothing to offer in terms of another solution, just there opposition.

Here are some additional reasons to consider placing military units on the border along side the existing Border Patrol. As the world changes from the age of the cold war to the new conflict against global terrorism we will have an extraordinary opportunity to restructure our armed forces. Part of this restructuring could and should include placing either National Guard or regular Army units along both the southern and northern borders. In addition to giving these men and women an opportunity to serve their country closer to home, a sure way to boost morale, think of the enormous economic impact to the border towns that seem to be just hanging on. One of the reasons that the war on drugs has been such a failure is the lack of a secure border, if we effectively close illegal border traffic think of the reduction in drugs that will enter this country. As I see it there is very little downside to placing the military on the border. I don’t really consider upsetting Canada and Mexico a downside since if either country actually controlled their own borders we would be half way to secure American borders.

The Minuteman Project has proven that the border can be secured even if only temporary by average citizens performing a civil duty. The Project has been so successful that one of its founders’s, Jim Gilchrist, is heading to Washington to press for actual enforcement and punishment of companies that hire and employ illegal immigrates. The Minuteman Project will continue through the rest of the month under the direction of the Civil Homeland Defense group headed by Chris Simcox while Mr. Gilchrist presses Washington and makes arrangements to expand the Minuteman Project to additional southern and northern states. The states that have expressed an interest in having a Minuteman Project patrol their borders include New Mexico, California, Texas, Vermont, Michigan and North Dakota.

The time has come for the federal government to either put up or shut up on the issue of illegal immigration. The die has been cast and if needed the American people will answer the call to defend our borders. We need to examine every possible way to secure our borders and thus ensure our national security. The solution is within our grasp as a nation if we can give our leaders the confidence to make the tough decisions. The current plan proposed by President Bush is akin to throwing up our hands and giving up because it is too hard to fix the problem. America is not a nation of quitters and the President’s plan is not the answer. Have a great Wednesday everyone.