WASHINGTON Mar 29, 2005 — The Homeland Security Department will assign more than 500 additional patrol agents to the porous Arizona border, saying they will help keep potential terrorists and illegal immigrants from entering the country, The Associated Press has learned.

The border buildup was to be announced Wednesday two days before civilian volunteers with the so-called Minuteman Project begin a monthlong Arizona patrol against immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico line.

About 155 agents will be immediately sent to Arizona, according to department officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the buildup was not yet announced. More than 370 additional agents all new trainees will be permanently assigned to the Arizona border throughout the year.


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Until they are in place, another 200 agents will be temporarily stationed in Arizona during the high immigration season this spring and summer, officials said.

A Senate aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Tuesday that more agents would be assigned to Arizona, but could not immediately say exactly how many were involved.

The 370-mile Arizona border is considered the most vulnerable stretch of the 2,000-mile southern border. Of the 1.1 million illegal immigrants apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol last year, 51 percent crossed into the country at the Arizona border.

Recent intelligence indicates that al-Qaida leaders are likely to enter the country through the Mexico border and "believe illegal entry is more advantageous than legal entry for operational security reasons," former Homeland Security Deputy Secretary James Loy said in written testimony to lawmakers last month.

The new agents will come on top of the 210 that President Bush has proposed for all U.S. borders in his budget last month a number lawmakers have called inadequate to effectively secure the nation's borders. It also falls far short of the 2,000 new agents mandated in intelligence reform legislation enacted in December.

Hundreds of civilian "Minuteman" volunteers have signed up to patrol a 40-mile stretch of the southeast Arizona border. They say they will merely identify and follow illegal border-crossers and not interact with them. But some of the volunteers plan to arm themselves, although they have little or no training to confront border-crossers.

Link: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=623083

Catherine

What a freaking joke! Like they even give a shit. Just a another made for tv sham. If the border is such a danger and / or weak point, where the hell have they been up until now? Well anyway, they get a chance to preach on that invisible perfect enemy know as al-Paida .. er ahhh, I mean al-Qaida.

"No business like show business"

--

I thought the same thing, Sir. Not only is this part of the country very vulnerable, and has been just as much as it was on Sept. 12, but the Northwest is, also.

What have they (meaning the "powers that be") been waiting on? I know..a sign from God.

Catherine

Ahhh yes, that must be it Catherine !

If I was a "terrorist" with million dollar connections like the ones thrown all over television, I'd have to ask myself if the Mexican border would be my best option to infiltrate the United States. I know and work with many people who have made that journey and it is far from easy. I just don't think walking through a scorching desert, swimming in sewage, or sleeping in the mountains for days at a time with very little food and water is worth it. If I was a "terrorist" I don't know if i would compromise my mission by entrusting that a pollero/coyote would get me across the border safely. But then again, im not a "terrorist". At least I don't think im classified as one.

when will they put in the guard towers, machine gun nests and mines?

quote:

"Hundreds of civilian "Minuteman" volunteers have signed up to patrol a 40-mile stretch of the southeast Arizona border. They say they will merely identify and follow illegal border-crossers and not interact with them. But some of the volunteers plan to arm themselves, although they have little or no training to confront border-crossers. "

...isn't this the new term (minutemen) for vigilante?

next, we'll see these "minutemen" patrolling our towns and cities....all in the name of fighting "terrorists".

What color will their "bedsheets" be and will they burn crosses or "bushfish?"

Catherine

well, they will have to signal each other..what better way than a burning dross?..it stands tall and can be seen for far distances.

as for the dress code....i'll bet it'll be military green, or swat black...after all, the "minutemen" have to look professional when fox news displays them as our new "border heros".

can't alarm mainstream america, ya know....

some of the best BS I've heard in a long time. A total sham.

But......Minutemen not so welcome in Texas

They've got the citizens of Arizona all riled up....and this in itself is a very dangerous situation due to the fact that many people there own and carry loaded weapons.

ooopss, hit the submit button too quick. I wasn't finitsched !

The scam will be extended to the Canadian border and in California:
Illegal immigrant watches planned on Canada border and in California

My question is, when are they going to extend the Wall ??

Of course you'll find loads of people willing to join forces to go out on a man-hunt in Arizona. Loads of trigger-happy nuts in that state. Speaking of Arizona, the best thing Arizona has going for it are the native peoples gatherings such as the annual O'Odham Tash Festival in Casa Grande. Nothing like fry-bread and honey at a pow-wow to awaken your spirits.

"the wall" is already being erected, only instead of using concrete and barbed wire, it's being constructed of humans and fear.

as i read in another post somewhere, we sure don't mind "them" working in our yards, or cleaning our houses....we just don't want them as part of our society.

also, now that bush managed to get the latino vote, he can swing the other way and let his redneck side come out.

nah, I'm talking about a real wall....bricks and all. Like the walls they've erected around high schools to "protect the children". Americans need some real protection so why not build a god**amned wall all the way around the effing place ? I know the idea is not new - see Berlin - see the Bethlehem countryside.

"We need a Wall"
"We need a Wall"
"We need a Wall"
"We need a Wall"
"We need a Wall" (not)

......to physically represent the Walls in our heads. J

See the apartheid wall - Israel/Palestine