Bush and the Border

[Belson17]

Does adding 6,000 National Guard Troops to guard the US border really increase its security? What does everyone think?

[brian]

I've not been following the immigration issue too closely - but those 6,000 National Guard are going to be spread over how many miles?

[corty]

Personally, putting troops in place does nothing unless measures are tightened to keep processes in place and to make sure that loop holes and gaps aren't wide open for people to exploit.

It takes more than pure manpower alone....

Corty

[Belson17]

Originally Posted by brian

I've not been following the immigration issue too closely - but those 6,000 National Guard are going to be spread over how many miles?

I think the Southern border is about 2000 miles. Arnold Scwarzenegger was quoted as saying that 6,000 is a drop in the bucket - that they need more like 50,000! He must be referring to all of the border - not just the South.

[brian]

3 National Guard for every mile sounds like a very low figure...

[Belson17]

I assume they won't be tied to one spot. They'll probably keep moving so it may be enough. One thing is for sure: There is probably no actual plan on how they're going to implement this whole thing. They're probably making it up as they go along.

[brian]

Lol! That sounds more like it.

[shaneseyt]

Adding troops to the border may not resolve the situation. Part of the problem is that we have illeagal immigrants here already who are sending for their families.

Now if troops are at the border it may cut down on the number of illeagal immigrants coming across to a degree, but those troops cannot potrol 100% of the borders 100% of the time and catch every single body trying to get in our country.

I have heard a lot of great ideas from people about how to resolve some of the issues from the illeagal immigrants - fine employers for hiring illegal immigrants (this is great, but we have the same problem of employers hiring dead beat dads and paying them cash under the table to work and you do not see employers getting fined for that...), step up the whole process of applying for work visas (ok great, but what happens when they get intot he country, move around alot and do not notify anyone they are moving then their visas expire and no one knows how to reach them? we have thousands of people in our own country dodging bill collectors using the same tactics and getting wawy with millions of dollars of debt.....)

I guess the point I am trying to make is that to resolve this issue we have to take a multpronged approach and address not just one issue but several. There is no one answer to cure this problem - when we resolve one problem the answer may open the door to another, or more than that.

I am concerned there may be no easy or satisfactory way to resolve this issue, and certainly whatever solutions are created - there will be at least a thousand people who are unhappy.....

[Belson17]

What the US needs is a non-politically correct leader who has the courage to do what it actually takes and not worry about voting blocks. Rudy Giuliani is that man. He cleaned up NY against all types of pressure.

[vicki2]

Talking to friends who live down on the border, the National Guard thing probably won't work for what it needs to work for. Keeping out illegals who are migrating way beyond the border for work is just likely to get more dangerous and people will continue to pack into the backs of trucks with no air for days on end. What it will stop is a tradition on the border of going back and forth which has always worked well for the towns there.
It is already affecting the ability of regular people to go back and forth with ease who need to shop or even see friends.